One week ago, Vice President Kamala Harris told a North Carolina audience that she planned to propose a federal ban on price gouging for food. In criticizing Harris, the Washington Post editorial board demonstrated its lack of basic economic theory. Then various news organizations jumped from “price gouging” to “price controls” (a la Nixon). Now Cato Institute economist Scott Lincicome insists farm policy is the culprit behind food price increases. 1. Existing lawThirty-seven states already have laws on the books that prohibit “price gouging” in the lay person’s understanding of that phrase. T…