argument10 first argument

Francis07UID: 2185659

Argument10

//我希望得到大家的猛拍，谢谢
The following appeared in a letter to the editor of a Batavia newspaper.
"The department of agriculture in Batavia reports that the number of dairy
farms throughout the country is now 25 percent greater than it was 10 years
ago. During this same time period, however, the price of milk at the local
Excello Food Market has increased from $1.50 to over $3.00 per gallon. To
prevent farmers from continuing to receive excessive profits on an
apparently increased supply of milk, the Batavia government should begin to
regulate retail milk prices. Such regulation is necessary to ensure both
lower prices and an adequate supply of milk for consumers."

This argument suggests that the Batavia government should regulate its retail milk prices by two evidences and one assumption, namely,  the increasing number of dairy farms throughout the country, the raising of the milk price of Excello Food Market, and the farmers are getting excessive profits.  After scrutizing the argument carefully,  I find that the suggestion may be reasonable and convincing if the author gives more detailed evidences on the follow aspects of the issue.

Firstly, the argument gives out the evidence of the increasing number of dairy farms throughout the country and asserts that the number of the farms is 25 percent greater than it was 10 years ago.  But he failed to give evidence of the growth of the capital of the country.  If the growth of the capital is much faster than milk or dairy products.  There may even be less milk per person nowadays.  How could the supply of milk be called enough?

The author also failed to give the extact number of farms in the last 10 years and hence the exact number of growth .  For example, if there were only 4 farms in the country 10 years ago.  According to the evidence given, only 1 was established during the past 10 years, which, of course, is unreasonable.  So if the author wants to convince the readers that  the number of the farms really increased a lot, he should provide a clearer picture of the evidence or the exact number increased.

Secondly, the arguer tries to convince us that the price of the milk increased a lot, which leads to the excessive profits of the farmers.  However, he failed to convince me in this point by only providing one evidence that Excello Food Market's milk's price increased by 100%.  We could assume that Excello is an exception and that all other Markets or food stores decreased their milk prices leading to the jump of the country's holistic dairy market price.  Under this occation, farmers would be impossible to gain any profits and let alone excessive ones.  To be more convincing, the author really needs to make surveys and give us the average milk price of the whole country or at least the prices of most market, not only one example of Excello Food Market.

Finally, the author concludes that the farmers are getting excessive profits on apparently increased supply of milk and suggest the government reduce the milk price.  According to the discussion above, one may hardly believe the regulation of the milk price could be of any help for the dairy market in Batavia if the assumptions above would be true.  If the condition of the farmers in Batavia is already in terrible condition.  More restrict regulations on the milk price could cause horrible results.

In conclusion, it is important for the government of Batavia to get everything clear in mind before making any decision on the regulation of milk price or anything else.  A small mistake could cause something big impredictably.

[ 本帖最后由 Francis07 于 2007-7-17 16:51 编辑 ]

Francis07UID: 2185659

为什么没人回我?难道写得太滥了?