Oh, so its corporate greed

[DDZ]

Biden claims that the economy is fine, and the reason people have to spend more for food is because of corporate greed. 

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/05/joe_biden_says_economy_s_great_because_americans_have_the_money_to_spend_on_inflated_prices_of_goods.html

[scattershot]

The boy is delusional.

[gene_225]

Been retired since 2007 and the cost of living is starting to pinch awfully tight. Don't see it getting better.

[Ranger99]

Oh yes. Corporations are for sure
greedy, as are their stockholders.
But on the other hand, I'm happy that
we have the relatively small amount
of manufacturing etc. that we do have
left in the country. If I had a big
corporation and was getting hounded
because I was making a profit and
people were shoplifting away my
profits, I'd probably padlock everything
and set up shop in meckseeko or
veeut knom or indeeuh or one of
those places where I didn't have to
put up with jealous people sabotaging
my business.
I never figured out the envy and
covetousness of people these days.
Equality is equality of opportunity,
not equality of bank balances.
If you need to, educate yourself
further to be able to advance and
make more money. If you cannot,
you don't deserve to make a pile
of money and will have to be
content with what you can do.
Hopefully, will get back to merit
based hiring in this country, and
things will start to get better again

[gene_225]

Actually, a lot of it is Government Greed (read that as the administration and the people who elect them).

[ironglow]

  At least, corporations create something for money invested in them..  However, government grabs perhaps even more from us....and doesn't create anything..

 As Gene said..I retired long ago, and didn't expect to live this long..however, after the several financial crises managed by the government, plus the democrats' wild spending..making our savings and 401Ks worth less day by day..yes, it is starting to pinch !

[Ranger99]

Actually, a lot of it is Government Greed (read that as the administration and the people who elect them).

Yes.  If people only knew at the classes/
schooling/training I've had to have over the
decades I worked at a car dealership, they'd
probably croak
Mainly for the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality ( formerly the
Texas Water Commission)
Safety classes, safety meetings. OSHA
classes, safety classes from the Municipality,
safely classes from the company's insurance
company, classes from the manufacturer,
Classes from A.S.E. , classes from A.P.I.
Certifications examinations from most of them.
Weekly and monthly inspections.
Fire Marshal inspections, inspections
for proper hazardous waste disposal
and walking every inch of the property
with the inspector looking for oil
puddles, spills, drops of antifreeze, etc.
Keeping a file of all that paperwork
to make sure that some hotshot doesn't
try to squeeze your jewels for not being
able to produce a particular piece of
paper on request, etc.
And try to do a days work with all that
piled on top

[gypsyman]

 More propaganda out of DC. People that for the most part have never contributed to real life are trying to run it into the ground. Energy cost is a major factor, and when diesel fuel more than doubled and the fertilizer price doubled after Biden got in, what do you expect?? Farmers and truck drivers can't keep their operating costs the same. Price of food goes up! When you read a story about a 5 Guys hamburger joint when a customer takes a picture of the receipt, and it's $24 for a burger, coke and fries. What do you expect when the government forces them to pay $20/hr minimum wage! Company's being forced to hire DEI people, most of which are to stupid to do the job, or don't work because they know the company wont fire them. Company has to pay them, but gets no return from them. We need a change pretty soon, the way this country is going, we'll look like Weimar in the 20's. Wheelbarrow full of useless cash to buy food.

[Dixie-Dude]

Inflation is 99% government policy.  When the government spends more than they take in, they have to print worthless money to pay for what the buy.  This causes inflation.  A little can be attributed to bad weather causing a shortage of certain foods, thus driving up the price of what is left.  Farmers have to make money, and more now due to inflation of fertilizer, tractor fuel, etc.  Food processors such as canning and freezing of food have to make money, then there is the distributors, truckers, etc.  Higher taxes on all also raises prices.  Yet they blame the evil capitalists.  Capitalism which brought on wealth and higher standards of living for every country that uses capitalism. 

Communists/Facists/Socialists want to take all the wealth away from the millionaires and billionaires the distribute it to the poor.  If the government took every penny from all the millionaires and billionaires in America, it would only cover the expenses of the federal government for ONE year.  Then there would be no more.  This is what happened in the Soviet Union.  No more rich to tax, so everyone was poor, except those in the communist party.  These forms of government take away incentive, inventions, and reason to innovate anything.  They never figured in the lazy who contribute nothing.  So, everyone becomes lazy.   No reward for hard working. 

Biden only says what his handlers tell him to say.  Most are from the Obama administration and are known communists/socialists.  Some were even members of the American communist party but switched to democrats in the 1980's, like John Brennan, former CIA director.  What a way to give your enemies information. 

[wtxbadger]

Retired in 2014 and everything looked good going forward financially, did a lot of different scenarios factoring in inflation, medical needs etc.. Fast forward and I'm working a part time job to try and make up the difference and from the look of things I'll be going back to work full time before too long. It amazes me just how little people understand economics and the cost of doing business.

[magooch]

As shocking as the cost of food and gas and such has been, the worst is the cost of taxes--property taxes in particular.  I retired fairly young and at the time I was set to do just about anything I wanted, but what I never counted on was what would happen to housing costs.  My house was all paid for and so were all the vehicles and everything else.  Almost overnight--actually a few years--the house is now pushing seven figures and the taxes are the biggest cost of living by far.  I think people should revolt over what is happening.  The way I see it is that no matter the market value of home you live in, everyone more, or less get the same services from the city, state, or county.  You shouldn't in effect be fined for having built on a few times.

[ironglow]

Interesting...dozing Joe didn't once mention "politician's greed"..those politicians who sell out to lobbiests..both foreign and domestic..

[Dixie-Dude]

I retired on Dec. 31, 2012.  Anyway, between my 401k and my pension (lump sum and put it in an IRA).  It decreased until 2016, and we were worried.  When Trump went in and started with executive orders to help the economy, it boomed and got back up above what I had when I retired.  Now, it is up, but inflation is bad for retirees.  We still have to have food, gasoline, and pay utilities.  Hope Trump goes back in. 

I do see problems not really government related.  Lazy gen z's wanting to work 4 day weeks, and robotics taking tasks away from workers in factories and warehouses.  Then along comes self driving cars, then self driving tractor trailer trucks.  I saw a self driving car on I-10 in Florida, weird not having a driver in the car.  I drove by it slow to double check.  Anyway, a lot of what is coming down the road is going to do away with a lot of jobs. 

They do need to add another skill set to trade schools, robotics. 

[gypsyman]

As shocking as the cost of food and gas and such has been, the worst is the cost of taxes--property taxes in particular.  I retired fairly young and at the time I was set to do just about anything I wanted, but what I never counted on was what would happen to housing costs.  My house was all paid for and so were all the vehicles and everything else.  Almost overnight--actually a few years--the house is now pushing seven figures and the taxes are the biggest cost of living by far.  I think people should revolt over what is happening.  The way I see it is that no matter the market value of home you live in, everyone more, or less get the same services from the city, state, or county.  You shouldn't in effect be fined for having built on a few times.

I'm paying more than double in property tax's than when I bought my house in 1996. Almost as much now as what my payments were. The part that probably irritates me more than anything, here in Ohio, property tax's were ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio State S.C. about the time I bought the house. Case was DeRolph vs. State if anybody wants to look it up. Their still collecting it. And last check, state of Ohio pulls in over 34 billion a year in tax's. Most of what I call, free money. Casino/lottery-gambling tax's, alcohol and tobacco tax's, and sales tax. Now they legalized pot, so will probably figure another half a billion when those tax's kick in. If corporate greed gets out of hand, people just quit buying the product if it's an unessential. Or switch to something else if possible. Trying to avoid tax's--like trying to live without breathing.

[DDZ]

Likewise my township taxes are continuing to go up. Local townships are like big government. Instead of trying to cut costs they just raise taxes. When I built my house in 1977 my local township taxes were manageable. Now they are to the point of suffocating.  Anyone that spends money to make their property better or more valuable, the taxes go up. Live in a crap hole with junk all over your yard your taxes are minimal. People wonder why rent is so high. Take a look at what taxes the owners pay on the property.   

[Ranger99]

. . . Anyway, a lot of what is coming down the road is going to do away with a lot of jobs. 

They do need to add another skill set to trade schools, robotics.

Yes
A big problem is that many people today
aren't mechanically inclined, and many
more don't have any affinity for the job
they're supposed to be doing, likely as
not DEI hires
I guess I'm different in that I can see a
company not wanting to pay $20.00 +
an hour for what's supposed to be an
entry level unskilled job.  Yeah, if my
profits were threatened by whatever
factors and I was following the law,  I'd
padlock everything and pick up sticks and
move everything to a country where I
could produce my products with a decent
overhead and pull a profit and satisfy my
stockholders,  or I'd fill out my labor needs
with robotics
People don't understand that industries
are needed so we'll have jobs.
Envy and jealousy of the wealthy will
never get you anywhere because the
wealthy have always been here, and
will be until the end of time.
It's sad that covetousness has become
so ingrained in our society today

[Mule 11]

The socialists love the hike in minimum wage idea as it’s one of the new siren songs of the brain dead repeaters...

[Dixie-Dude]

Minimum wage is supposed to be for first time jobs, teenage jobs, etc.  Not for family to survive on.  Low wages are to encourage teenagers to get a skill or go to college to get a useful degree.  I have seen, in my family, liberals that do not want their teenage kids to work anywhere, like fast food.  They seem to think it is beneath them.  Then they turn around and buy them cars, pay for their college at a liberal arts college, then when they became adults, they didn't know how to make a living or manage money. 

I made my kids go to work to buy their own cars.  Told them they could stay at home while they went to college or trade school.  Within a short distance of my house is a Jr. College & trade school, and a major university.  Some did, some didn't take advantage.  Now some have to work harder to make a decent living. 

I had to work to buy my first car, pay my own way through college without student loans.  It sometimes takes longer, but I believe it still can be done. 

[gene_225]

My story is much like yours; and I encouraged my kids to work. My son's Christian university sent us a letter telling us how much we needed to pay for him to go to their school. We didn't, and he figured out a way to pay for it, although he still has a debt to pay, but he now has his own business and seems to be doing very well for himself and seems happy about it all.

[wtxbadger]

The city we used to live in has a junior college that offered a really good option for kids fresh out of HS from a grant from a local charity. It paid for their tuition and books for two years of education. All you had to do to qualify was graduate from HS and apply for the grant. It was a really great option and I told all three of our now grown children at the time that going there was their only option for the first two years and then we would them financially for the next two years with the university of their choice for the next two years. Our oldest chose not to take advantage of the free first two years and instead chose a college a couple of hundred miles away. She managed to figure out paying for it with grants and loans and when she started her third year we offered to help her with her expenses but she declined our offer and said she had it handled. She did a lot of growing up then and paid back her student loans later.

[ironglow]

  Let's face it..most major colleges are simply a racket.  Charlie kirk says that students could graduate in 3 years instead of 4, if they would cut out the
   useless classes.
  If a student is pursuing a course of study..for instance, to become a land surveyor, or civil engineering, why should the student need to study politics,
   black history, women's rights or lesbian dance classes.

  For those studies a person can be an autodidactic  (study it on their own)...

 ..But of course,  if they are left to do it on their own, they may not be sufficiently brainwashed, so cfar as the institution is concerned !

  To me it appears the schools simply add staff members, putting their pals on payroll..then forcing students to partake, so the inflated wages get paid.

[magooch]

I wonder if the military still has programs where you can do your college while you serve, or after you complete your enlistment, they even used to pay you to get your degree.  It worked for me, but I don't think I would do it again.  I remember a time, or two when I was on my way home after a night class and I couldn't remember where I was going.  Still, looking back on it all, it paid off more than I could ever have dreamed possible.  Actually I'm not sure I could have done it if not for a wife who supported what I was doing and kept things on an even keel while also raising two kids.

[Dixie-Dude]

Yes, you are right.  Most 4 year degrees have a lot of "electives".  But a lot of electives are useless, brainwashing, and does not relate to the degree the kid is going after.