Politics Thread

[bjf123]

Real wages are up more than inflation, but people have been convinced that the economy is bad.

On what planet are real wages up more than inflation? My utility bill is up about 70% from 3 years ago. Groceries are up more than 30%. Mortgage rates are way up, though they have dropped a little from the high. Other consumer categories are up similarly. Are you saying people have gotten raises the last few years more than the amount these things have gone up? I know I haven’t. Last year was a whopping zero increase throughout the company. Our industry struggled last year. I’m hoping for 3-4% this year. That still has me way behind compared to pre-Biden.


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[Xville]

On what planet are real wages up more than inflation? My utility bill is up about 70% from 3 years ago. Groceries are up more than 30%. Mortgage rates are way up, though they have dropped a little from the high. Other consumer categories are up similarly. Are you saying people have gotten raises the last few years more than the amount these things have gone up? I know I haven’t. Last year was a whopping zero increase throughout the company. Our industry struggled last year. I’m hoping for 3-4% this year. That still has me way behind compared to pre-Biden.


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Yep. This is where stats can lie, or tell a story that you want it to tell in Paul's case. Any person in the low to upper middle class with a brain, knows that they are paying more for every need or want in their life than they did two years ago. Yeah, maybe now those target and mcdonald's workers went from 10 or 14 dollars an hour to 20 now, but for the rest of America, wages have not kept up.

With all that said, I don't think who is President matters...whether it was Trump, Biden or some other jag off, inflation was going to happen due to 2020-2021, and most companies outside of the Targets/Mcdonalds of the world were going to struggle to keep up.

[xubrew]

The costs of goods is definitely up. My question is are the profits of those companies also up? And, is the REAL reasons the price of goods have gone up because of a failure on the part of our elected officials, or because the companies simply decided to increase their prices in order to increase their profits??

I don't know. That's why I'm asking. Both seem very plausible.

[bobbiemcgee]

Locally, Kroger made 33B and Walmart 157b 7% increase.

[Xville]

The costs of goods is definitely up. My question is are the profits of those companies also up? And, is the REAL reasons the price of goods have gone up because of a failure on the part of our elected officials, or because the companies simply decided to increase their prices in order to increase their profits??

I don't know. That's why I'm asking. Both seem very plausible.

I think in some cases, it's both. I think it most cases though, it depends on the industry. The health and insurance industry sure is doing alright for instance.....

[Strange Brew]

I think in some cases, it's both. I think it most cases though, it depends on the industry. The health and insurance industry sure is doing alright for instance.....

I don’t think companies are price gouging. COGS are up for any company that trades in US dollars.

[GoMuskies]

The costs of goods is definitely up. My question is are the profits of those companies also up? And, is the REAL reasons the price of goods have gone up because of a failure on the part of our elected officials, or because the companies simply decided to increase their prices in order to increase their profits??

I don't know. That's why I'm asking. Both seem very plausible.

Yes, corporations only figured out 3 years ago that if they raise prices they can make more money. It's wild really.

[Xville]

I don’t think companies are price gouging. COGS are up for any company that trades in US dollars.

Can you honestly say with a straight face that for instance health insurance companies, hospitals, pharma etc are not price gouging?

[xubrew]

Yes, corporations only figured out 3 years ago that if they raise prices they can make more money. It's wild really.

Yeah, that's wild!!

Are their profits increasing at a rate that is proportionate to the increase of the cost of their goods? Or, are their profits not increasing at all and the price increases are related to something else?? Like...I don't know...the supply chain? Or trade regulations? Or anything else that might be the result of our elected officials and not the result of the companies simply deciding to increase prices?

I really don't know enough about this. Obviously.

Everyone is blaming our elected officials for the increase in the cost of goods, particularly Biden. Should they be?? That's my question. If there is a profit increase that is directly proportional to the price increases, then I would say there isn't much that any elected official could have done. How are they supposed to stop a company from increasing their prices simply because they know that doing so will make them more money?

[GoMuskies]

How are they supposed to stop a company from increasing their prices simply because they know that doing so will make them more money?

Totally, I'm just glad the corporations are so noble and didn't raise prices more! It's so easy, you know?