I just canceled my Amazon Prime this week, after reading about the drivers' lawsuit against them. I'm done.
"Defendants' delivery drivers do not have time to take rest breaks because their routes are very busy, often requiring delivery of 200 to 300 packages per day," the lawsuit says, adding that drivers are pressured "to deliver a high…
I just canceled my Amazon Prime this week, after reading about the drivers' lawsuit against them. I'm done.
"Defendants' delivery drivers do not have time to take rest breaks because their routes are very busy, often requiring delivery of 200 to 300 packages per day," the lawsuit says, adding that drivers are pressured "to deliver a high volume of packages in as little time as possible."
"Consequently, drivers must resort to urinating in bottles or cans in their delivery vans or relieving themselves along the side of the road or in wooded areas," per the claim.
The drivers also allege that Amazon and its delivery contractors are failing to pay drivers properly for work they perform before and after their shifts, such as conducting safety checks and driving delivery vans back to where they are stored.
Good. We never buy from Amazon unless it is a last resort. We shop locally as mush as we can and buy as little as possible. We buy our books from Powell's, our very good local bookstore in Portland. I note in a post below that Amazon has us cornered and many ways that is true, unfortunately.
For sure I try to buy locally and did and it cost $170 for what I wanted but my business partner was able to find the same for $75 so I have to return what I bought. Gouging at corporate level and how does Amazon do it? Cheaper stuff and don't pay wharehouse workers well nor drivers?
I understand that not everyone can afford to buy locally. Amazon means to put everyone out of business. It fries me that many fund raisers, instead of supporting local businesses, have a connect to Amazon. I refuse to play that game. What I also see is many, many people lamenting the loss of a vibrant downtown with all the great locally owned stores. Well, first they went to Walmart and now Amazon. We have a huge Amazon warehouse here in Salem....no Whole Foods and we grocery shop at the local natural foods store. I have an ex-student who is an author and she loathes Amazon. An ex-classmate of mine figured out how to download books on her device for free and then wanted to know what I thought. Well, I noted, you are not stealing from Amazon, but from the authors I also have a friend with limited mobility and she uses Amazon and I understand that too. I think they work their warehouse workers to death and also the drivers. Lots of stuff made overseas is cheap and doesn't last. I once bought a hod which I thought would be great for harvesting vegetables. It fell apart before the year was out, so I am careful what I buy. I don't know what will happen now that the Chinese economy is having trouble.
Once was a Prime holder many years ago but haven't for years. I don't feel the need to shop until I drop. I've lost probably thousand of dollars over the last decade and a half as I won't invest in the big banks called Wall street and the stock market. It is not a fair market place. I guess I am stupid but I like to put my money where my mouth is. I don't want to be part of the problem. I know you are a gardener as I am and love this time of year to harvest and eat my organic food and freeze what I can.
Never an Amazon customer and I see people who should know better hyping it. Like you, we like to walk our talk. This is the time of year I get a little frazzled, but I do enjoy all my garden produce. For some reason, my eggplants have gone bananas, so I have been busy making eggplant things and freezing eggplant. I am also going to make a Brooks prune cake (a large dark plum) now that I have found my springform pan. We were talking to a guy today who raises apples sustainably and he was lamenting the fact that he saw no bats and very few swallows, both of whom eat insects. We have had not swallows the last couple years because we have this huge sewer and street project going on out front and they have made a ton of noise. We are just back from the Saturday Market with many wonderful things and then shopping at our local natural and organic market.
PS- Trump threatened Jeff Bezos because of his politics. This was yet another instance of Trump using our government for his own personal political needs and vengeance in this case. Bezos did him one better with all these Amazon trucks.
Jeff- you are shooting yourself in the foot to no avail either. You are going to find what you need how? And pay the shipping costs and endure the wait time if it's urgent? Pay for the gas? Better that these drivers strike or have a lawsuit and publicity and get some satisfaction. They need their jobs too.
PS- do you remember when Trump, the POTUS, threatened to raise rates for Amazon when it was using the US Post Service?(as if he could have, I don't know). That is when all these Amazon trucks appeared... and look at who is driving them: folks who appreciate their jobs.
You should talk to some of those "folks who appreciate their jobs." I have. I did because they kept throwing packages under the bushes at the foot of my driveway. Medicine. Electronics. Discovered after a rainstorm; destroyed.
The two drivers that I spoke to were each young and very scared of losing their jobs. They said they had been told to drop the package as fast as possible and leave. No doorbell; nothing. Or they might not make their quota, and there were plenty more waiting to get their job.
We have not had that experience. Always nice drivers. But a Fed Ex delivery person left a food package in the rain at the foot of my driveway. UPS has at times done the same. You remind me to complain. And you should.
It sounds like what you are experiencing is protest, or passive resistance.This is why the protest is louder now. The person who told them to do what they did is to blame ( as well)..
If you care about solving the problem you need to be active and not think that complaining generally and here is going to fix the problem. People are people... as you know.
Not so-- if you read mine. I have and I do complain re Fed Ex and UPS. This latest Fed Ex I tried but it was the weekend- so I was just reminded. I have not experienced any problem with Amazon drivers. Could be a local problem.
Fern, for complaining about my response to Jeff, to you for make this adversarial when it need not have been. You're always on the case.... much appreciated.
Potter, Jeff took action by talking to the drivers and then took a second consequential action by no longer doing business with Amazon. My intention in pointing that out to you was not adversarial but to recognize Jeff’s role as customer with respect for the drivers.
I missed the part where he is no longer using Amazon because of this. I wonder if the drivers or amazon knew of his deed. Fern. If this happened to me I would complain to management and that would be in response and respect to the drivers. It may get drivers in trouble or open a conversation. Jeff should thank you for defending him. I use Amazon a lot and I would go to the trouble of resolving this issue.
Oh I see .. he cancelled Amazon Prime. I did not take that as refusing to order from Amazon altogether. I think if one can, great. For others it is a big inconvenience to quit. You really have to hate Amazon.
Now that practically all the mom and pops are gone and even the big boxes have consolidated, can you find everything you need? How much time and gas do you or will you spend going around looking and shopping? Is there someone on your shoulder giving you reviews.. (or maybe you whip out your cell phone for that) and returns?
What about when the weather is prohibitive for going out, or you are sick?
Amazon has us cornered... especially now with Whole Foods...
I buy regularly on Amazon after boycotting for years. I do not pay for Prime service. It takes a couple minutes more to find free shipping and the products may take a couple days to arrive. I hate Amazon and also like you say - why shoot yourself in the foot?
I am also willing to pay a bit more to shop local bc this is important to me.
Marj I shop local too. But I cannot find, or find without running around, everything I need. I include food shopping which saves me time and gas. I also look for free shipping on Amazon as well as elsewhere. I am sure it is figured into the price as well. But I use Amazon a lot and regularly, depend on it for a lot of little things. And I consolidate for one delivery and get points. I also get credit card points, which are a saving too. I have a record of my purchases and very easy returns, generous refunds for a wrong delivery. So I decided to get off the horse of resentment about the politics of this. The big box stores irked me as well... We cannot go back to the mom and pop era, if anyone remembers that anymore. There are some stores that are local that I very much appreciate. This is a sorting out. I am now wondering why we need to consume so much... that said Amazon makes me think twice. I have pages of things I thought I really wanted but put on a wish list...never look at it.
Where I live, the local stores do not carry a lot of the items I need & the time & gas trying to find what I am looking for is wasted. I buy local when ever possible. I heard that A is raising the limit for free shipping to $35. I dont have prime bc I dont use what they offer except the free shipping & some of the prime shows on tv
You have a good point, Potter. I have a love/hate relationships with Amazon. I was very glad for their deliveries during the pandemic. I have also found that when I go to actual brick and mortar stores, often they have greatly reduced their inventory. It's impossible to make a purchase of an item that isn't there.
No pun intended, but my PRIMARY reason for Amazon Prime is for the access to the tv/movies. I do shop for goods as well, so the free shipping more than makes up for it.
I used to have that love/hate. I don't bother myself about it anymore. It's my energy wasted. It is what it is and there are many benefits and improvements in my shopping life because of the convenience. I don't buy everything there, but they are good for shopping around and reviews as well even if you go elsewhere. Often manufacturers/brand that have their own websites have good deals and more products than Amazon offers ... like shoes. BTW- even Zappos now is Amazon. And we do enjoy the movies.. and books, including marketplace of used books. thanks
I actually dislike Walmart much more than Amazon. I go into their store maybe 3 times a year, only when (like you) I am right by them and need something urgently. When my sister was in her last few months of life, I did all her shopping for her there.
Amazon is not an angel of a company, but neither is Walmart.
“I have also found that when I go to actual brick and mortar stores, often they have greatly reduced their inventory.”
Better yet is when a brick and mortar then offers you the option to purchase online with a 2-4 week delivery plus shipping. The current retail options are often not viable.
Amazon is just another head of the capitalism beast. There are thousands of merchants signed on to Amazon because it's harder than hell to keep a small business alive otherwise. When I buy from Amazon I'm not driving my fossil fueled motor vehicle to go shopping (and in rural areas, Amazon is a godsend for people who live far from stores and malls), I'm not using up my time searching for stuff, and the prices usually are less. I don't feel guilty shopping at Amazon. I am not the one supporting an economic system of which Amazon is only a part. Next time you get on a plane, think about where your money is going. And remember how you all whined about high gas prices, and nobody wanted to cut down on their driving, car pool, or shut down early to save electricity, but everyone though it would be cool if Biden gave the green light to drill, baby, drill.
We need to fetter our unfettered capitalism, Robert Reich calls it supercapitalism. This is why the supercapitalists are on board to weaken the government. We have too many billionaires that don't know what to do with their money and it's not about the common good when they do, often bad. Right wing billionaires want to keep their game going. Covid did us a favor; it cut down on the driving for a short while. People started wearing jogging clothes working from home. Amazon shopping was even more popular. The trade off is that we liked having more time for ourselves, used our cars less. We are even buying more electric cars.
Amazon should treat their drivers well and start electrifying their vehicles if they have not.
We really have to get away from "consume baby consume".
For what it’s worth, about 90% of the Amazon trucks in our area (Olympic Peninsula) are fully electric, built by RIvian. As with all big corporations, not all bad or all good. And they often do bend to the wishes of their customers.
Amazon drivers are no longer overworked since the pandemic subsided. They also expect to have 100% electric vehicles on the road within five years.
How do "we" change a gargantuan system that started over 200 years ago? Not by individually not shopping at certain stores, although it makes us feel better. When I saw the media, including liberal outlets, pushing for increasing the flow of crude oil into our refineries because the price of gas went up last year, the hypocrisy was outrageous, but even liberal Substackers were all gung-ho. It seems that as a society, we are in favor of change only when we as individuals personally get something out of it.
I don't care what Robert Reich calls it. In all his time on earth, he has not been able to change anything. America loves capitalism, fears anything that smells like socialism. An entire political party wants Americans to die rather than have affordable health care and medication. We cannot remake our economic model. It just won't happen. But we can change the policies that hurt Americans, at least until a new Congress or president undoes everything and we have to start over again.
I am an older person who lives with another old person.
We both can drive but do most of our shopping on-line with Amazon. We use Instacart for most of our food needs and do pick that up.
Since the initial plague we have not had any covid or covid related or type of disease.
Since we have lost many neighbors and acquaintances there has been no lack of contagion in our area. I must insist with many factors of passing any infection, shopping in groups of people must create the conditions for contamination.
But I use the above to add a condition Amazon has introduced to my neighborhood. We live in a small city that has a non-white population less than2%. But the delivery people are predominately black or Asian. They are incredibly well trained very polite and generally look fit.
Back in the 1960’s many of us thought love and marriage with mixed grandchildren would pry open the iron gates of prejudice. Still possible. But the Amazon delivery people ensure people of color are part of the daily scenes of America. Another possible pry.
You have a lot of "stuff" going on in this comment and, if I may say, much too broad in some of it, though I don't disagree with what else.
I don't know about Amazon workers being overworked.. some of them offer evidence. If workers feel abused, they have a right to organize and fight.
The system as we know it now grew from 200 years ago. Regardless of when it started, it can and should change, as it has and will. All sentiments are not selfish. People are willing to sacrifice... especially once they understand the price ( not in money) they are paying in terms of the future they are sending their kids into.
Robert Reich is an educator, on the right side imo, and not to be disparaged. I have come to admire him more lately reading his substack. People need to understand economics and how it works for and against them. Change, the big change you are advocating is not fomented by one person so your comment is unfair. Nor will this big change happen at once unless you are talking about revolution-- which could go bad. Change happens in increments.. and I agree, not fast enough. But the hypocrisy you speak of can be mitigated by information and education.
Unfortunately, or fortunately we have this system, two parties in stronger than ever stark opposition.
...Marycat says - "But we can change the policies that hurt Americans, at least until a new Congress or president undoes everything and we have to start over again."
It's a battle and it cannot be done with the Congress we have now because of opposition in the Congress- for the sake of opposition! Biden has done what he could. A new Congress and/or president cannot undo everything either. Trump tried but could not, though he did a lot of political damage here and even abroad.
Superlatives.. Trump uses them a lot.... it's about anger.
Marycat- "There was a lot of news coverage until recently about Amazon delivery drivers being overburdened with too many deliveries. Perhaps you missed it."
I can't find this above comment that I received about Amazon driver news. You probably deleted it but I looked it up... nothing except from a couple of years ago. I assume they are working on the problem.. they have contractors, many drivers, a lot to iron out.
Sorry. I like RR. Our economic system will not be changed drastically… .not that i can see. Not in my lifetime. And to what? And not by a new Congress nor any one person which I thought you were suggesting above. Sorry if I misunderstood you.
Yay, Jeff! I refuse to buy anything from Amazon and I have never had an Amazon Prime account. Don't you love how even the local news (ours, anyway) advertises "Prime Day," as if it's newsworthy or a real holiday?! Amazon is just a massive monopoly.
Sorry, Potter, thankfully not ALL of the mom and pops are gone, and there ARE alternatives to buying from that massive monopoly.
I just canceled my Amazon Prime this week, after reading about the drivers' lawsuit against them. I'm done.
"Defendants' delivery drivers do not have time to take rest breaks because their routes are very busy, often requiring delivery of 200 to 300 packages per day," the lawsuit says, adding that drivers are pressured "to deliver a high volume of packages in as little time as possible."
"Consequently, drivers must resort to urinating in bottles or cans in their delivery vans or relieving themselves along the side of the road or in wooded areas," per the claim.
The drivers also allege that Amazon and its delivery contractors are failing to pay drivers properly for work they perform before and after their shifts, such as conducting safety checks and driving delivery vans back to where they are stored.
Good. We never buy from Amazon unless it is a last resort. We shop locally as mush as we can and buy as little as possible. We buy our books from Powell's, our very good local bookstore in Portland. I note in a post below that Amazon has us cornered and many ways that is true, unfortunately.
For sure I try to buy locally and did and it cost $170 for what I wanted but my business partner was able to find the same for $75 so I have to return what I bought. Gouging at corporate level and how does Amazon do it? Cheaper stuff and don't pay wharehouse workers well nor drivers?
I understand that not everyone can afford to buy locally. Amazon means to put everyone out of business. It fries me that many fund raisers, instead of supporting local businesses, have a connect to Amazon. I refuse to play that game. What I also see is many, many people lamenting the loss of a vibrant downtown with all the great locally owned stores. Well, first they went to Walmart and now Amazon. We have a huge Amazon warehouse here in Salem....no Whole Foods and we grocery shop at the local natural foods store. I have an ex-student who is an author and she loathes Amazon. An ex-classmate of mine figured out how to download books on her device for free and then wanted to know what I thought. Well, I noted, you are not stealing from Amazon, but from the authors I also have a friend with limited mobility and she uses Amazon and I understand that too. I think they work their warehouse workers to death and also the drivers. Lots of stuff made overseas is cheap and doesn't last. I once bought a hod which I thought would be great for harvesting vegetables. It fell apart before the year was out, so I am careful what I buy. I don't know what will happen now that the Chinese economy is having trouble.
Once was a Prime holder many years ago but haven't for years. I don't feel the need to shop until I drop. I've lost probably thousand of dollars over the last decade and a half as I won't invest in the big banks called Wall street and the stock market. It is not a fair market place. I guess I am stupid but I like to put my money where my mouth is. I don't want to be part of the problem. I know you are a gardener as I am and love this time of year to harvest and eat my organic food and freeze what I can.
Never an Amazon customer and I see people who should know better hyping it. Like you, we like to walk our talk. This is the time of year I get a little frazzled, but I do enjoy all my garden produce. For some reason, my eggplants have gone bananas, so I have been busy making eggplant things and freezing eggplant. I am also going to make a Brooks prune cake (a large dark plum) now that I have found my springform pan. We were talking to a guy today who raises apples sustainably and he was lamenting the fact that he saw no bats and very few swallows, both of whom eat insects. We have had not swallows the last couple years because we have this huge sewer and street project going on out front and they have made a ton of noise. We are just back from the Saturday Market with many wonderful things and then shopping at our local natural and organic market.
PS- Trump threatened Jeff Bezos because of his politics. This was yet another instance of Trump using our government for his own personal political needs and vengeance in this case. Bezos did him one better with all these Amazon trucks.
Jeff- you are shooting yourself in the foot to no avail either. You are going to find what you need how? And pay the shipping costs and endure the wait time if it's urgent? Pay for the gas? Better that these drivers strike or have a lawsuit and publicity and get some satisfaction. They need their jobs too.
PS- do you remember when Trump, the POTUS, threatened to raise rates for Amazon when it was using the US Post Service?(as if he could have, I don't know). That is when all these Amazon trucks appeared... and look at who is driving them: folks who appreciate their jobs.
You should talk to some of those "folks who appreciate their jobs." I have. I did because they kept throwing packages under the bushes at the foot of my driveway. Medicine. Electronics. Discovered after a rainstorm; destroyed.
The two drivers that I spoke to were each young and very scared of losing their jobs. They said they had been told to drop the package as fast as possible and leave. No doorbell; nothing. Or they might not make their quota, and there were plenty more waiting to get their job.
We have not had that experience. Always nice drivers. But a Fed Ex delivery person left a food package in the rain at the foot of my driveway. UPS has at times done the same. You remind me to complain. And you should.
It sounds like what you are experiencing is protest, or passive resistance.This is why the protest is louder now. The person who told them to do what they did is to blame ( as well)..
If you care about solving the problem you need to be active and not think that complaining generally and here is going to fix the problem. People are people... as you know.
Jeff was active in speaking with several drivers for Amazon, and you encourage more activism on his part, while not indicating the same for yourself.
Not so-- if you read mine. I have and I do complain re Fed Ex and UPS. This latest Fed Ex I tried but it was the weekend- so I was just reminded. I have not experienced any problem with Amazon drivers. Could be a local problem.
I did read your response. Potter, to Jeff and accordingly responded to you.
Additionally- Jeff did not indicate that he spoke to management. So my response...
Fern, for complaining about my response to Jeff, to you for make this adversarial when it need not have been. You're always on the case.... much appreciated.
Potter, Jeff took action by talking to the drivers and then took a second consequential action by no longer doing business with Amazon. My intention in pointing that out to you was not adversarial but to recognize Jeff’s role as customer with respect for the drivers.
I missed the part where he is no longer using Amazon because of this. I wonder if the drivers or amazon knew of his deed. Fern. If this happened to me I would complain to management and that would be in response and respect to the drivers. It may get drivers in trouble or open a conversation. Jeff should thank you for defending him. I use Amazon a lot and I would go to the trouble of resolving this issue.
Oh I see .. he cancelled Amazon Prime. I did not take that as refusing to order from Amazon altogether. I think if one can, great. For others it is a big inconvenience to quit. You really have to hate Amazon.
I think the two of you may have a useful dialogue if you care to continue. Salud, Potter!
I refuse to pay a store to allow me to spend money in the store. Absolute insanity.
you are paying for free shipping...
Now that practically all the mom and pops are gone and even the big boxes have consolidated, can you find everything you need? How much time and gas do you or will you spend going around looking and shopping? Is there someone on your shoulder giving you reviews.. (or maybe you whip out your cell phone for that) and returns?
What about when the weather is prohibitive for going out, or you are sick?
Amazon has us cornered... especially now with Whole Foods...
But they provide..
You can shoot yourself on principle.
I buy regularly on Amazon after boycotting for years. I do not pay for Prime service. It takes a couple minutes more to find free shipping and the products may take a couple days to arrive. I hate Amazon and also like you say - why shoot yourself in the foot?
I am also willing to pay a bit more to shop local bc this is important to me.
Marj I shop local too. But I cannot find, or find without running around, everything I need. I include food shopping which saves me time and gas. I also look for free shipping on Amazon as well as elsewhere. I am sure it is figured into the price as well. But I use Amazon a lot and regularly, depend on it for a lot of little things. And I consolidate for one delivery and get points. I also get credit card points, which are a saving too. I have a record of my purchases and very easy returns, generous refunds for a wrong delivery. So I decided to get off the horse of resentment about the politics of this. The big box stores irked me as well... We cannot go back to the mom and pop era, if anyone remembers that anymore. There are some stores that are local that I very much appreciate. This is a sorting out. I am now wondering why we need to consume so much... that said Amazon makes me think twice. I have pages of things I thought I really wanted but put on a wish list...never look at it.
Where I live, the local stores do not carry a lot of the items I need & the time & gas trying to find what I am looking for is wasted. I buy local when ever possible. I heard that A is raising the limit for free shipping to $35. I dont have prime bc I dont use what they offer except the free shipping & some of the prime shows on tv
You have a good point, Potter. I have a love/hate relationships with Amazon. I was very glad for their deliveries during the pandemic. I have also found that when I go to actual brick and mortar stores, often they have greatly reduced their inventory. It's impossible to make a purchase of an item that isn't there.
No pun intended, but my PRIMARY reason for Amazon Prime is for the access to the tv/movies. I do shop for goods as well, so the free shipping more than makes up for it.
I used to have that love/hate. I don't bother myself about it anymore. It's my energy wasted. It is what it is and there are many benefits and improvements in my shopping life because of the convenience. I don't buy everything there, but they are good for shopping around and reviews as well even if you go elsewhere. Often manufacturers/brand that have their own websites have good deals and more products than Amazon offers ... like shoes. BTW- even Zappos now is Amazon. And we do enjoy the movies.. and books, including marketplace of used books. thanks
I actually dislike Walmart much more than Amazon. I go into their store maybe 3 times a year, only when (like you) I am right by them and need something urgently. When my sister was in her last few months of life, I did all her shopping for her there.
Amazon is not an angel of a company, but neither is Walmart.
“I have also found that when I go to actual brick and mortar stores, often they have greatly reduced their inventory.”
Better yet is when a brick and mortar then offers you the option to purchase online with a 2-4 week delivery plus shipping. The current retail options are often not viable.
Amazon is just another head of the capitalism beast. There are thousands of merchants signed on to Amazon because it's harder than hell to keep a small business alive otherwise. When I buy from Amazon I'm not driving my fossil fueled motor vehicle to go shopping (and in rural areas, Amazon is a godsend for people who live far from stores and malls), I'm not using up my time searching for stuff, and the prices usually are less. I don't feel guilty shopping at Amazon. I am not the one supporting an economic system of which Amazon is only a part. Next time you get on a plane, think about where your money is going. And remember how you all whined about high gas prices, and nobody wanted to cut down on their driving, car pool, or shut down early to save electricity, but everyone though it would be cool if Biden gave the green light to drill, baby, drill.
Too much "everyone" here. Not everyone.
We need to fetter our unfettered capitalism, Robert Reich calls it supercapitalism. This is why the supercapitalists are on board to weaken the government. We have too many billionaires that don't know what to do with their money and it's not about the common good when they do, often bad. Right wing billionaires want to keep their game going. Covid did us a favor; it cut down on the driving for a short while. People started wearing jogging clothes working from home. Amazon shopping was even more popular. The trade off is that we liked having more time for ourselves, used our cars less. We are even buying more electric cars.
Amazon should treat their drivers well and start electrifying their vehicles if they have not.
We really have to get away from "consume baby consume".
For what it’s worth, about 90% of the Amazon trucks in our area (Olympic Peninsula) are fully electric, built by RIvian. As with all big corporations, not all bad or all good. And they often do bend to the wishes of their customers.
Good to hear!!
Amazon drivers are no longer overworked since the pandemic subsided. They also expect to have 100% electric vehicles on the road within five years.
How do "we" change a gargantuan system that started over 200 years ago? Not by individually not shopping at certain stores, although it makes us feel better. When I saw the media, including liberal outlets, pushing for increasing the flow of crude oil into our refineries because the price of gas went up last year, the hypocrisy was outrageous, but even liberal Substackers were all gung-ho. It seems that as a society, we are in favor of change only when we as individuals personally get something out of it.
I don't care what Robert Reich calls it. In all his time on earth, he has not been able to change anything. America loves capitalism, fears anything that smells like socialism. An entire political party wants Americans to die rather than have affordable health care and medication. We cannot remake our economic model. It just won't happen. But we can change the policies that hurt Americans, at least until a new Congress or president undoes everything and we have to start over again.
I am an older person who lives with another old person.
We both can drive but do most of our shopping on-line with Amazon. We use Instacart for most of our food needs and do pick that up.
Since the initial plague we have not had any covid or covid related or type of disease.
Since we have lost many neighbors and acquaintances there has been no lack of contagion in our area. I must insist with many factors of passing any infection, shopping in groups of people must create the conditions for contamination.
But I use the above to add a condition Amazon has introduced to my neighborhood. We live in a small city that has a non-white population less than2%. But the delivery people are predominately black or Asian. They are incredibly well trained very polite and generally look fit.
Back in the 1960’s many of us thought love and marriage with mixed grandchildren would pry open the iron gates of prejudice. Still possible. But the Amazon delivery people ensure people of color are part of the daily scenes of America. Another possible pry.
bravo!
You have a lot of "stuff" going on in this comment and, if I may say, much too broad in some of it, though I don't disagree with what else.
I don't know about Amazon workers being overworked.. some of them offer evidence. If workers feel abused, they have a right to organize and fight.
The system as we know it now grew from 200 years ago. Regardless of when it started, it can and should change, as it has and will. All sentiments are not selfish. People are willing to sacrifice... especially once they understand the price ( not in money) they are paying in terms of the future they are sending their kids into.
Robert Reich is an educator, on the right side imo, and not to be disparaged. I have come to admire him more lately reading his substack. People need to understand economics and how it works for and against them. Change, the big change you are advocating is not fomented by one person so your comment is unfair. Nor will this big change happen at once unless you are talking about revolution-- which could go bad. Change happens in increments.. and I agree, not fast enough. But the hypocrisy you speak of can be mitigated by information and education.
Unfortunately, or fortunately we have this system, two parties in stronger than ever stark opposition.
...Marycat says - "But we can change the policies that hurt Americans, at least until a new Congress or president undoes everything and we have to start over again."
It's a battle and it cannot be done with the Congress we have now because of opposition in the Congress- for the sake of opposition! Biden has done what he could. A new Congress and/or president cannot undo everything either. Trump tried but could not, though he did a lot of political damage here and even abroad.
Superlatives.. Trump uses them a lot.... it's about anger.
I did not "disparage" Reich.
And you think a new Congress will save us from ourselves? For how long?
Who is going to change us from a runaway capitalist system? NOBODY, Potter.
Marycat- "There was a lot of news coverage until recently about Amazon delivery drivers being overburdened with too many deliveries. Perhaps you missed it."
I can't find this above comment that I received about Amazon driver news. You probably deleted it but I looked it up... nothing except from a couple of years ago. I assume they are working on the problem.. they have contractors, many drivers, a lot to iron out.
Sorry. I like RR. Our economic system will not be changed drastically… .not that i can see. Not in my lifetime. And to what? And not by a new Congress nor any one person which I thought you were suggesting above. Sorry if I misunderstood you.
“the hypocrisy was outrageous, but even liberal Substackers were all gung-ho.”
Always bear in mind that almost all liberals, conservatives, and moderates are NIMBY’s - not in my backyard.
Respectfully, Marj, does that apply to Costco and Sam's club as well?
Yay, Jeff! I refuse to buy anything from Amazon and I have never had an Amazon Prime account. Don't you love how even the local news (ours, anyway) advertises "Prime Day," as if it's newsworthy or a real holiday?! Amazon is just a massive monopoly.
Sorry, Potter, thankfully not ALL of the mom and pops are gone, and there ARE alternatives to buying from that massive monopoly.
Alternatives for books. It is difficult to find alternative for some other items.
Killed mine awhile back. Bezos went too far, nipping at Musk’s heels.
Jeff, I too believe in workers' rights. How long do you figure it will take Amazon to go out of business?