No, more like they outsource to other countries, cheat on taxes, engage in union-busting tactics, lay off thousands of people in other to boost quarterly reports.
The people running these public corporations only interest is driving stock price up and nothing else. There's no reason to assume any of these operations have a mind on long-term sustainability, they get away with what the government and regulatory bodies allow.
No, more like they outsource to other countries, cheat on taxes, engage in union-busting tactics, lay off thousands of people in other to boost quarterly reports.
The people running these public corporations only interest is driving stock price up and nothing else. There's no reason to assume any of these operations have a mind on long-term sustainability, they get away with what the government and regulatory bodies allow.
Hmm, yes? I'd put the outsourcing bit on a different bag to the rest of the issues though. Companies leaving the country to save on labor is not a short term thing. And it plays into workers in the US having basically no leverage. I agree with a lot of the others not having long term in mind, it's just executives of companies owned by shareholders looking for a big payday without regard for anything else.
Companies are making significant profit most of the major companies in their financial fillings for the last few quarters are still making record profits even as Volume of Product sold has declined yet Prices have remained elevated. Apart from impacted eggs from the bird flu and fruit issues driving juices higher there is plenty of room for these major companies to decrease prices. Shipping container prices aren't even 10x in price to ship stuff like they were early in the pandemic so it's not clear where companies have reason to keep prices elevated when input costs are not high anymore.
Even in her drug costs, the affected companies that negotiated prices are only losing 10% of profit and will still make 90% of their revenue from US citizens. The companies issues statements to not worry shareholders.
My post was only about food stuff, I don't know much of medicine and other industries. Though the price gouging on freights during the pandemic was brazen and infuriating. Now to name a few realities today:
1.- The war in ukraine still keeps prices up of fats and grains along with their derivatives. Prices have been stable for a while but still much higher than they were before the war. And since then there have been a variety of factors that can push those prices up or down.
2.- Freights are not quite back to pre pandemic levels either. Much lower but still expensive compared to pre pandemic levels. Add to that for some reason container shortages happening more often for some reason.
3.- Across the board price increases just happen more often and more sharply than before.
I obviously can't speak about the totality of the market or every individual manufacturer/seller but at least when it comes to folk who make food to me it doesn't sound likely that they are making a killing with ridiculous markups. Retailers are a different animal of course. There's a factor of trickiness to determining when someone is price gouging but I don't get the impression the prices you see in supermarkets are that out of line with the stuff I see in the markets (which is not to say no one is price gouging but shit out there is rough to this day).
The Federal Trade Commission today issued a report on the causes behind grocery supply chain disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
www.ftc.gov
A quick Google search.
It seems that a chunk of grocery producers/sellers are in fact price gouging. This was obvious years ago, when things suddenly became way more expensive than they should have been, and stayed that way, while companies were making record profits. If they were increasing prices to offset the increased expenses, then their profits wouldn't be as high or record high as it has been.
I wish those articles were a bit more specific about the price gouging in question. They are for some reason more specific about the non price gouging bits but those sounds more like antitrust issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic.
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For instance, the article has this bit:
"In 2021, food and beverage retailer revenue increased to more than 6% above their total costs, compared with a peak of 5.6% in 2015, the FTC report says. And during the first three quarters of 2023, profits increased further, with sales topping costs by 7%."
I might be way off base but I am a bit skeptic of a 0.4% increase in revenue compared to costs holding up as price gouging in court (even if for retailers that's probably a mountain of cocaine worth of money).
On the other hand this is frustrating:
"The study also found that big food retailers:
∎ Imposed strict delivery requirements and threatened fines if they didn’t comply. That widened their advantage over smaller rivals and “may create an opportunity for some firms to entrench their power,” the report said.
∎ Explored whether to build their own manufacturing capacity or buy producers. By consolidating already concentrated markets, such mergers could harm smaller competitors, the study said."
Major retailers to producers: You will sell to us at a loss and you will like it. But as I said, this is more an antitrust issue (and I am pretty sure I have been fairly consistent in how anti trust is one of the biggest economic issues worldwide).
Just linking this because this is main argument behind the claim that Kamala being made the Democratic presidential candidate without a primary is a coup. A lot of conservative pundits are running with that argument.
Gymnastics? Simple addition and multiplication are gymnastics? I could understand someone saying I am oversimplifying this but I can't dumb this down any more.
It's really incredible that this guy can say these kinds of things about Harris when she won't even commit to a permanent ceasefire or halt arms sales to Israel. The leader of a party that won't even allow a Palestinian American to speak at the DNC yet lets the family of hostages do so. And the funniest thing is there's a not insignificant amount of people that believe this shit.
Seems lots of Magas are mocking Gus, Tim Walz's son, on X about his tears over his dad's remarks during his speech. I've got no idea why they think this is a good idea or that this will win them sympathies in the wider voter ranges, but so far it seems to have a rather opposite effect with lots of backslash happening to the bullies.
Seems lots of Magas are mocking Gus, Tim Walz's son, on X about his tears over his dad's remarks during his speech. I've got no idea why they think this is a good idea or that this will win them sympathies in the wider voter ranges, but so far it seems to have a rather opposite effect with lots of backslash happening to the bullies.
MAGAs are shitheads, simple as. If any Dem did the same to Barron (unless he's open about hating his dad), they'd somehow find moral and get mad at the critics.
Hasan Piker got kicked out of the DNC and spent the rest of the speeches bitching. My guess is no one knew just how much of a disgusting fuck he was (he had a real life Houthi pirate on stream and was sanitizing him by joking about One Piece but he'll cry about Destiny having chicken and waffles with Nick Fuentes... while pushing back on his beliefs)
Hasan Piker got kicked out of the DNC and spent the rest of the speeches bitching. My guess is no one knew just how much of a disgusting fuck he was (he had a real life Houthi pirate on stream and was sanitizing him by joking about One Piece but he'll cry about Destiny having chicken and waffles with Nick Fuentes... while pushing back on his beliefs)
He got kicked out after being there all week 15 minutes after he was talking about the uncommitted delegates, the DNC's refusal to allow a Palestinian-American lawmaker the opportunity to speak on stage, and had interviews set up with people like Ilhan Omar. The DNC seems to be perfectly fine having anti-Choice republicans speak on stage as well as the family of IDF soldiers, police officers that are buddy-buddy with Tim Ballard, but not a Palestinian-American lawmaker from Georgia whose speech was in support of Harris' candidacy and endorsed by the uncommitted delegates?
I have no idea why leadership thinks inviting "influencers" is a worthwhile thing and I'm not sure it did much beyond boosting his ego but it seemed to piss legacy media off so that's always a plus IMO.
Also, whether that dude was a Houthi pirate or not (it's not clear really iirc), the biggest issue I had with that "interview" is that the questions were fucking stupid and didn't accomplish much other than making him look like a doofus. But if people want to insist upon some sort of comparison - Nick Fuentes is an unabashed nazi., who the fuck doesn't know what he stands for? What is gained by talking to him? Comparing a bad interview with someone the average westoid has no clue about to an upjumped 4channer is odd.
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Quite frankly, Biden/Harris and the DNC don't even deserve this level of magnanimity
AOC doesn't really support Palestinians if she flip flops when it's convenient. That's why she's been getting confronted. Tlaib and Omar have been criticized as well, but they've stood on business.
Kamala and the Dems really fumbled so badly when they refused to let a Palestinian American talk but had no problem letting republicans and etc talk. If they lose because of lack of Palestinian and Muslim voters, then that's fully their fault because they couldn't even do the bare minimum. Israel really must be paying them tons of money.
Wild because Harris being picked as the person to run for the office got back a lot of Palestinian and Muslim votes, but then she proceeded to say "fuck you" to them so many times. And she didn't help endear herself either to others by talking about making the military the strongest and cracking down on immigration, and whatever other stuff she did that Dems generally claim to be against.
Think the significance of the number of these voters is overstated, the last census est had 170,000 Palestinian Americans, and the largest population in Chicago, and Biden won Illinois by over 1 million votes. Michigan could have 200000 - 500000 Arab Americans, Biden won Michigan by 200000. While it is unclear if ALL Arab Americans are single issue voters, are all Democrats, and are universally feeling the same sentiments about Harris stance, in Michigan she does have a consistent 4% lead over Trump in August polls...and she could still win electoral college even if she lost Michigan.
They can still make a difference especially in a very close election. I'm not sure what's going to happen, but Trump claiming 2020 was rigged will definitely have some influence in how conservatives vote.
I mean, the left voted for Clinton but were blamed for her losing even though she won the popular vote. I wouldn't put it past the Dems to blame everyone but themselves and Harris and Biden if they lose 2024.
Isn't the real problem that if the DNC let a single Palestinian American speak in favor for Palestine that every newspaper (even the pro-democrats ones) and ofc every republican from the east to the west coast would jump on that speech, rip it into nice sound bites and then go around exclaiming that the Democrats support Hamas and want the destruction of Israel? And then Harris and her team and the Demcroats party would have to waste weeks if not months to clam the fake fire of anger and outrage all the while a normal uninformed American just hears "Dems support Hamas" and is like "dang I should vote Trump after all".
Like they got way more to lose by letting them speak instead of by denying them.
He got kicked out after being there all week 15 minutes after he was talking about the uncommitted delegates, the DNC's refusal to allow a Palestinian-American lawmaker the opportunity to speak on stage, and had interviews set up with people like Ilhan Omar.
Yeah. It's almost like badmouthing the people that invited you to the convention is counter productive to the intended purpose of the DNC. You know, to rally support for the party? The Democratic party does NOT want to be viewed as Hamas supporting Palestinian activists that are willing to throw the election if a ceasefire isn't given to them. That needs to be stated with extreme prejudice.
The DNC seems to be perfectly fine having anti-Choice republicans speak on stage as well as the family of IDF soldiers, police officers that are buddy-buddy with Tim Ballard, but not a Palestinian-American lawmaker from Georgia whose speech was in support of Harris' candidacy and endorsed by the uncommitted delegates?
Thank most likely non-existent God for that: It's good strategy. Unless you disagree? Of the list you just typed, how many of those are directly counter-productive to the Democratic party's objective of "get Harris elected by appealing to the majority of voters"? The way I see it:
Want votes from Republicans or Independants? Have a Republican advocate for Harris.
Want to assure Jews you're still an ally of Israel? Give a full throated admission of support for Israel and their right to defend themselves and also maybe kiss up to the IDF a bit.
Want to assure centrists that your president values Law and Order unlike the 94 count felon Donald Trump? Kiss up to police. Don't hide cop-mala's past.
Want to secure the backbone of the Democratic party (the black vote)? Lean heavy into Kamala's blaccent, get Beyonce's permission to use her song, have tons of Black speakers to basically give her the nod.
Want to appease pro-Palestine protestors without actually doing anything to help Palestine? Mention the word ceasefire offhandedly.
Isn't the real problem that if the DNC let a single Palestinian American speak in favor for Palestine that every newspaper (even the pro-democrats ones) and ofc every republican from the east to the west coast would jump on that speech, rip it into nice sound bites and then go around exclaiming that the Democrats support Hamas and want the destruction of Israel? And then Harris and her team and the Demcroats party would have to waste weeks if not months to clam the fake fire of anger and outrage all the while a normal uninformed American just hears "Dems support Hamas" and is like "dang I should vote Trump after all". Like they got way more to lose by letting them speak instead of by denying them.
Isn't the real problem that if the DNC let a single Palestinian American speak in favor for Palestine that every newspaper (even the pro-democrats ones) and ofc every republican from the east to the west coast would jump on that speech, rip it into nice sound bites and then go around exclaiming that the Democrats support Hamas and want the destruction of Israel? And then Harris and her team and the Demcroats party would have to waste weeks if not months to clam the fake fire of anger and outrage all the while a normal uninformed American just hears "Dems support Hamas" and is like "dang I should vote Trump after all".
Like they got way more to lose by letting them speak instead of by denying them.
Then they can't whine about not getting votes from Palestinians and Muslims, especially when republicans already make shit up anyway, like claiming Harris and Biden are left or communist or whatever. Plus, that logic makes no sense when Harris herself has made it clear she thinks Israel has a right to defend itself and that USA will continue to help Israel commit genocide.
Doesn't make sense to have two politicians in the party that openly support Palestine, one being a Palestinian herself, and a candidate that makes it obvious she supports Israel, but worry about the opposition trying to make the candidate look like a Hamas sympathizer just because the party had few Palestinian Americans speak.
Doesn't help that RFK Jr. is supporting Trump now. I don't know how true it is, but I heard what made him go that route was because Harris wouldn't talk to him?
Doesn't help that RFK Jr. is supporting Trump now. I don't know how true it is, but I heard what made him go that route was because Harris wouldn't talk to him?
No one even cares about him, dumping dead animals in parks, anti vaccination, conspiracy theories, and he wants a cabinet position in Harris administration for his endorsement...
his family has been against him for years, not even sure why people bring him up. Jill Stein is still out there.
