An article this morning jumped out at me. Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post noted that the U.S. economy “looks remarkably good.” A recent stunning jobs report, showing that the economy continues to add jobs at record rates—more than 13.9 million since President Joe Biden took office—along with yesterday’s stunning report that U.S. economic growth grew at an annual pace of 4.9% in the third quarter of this year, puts the U.S. economy at the forefront of most of the world. And inflation is back in the range that the Federal Reserve prefers—it’s at 2.4%, close to the Fed’s target of 2%.
Inflation has indeed dropped, but prices for many things are high. Artificially so because companies raised them under cover of Covid-driven economic problems.
Greed, plain and simple, and the hallmark of unregulated capitalism. Thus many people struggle, and many are clueless about Biden delivering a robust economy with real wage growth and bountiful jobs.
Michael, Thank you for your comment. For some time, I repeatedly have expressed concerns that Democrats, overall, have declined to enact a united, laser-focused effort to expose how corporate profits account for over half of the increased prices people are paying. While some might defend a party’s reluctance to bite the hand that feeds it, I believe the benefits of pinning corporate pricing as the biggest driver of a largely manufactured inflation would outweigh the costs. I would add that not only should Democrats not ignore corporate gouging; they should make it clear to working families throughout this country, many of whom are prepared to vote Republican, that if they vote Republican, the Party that has been silent on this issue, their vote will run counter to their interests and concerns. In a word, we need Democratic leadership to be focused and disciplined and not to allow Republican deceptions and distortions related to the state of the economy to go unanswered.
Mark Twain famously, said “A lie goes halfway around the world before the truth gets its pants on.“ Apparently, this is not a new problem, but now, with the use of social media platforms a lie can go all the way around the world in seconds.
Marc, While you’re right, I would add, were Biden and his team to take full advantage of the bully pulpit, they would have a shot at superseding the media industry.
HCR, in referencing Catherine Rampell's article, today points out that 'Americans think our economy, currently the strongest in the world, is in poor shape. They mistakenly believe it was better under Trump.' Quoting dry economic statistics does not correct this misconception. People ignore them. Yes, the President must constantly use his 'bully pulpit' to let the country know the the truth, and hope that the media reports his doing so.
The media is pretty much terrible at this. But blame can also be applied to advertising. I see _so_ many local ads talking about "these difficult times." I'm not sure how much better it has to be to be "good."
Advertising copywriters have caused much harm to America. They got people to smoke and die from cancer. They glorify fat-filled, carbohydrate laden, fast foods. Then they cash in with ads for medicines to cure obesity and diabetes. They make drinking more than just beer seem glamourous, eventually creating a few more alcoholics. They raise appetites for fast cars, as if you own street were Daytona or Indy. Then they make getting automobile insurance a 'fun' comedy show. And now, they're busy trying to instill the gambling habit in those who can least afford it. Yes, indeed, these are 'difficult times' and advertising makes them so.
They are difficult time emotionally with all the hate and fear out there. They are also confusing because of the disinformation coming from the Republican noise machine, right-wing politics, and several wars going on. That is separate from economics and it should be noted that autoworkers just lobbied for and got a big raise. It should also be noted that President Biden stood with them on the picket line. Josh Hawley and Crew were nowhere to be seen. America has got to get a grip.
I wonder what exactly it would take for the media to actually report on anything good that President Biden does? Very, very frustrating. Listening to Hakeem Jefferies' speech following the unanimous Republican approval of a White Nationalist Christian to be Speaker of the House was inspiring and hit all the points needed to keep us all going to defeat MAGA. That "moderate" Republicans supported the WNC creep is deeply saddening.
You ask what it would take for the media to report on anything good that the President does? How about presenting some kind of award in a White House ceremony for personal efforts to get young people to register to vote? I'm thinking of Taylor Swift, and I think that would draw media attention.
Jack, My apologies for the delayed response. I would note I agree that people, largely, don’t relate simply to hearing numbers and percentages, especially the 60% living from paycheck to paycheck, wherein family income often only is sustained by more people working longer hours while still weighted down by mortgage debt, credit card debt, and the like. Accordingly, I continue to press Democrats to focus more on their pro-worker agenda—$15 hourly minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, extension of the child tax credit, affordable quality childcare, universal healthcare, investments in housing, in eldercare, and more—all of which have received zero Republican support.
This is a big mystery to me too - why they are not using the bully pulpit. I have now memorized that there are more than 13.9 million jobs since Biden took office and economic growth grew at an annual pace of 4.9% - when people come up at me with disparaging words about the dems. However I will be struck dumb when they moan about inflated pricing across the board.
Do you watch the news? Biden always points out the job growth, the income growth. People coming up at you about "inflated prices across the board" have already made up their minds on grounds other than facts. Ask them, where they got their "facts".
They don't pay any attention to Biden because they believe that he lies as much as trump does. Because trump has taught them that all politicians lie all the time. What would make them believe otherwise?
That’s because they don’t feel it and democrats need to push the message of why prices are still high, related to consumer gouging from wealthy companies and the other reasons. People generally don’t read past the first sentence or dive deeper to find out what’s really happening.
Marj, Aside from apologizing for my late reply, I write partially to note that this thread, overall, is a useful resource for knowing how to speak about manufactured “inflated pricing.” You might also wish to review the embeddedJack Lippman thread, which includes a reply from me regarding the limited affect of simply hearing numbers and percentages.
He has no "bully pulpit". As long as he supports genocide, he has no moral or practical voice to help our people understand what's happening in this nation.
To your point on genocide, AP Nes report on mass casualties resulting from attack to areas further south of North Gaza that Palestinians had fled to following Israeli evacuation directives. Entire families have been killed. Directing people fleeing conflict to an area and purposefully targeting such area made me think of the nazi strategy corralling Jews into specific neigborhoods and buildings to focus their merciless execution. Today’s action are not less despicable, inhuman and criminal than those committed by the Nazis. Not sure how we silence and reconcile within ourselves to such despicable actions and set clear and just expectation to our leaders. I truly pray for wisdom, clarity and justice. Right now, extreme right in the US is seizing this as an opportunity to attack freedom of speech at University campuses in the US. I pray for courage, wisdom and justice. What is happening in Gaza right now and how Israel is unfolding it has nothing to do with self-defense.
Most of the country is supporting this latest genocide in Gaza because we must always treat Israel like the perpetual victim. The news media has a long history of bias in favor of Israel's brutal policies toward the Palestinians.
Very simplistic statement to a complex moment in history resulting from past errors going back British colonialism, Zionism, and World response to other historical events, such WW1, WW2 and the Holocaust.
Biden does not support genocide. He supports Israel as an ally but had cautioned them about the necessity of having a goal and an objective in their military plans towards Hamas and it is not genocide.
Taiwan’s Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, is tackling the “infodemic.”
Every time a hoax surfaces on social media, Tang and her band of civic hackers unleash a joke containing the facts of the matter within two hours of spotting the post, based on the idea that since people like to share funny memes on social media, doing so allows the government to wrest control of the narrative. They call it "humor to rumor." Tang also said that government agencies have employed professional comedians as “engagement officers” to help in the cause. If they miss the two-hour window, Tang’s team locates the perpetrators and recruits them as allies.
What an ingenious messaging idea!! I’d love to see this administration create a “digital minister” position. We are certainly not lacking in folks who could qualify as “engagement officers.”
Yes, Jan B, and if not the administration, then the Democratic party, or a more active replacement for the Democratic party, should create it! Audrey Tang started off as an activist hacker, and had several of her programs in action before she was made part of Taiwan's government.
The Democratic party needs to be less panic-stricken in their fund-raising, too. They need to proclaim the advances under their Democratic President, show themselves as proud of what has been accomplished, thanking voters for allowing them to help the country move forward, touting their ideas for how to keep the momentum going. Come out as champions rather than victims. People responded to the fake winners in the GOP. The Democrats need to declare strong leadership against price-gouging corporations/monopolies and vigorous job creation with real wage growth.
"Ukraine’s IT Army is a volunteer hacker collective that emerged after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It uses digital channels to spread information about Russia’s brutality to Russians and disrupt Russian systems."
There must be local talent that can at least counter, if not disrupt, the paths of these lies….
Christian Fascist are the biggest threat to our democracy and freedoms. Their symbiotic relationship with Trump has enabled his poisonous rhetoric, that in-turn has enabled right wing militias. They are all connected. Until Trump is brought to justice and silenced and Americans speak out and vote in overwhelming numbers to address the infection that is White Nationalism and Christian Fascism, will positive economic/job numbers matter.
Another aphorism that applies to the failure of so many to hear/understand/accept the factual reality of the economy is the one about "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink". Sadly, all too many perceive only the elevated food and gas prices and blame the person in the White House.
HCR writes in this letter: "There is a crucial divorce here between image and reality. Americans think our economy, currently the strongest in the world, is in poor shape. They mistakenly believe it was better under Trump."
Why is it so, why does a large number "not get it?" IMO, it is because their sources of "information, i.e., disinformation" are Fox, OAN, Newsmax, Alex Jones, et al., conspiracy-spreading entities. Their viewers believe what they want to believe and don't question it. We need to work harder to find a way to get real facts to these folks, and I frankly don't know how to do it.
I wish that one of the liberal billionaires would start a news station to counter FOX, and promote itself as a GOOD NEWS station. While it would report the bad as well, it would not use the scare tactics and fear mongering.
I honestly believe that many people are getting tired of the chaos in the US and world. I believe that people DO want to know what it going on, but they are fatigued by it all.
The Lever, perhaps one of the best investigative news sources available, produces a "Good News" edition every weekend. They do real investigative journalism, so a reader looking for confirmation bias and partisan stooging won't like it. Those who appreciate evidence-based reasoning, however, will love it. Here's this weekend's edition. https://www.levernews.com/you-love-to-see-it-reimagining-public-housing/
Real facts have not been shown to change many minds, unfortunately. People tend to vote on an emotional basis. A snappy slogan gets more people engaged than a fact based nuanced explanation. That has ever been the case. Morning in America, I like Ike, Make America Great Again. Slogans from Republican campaigns. Millions of people have drunk the MAGA kool-ade.
What you say is correct and one step that we can take to coping is to understand it. Why are tens of millions MAGA Republicans? The study that I have referenced many times, "The Anger Games: Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" explains the motivations, beliefs and prejudices of the MAGA Republicans. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0896920517740615
The book by Timothy Egan, "A Fever in the Heartland," about the rise of the KKK in the Midwest in the 1920's. To my mind, there is no doubt that MAGA is the 21st century version of the KKK.
Yes. I would add that peoples' political views are often managed in the part of the brain that deals with religion. This is why GOPers still think global warming isn't real, and it's why Democrats think that adding 20 million immigrants to the US population every decade--a number equal to the population of New York State--is not a problem, despite the fact that the US is running out of groundwater according to the NYT https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/28/climate/groundwater-drying-climate-change.html
and MILLIONS of Americans will become climate refugees in the nexts several decades according to propublica.
I do feel the need to add that at the present moment, I'm much more worried about America hanging onto our Democracy, and keeping Biden in office (best Pres of my lifetime, which began during the first summer of the Eisenhower Administration) than I am about our exploding population...
but I do want to emphasize that mass immigration is a bad thing, that is effing up our politics (see Ruy Teixeira https://substack.com/inbox/post/137887616/) and contributing to global warming (the average immigrant's GH emissions rise threefold after arrival in the US, the major industrialized nation with the greatest per capita GH emissions.
David - I didn't hit "like" for this post, but I do want to comment. I totally agree that human overpopulation is a giant elephant in the room when it comes to global warming. This world is literally teeming with humans, and we are a high-on-the-food chain species living in an ecosystem that tends naturally (through evolutionary pressures) to limit the population of the most high on the food chain. It's a natural thing - these species high on the food chain use up the most per capita resources. Easy to see the problem from that perspective. Add to that our discovery of fossil fuels to feed our societies, and you have a recipe for climate disaster.
Your comment that refugees on average increase their carbon footprint threefold after arriving in the US might be true. And that is alarming. However, it signifies people coming out of abject poverty which ought to be a good thing regardless. I don't agree that ought to be a reason to limit immigration. It is however a good reason to invest in efforts abroad to help fight poverty, and overpopulation. Which our administration is actually doing to a certain extent.
However - having said that, I would not mind at all if the US were a bit more particular about who is allowed in on a permanent basis. I believe many of the world's most civilized and desirable countries have limits on immigration more stringent than the US, which require prospective immigrants to show what they have to offer before agreeing to let them become part of their country.
Something I didn't mention is that immigration is big biz' way of keeping wages down. That's why Z'berg has his "FWD.US" to try to get more tech worker immigrants, and why the Koch Brothers have alwys supported increased immigration. In 1980, most meat packers were Black, and earning decent middle class wages. By that decade's end, most were immigrants, earning barely above minimum wage working under atrocious conditions, where amputations were common. See: Back of the Hiring Line: A 200-Year History of Immigration Surges, Employer Bias, and Depression of Black Wealth, $14 on Amazon.
Shoiuld we be putting immigrants over the descendants of slavery? That's what we're doing!
Among other things, the author makes the point that people who have the gumption to make their way to the US are probably the ones who could greatly improve matters in their own country, if we didn't operate as a pressure release valve for badly run countries.
And we ARE in a climate emergency. And not only do people who come to the US from third world countries increase their emissions, but when you move millions of people into the US, wilderness is turned to urban sprawl and farmland, releasing large quantities of carbon to the atmosphere. There are around half the numbers of insects (much of the bottom of the food chain) that there were 50 years ago; the numbers of birds, reptiles, amphibians, etc. are way own as well. I remember x-country road trips from my youth where at the end of a day's drive, loads of insects were plastered to the grill. Doesn't happen now. And much worse, according to the NYT, we're running out of groundwater, putting our agricultural industry at risk, and according to Propublica, MILLIONS of Americans will become climate refugees in the next several decades. Do you really think we should be letting our population increase with those two things happening?
Additionally, I can tell you that over the last 50 years, during which time the US population has increased from 207 million to 335 million, the quality of life has gone down in ways that are directly attributable to that population growth, and wilderness has been disappearing.
I've been driving between Boston and DC for the last 30 years (at xmas time and some times at other times). In the '90s, bad traffic was rare. Now you can almost depend on it unless you leave in the late evening and drive at night. And in the Boston area, I never used to get stuck in traffic outside of normal rush hour. Now, if I go anywhere, I need to look at google maps before I go, to see what the traffic is doing. And I don't know what sort of driving you do, but driving in traffic is stressful. It's the kind of thing that puts plaque in your arteries, as is noise pollution, which has also gotten worse.
Before the pandemic, one day I was seeing my doc for an annual physical. Someone called her, and she took the call, something she'd never done in the previous 20 years which I"d been seeing her. When she got off, I asked her about that. She said that the traffic had gotten so bad that people were often calling her, stuck in traffic, to ask if they could come a bit later.
Obviously, it is a very complicated matter. For those who oppose immigration as it now stands (and I think that the vast majority of us do,) I feel that we believe that attacking the symptom instead of the problem is not going to work. David Holzman writes that those persons coming here should stay home and take care of matters there. But, we're struggling here to preserve our own democracy. And, in terms of getting started, we relied heavily on French assistance in winning our independence. Should Western Hemisphere military forces go into Central America and Venezuela as a means of helping to restore order, peace and a democratic system? That would be my solution but we're struggling to save our own. Damn, it's complicated and scary. If we lose to the MAGA/KKK seditionists, immigration, climate change, etc. will be the least and the last of our concerns.
Biden, an otherwise terrific president, who will be remembered with FDR and Lincoln, polls the worst on immigration, with about 20% approval. Current Democratic policy on immigration is hurting us badly.
They all have limits that are much more stringent than those of the US. And at present we do'nt have limits. There was a moment in the Democratic primary debates that expresses where we are. One of the two moderators who came from Spanish language stations asked the candidates, all at once, to raise their hands if they would not deport anyone. They all raised their hands except for Joe Biden, whose hand went up and down several times, and I can't remember where it ended up.
Now, why they had moderators who were basically serving the interests of non-Americans, I don't know. Had I been running the show, I would not have allowed that. The kinds of questions I would have liked to hear are things like "How many immigrants do you think the US can absorb annually without resulting in lower wages; and "Do you know what the population of the US is?" and "Do you think the US is overpopulated or not, and why?"
David, for some reason all of the posts from you end up in my spam folder. Immigration, climate warming - both huge problems that are extremely complicated. There are remedial actions that we can take but politics keeps getting in the way. It is extremely difficult to keep people out of the U.S. who are running for their lives.
most aren't running for their lives. Most are economic migrants. If they were running for their lives, they would have been happy to arrive in Costa Rica or Mexico.
David, there is no question but that economic opportunity is a motive for the migrants from Mexico, Central America and South America making the trek to here. Can you imagine yourself in such a dire financial situation that you would attempt, on foot, to traverse the jungles and dangers encountered on these treks just to improve your financial situation, leaving all that you know and love behind? As for me, my family were among the original white settlors of Texas, fighting in the Texas war of independence. My great, great uncle, William Depriest Sutherland, age 18, died at the Alamo. His younger brother, Thomas Shelton Sutherland, age 16 at the time, is my great grandfather. Texas won the war against Santa Anna in 1836 and on Dec. 29, 1845 the U.S. annexed Texas. This led to the Mexican American War of 1846-1848. The U.S. defeated Mexico and seized one-half of Mexico's territory, including Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada and Western Colorado. In my view, we stole it. So, when Mexicans come to this country, I cannot raise a moral opposition to it.
Please tell Ruy that Biden did not choose to continue building that wall--it was already part of the law when Biden came into office. I can't correct him because I am out of subscribing money.
I agree, Jo, in probably the great majority of the cases, we will not get through to them with verifiable facts. Facts don't matter when one has a confirmed belief. Religious belief is the prime example. We're dealing with that kind of commitment. So, we can do at least two things: 1) work harder to get out the vote; and 2) reach those who may be open to verifiable facts.. And a third, I think: take massive action now.
What can we be doing right now? Getting involved in our local Democratic Party activities. Spurring them on to action and organization if they're not doing it on their own. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead
I post her ‘Letters’ to my FB often, I share email/messenger all those I subscribe to with others. I have a largely democratic committee I play/am friends with but live in blood red poor WV ..there’s plenty of his flags still waving !
I’m really interested to see how your town meetings are going and how do I get one started perhaps..it’s kinda scary but Repugs taking over is scarier.
Good morning, Patricia. The meetings that I run are for Democrats only. I get their names and contact info from the Supervisor of Elections. I tell them that the primary purpose of the get-together is to introduce the Democrats on their street or in their development to one another. I also pass out applications to join the Lakeland Democratic Club. The Florida Democratic Party gets this information and makes it available through the local county Democratic Party apparatus. There may be something like this in West Virginia and other states. I serve snacks and drinks - all sorts. The attendees do enjoy these and many are surprised to learn that some of their neighbors, and even friends, are Democrats. Here in Florida most Democrats are "in the closet." All do appreciate these events.
When HCR , speaks about the American economy, I automatically leave myself out of it. I know my income and output is too miniscule to be counted. Okay, I'm happy to know the USA isn't in a recession, but that doesn't cure my personal depression.
Susan, I'm not an expert on anything. Still, there are things that I must do - and one of those is to work like crazy to get Democrats to the polls. And action may help to cure one's feelings of depression. There are a couple of observations that help me keep going.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mean
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." - Edward Everett Hale
The task of informing Republican voters that they are voting against their own self interest would require them to actually define what their interests really are. “Do you want a better life, or do you want to insure that you deny it to those lessor than you?”
My friend's maga husband only compares gas prices under Trump/Biden to know who runs the economy best. I tried to tell him that Biden does not own the oil companies, but how capitalism works merely befuddles him.
In Democracy Awakening, Heather makes it clear that authoritarianism can flourish when folks see less on their table than before, and need someone to blame. Trump, high on his Apprentice success, took advantage of his already built-up audience to "marry republican politics to authoritarianism. Speaking simply and with words that packed an emotional punch, he offered those left behind by the Republican revolution a way to recover a mythological lost world in which they called the shots. And he promised that he, and he alone, could lead the way." (P.84) The next two paragraphs highlight brilliantly the specifics of his messages. I think that could be a playbook of exactly which "deceptions and distortions" need to be answered "with words that pack an even greater emotional punch." Any suggestions as to the best way to offer this suggestion to the White House? I'm going to start with an email through their site.
Let's apply Occam's Razor here. Democrats haven't launched "a united, laser-focused effort to expose how corporate profits account for over half of the increased prices people are paying" because they know they'd never be able to prove it, so why waste time?
Mike, it's obvious to us that corporations raised prices because they could and can. Ever notice how the price of gas goes up when there is some small factor, never mind the truly large ones. And so often when you think you are getting a great bargain, it doesn't last. We are fortunately to be older and retired, so we don't need a lot of stuff and in fact, we and most everyone we know, are trying to get downsize in various ways. Today is the last outdoor local Saturday Market for the year and we will go and continue to support local businesses and then we will go grocery shopping at our local natural foods store. We are lucky to be able to afford the latter. Is it just me, or does there seem to be more labor strikes this year. Part of the message seems to be, you have made record profit from our efforts and you should share it with us. Finally, I think people sense that something is wrong. It is more profound than the economy as it is likely climate change and swarms of impolite people who are angry and no longer act in a civil manner, brought about in part by death star who has given carte blanche to be rude and awful.
There IS something wrong. We’re working & commuting longer hours, we’re having to do more work for less money and benefits, more stressed out and we have less free time. Our monthly expenses have gone up (including interest rates in auto & home loans and credit cards). And while the cost of basic goods might appear lower on a national average, they are still too high in some states. Basically, they’re still not affordable in our budgets and that makes us know the economy is not working out for us.
I think it goes beyond this. I know people are focused on nitty gritty issues like what they can afford, but I think the malaise goes beyond this. Many things do not work as they should. It is a difficult to get an appointment for something. Traffic is many places is awful and many people drive in an unsafe manner. People are rude and in your face because they are angry about everything. And on it goes. Part of the reason that things are not affordable is just plain greed on the part of the people at the top. By the way, I recommend as an excellent read Poverty, by America.
Michele, you hit upon two things that I've already commented about (why are non-chocolate candy prices high) and "people sense something is wrong" which I mentioned the negative-news-fatigue. The latter is why I have a fantasy of a "Good news" television station. Perhaps some bright person here could start a daily YouTube good news clip. Besides Biden accomplishments, I am talking bigger stories than "puppy saved from a well"--more on the order of, say, like how much money for charities was raised by runners in the Chicago Marathon, with clips of a few runners and what made them run/choose that charity.
I have occasionally seen comments put on here, where people say that they have taken/will take a "media break" for awhile.
I can't stand constant negativity. What I see is the good news at the end of newscasts, so first it's all the awful stuff. So now I am going to relate a good news story. Our neighbor across the street is in the process of dying and she does have home help. Also our next-door neighbor helps out. She asked what the lady wanted to do as a kind of last wish and she wanted to take a cruise to Alaska. Thankfully, her son could pay for both her and our helpful neighbor to go. Our next-door neighbor provided assistance to the lady during the trip. I would say good neighbor and good son. Good things do happen, but they are usually out of sight.
Technology and monopoly. I am increasingly noticed a decoupling of the price of an item and my sense of its cost to the manufacturer. I am pretty sure that once very cheap items (like rice and beans) have suffered disproportionate price inflation which would disproportionately impact the poor. I am also noticing that sales of many online items, once a cheap way to shop, are actually higher than the cost of the same item in a physical store, and that's after a pretty dogged search of prices, which I perhaps obsess about. Online bargains are still to be found, but it often takes more searching than in the past. Also, increasingly, I am obliged to by more of inexpensive products than makes an sense. I found (after a long search) I could buy 100 of a small electronic capacitor significantly cheaper than to buy one, shipping and tax included.
Today, my daughter, who is visiting, brought home a bag of major brand cookies that are significantly smaller than they were for decades preceding. I literally open boxes of products that are half full. Food products seem to be among the biggest ripoffs. It feels like the markets are being run by the mob.
I agree about everything you are saying. This is one of the reasons that I am trying to follow this anti-trust Substack as well as other technological discussions, since that is not an area of great knowledge for me. That Biden has put a Lina Khan, PhD in charge of the Federal Trade Commission, someone whose dissertation focuses on how Google violates the anti-trust laws, says a lot.
There is a lot of depth to what Biden does, that unfortunately so many people cannot seem to see, particularly main press journalists and their editors. Each decision has a reason even if it is not expedient to share with the public, or immediately obvious. So, while I might prefer another decision be made, I understand that there is a long term plan that makes the choice end up with a better outcome long term.
They are, the mob of “look what I can get away with.” As Ayn Rand said, “it’s not who is going to let me, It’s who is going to stop me.” Yep, her evil blather still rules the fools.
I just listened to the podcast Behind the Bastards about the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2riEnboK8kfNiAKQQ1boHI) . Highly recommend for people interested in US history, which of course all HCR readers are. Summary per Wikipedia: "Facing widespread unemployment during the Great Depression, about three thousand men, three-fourths of whom were black, came to West Virginia to dig the tunnel. They worked ten to fifteen hour shifts, using drills and dynamite to mine the sandstone, which was composed primarily of cemented quartz (silica) sand. The workers completed the project more than twice as quickly as original projections.[2] They were not given any masks or breathing equipment to use while mining, although management wore such equipment during inspection visits. Black workers told Congress in 1936 that they were denied breaks and even forced to work at gunpoint.[2] As a result of the exposure to silica dust, many workers developed silicosis, a debilitating and incurable lung disease caused by the effects of silica dust in the lungs. A large number[which?] of the workers eventually died from silicosis, in some cases as quickly as within a year." Union Carbide then proceeds to continue to Union Carbide (see: Bhopal, India).
Certainly not a candidate for recycling, unless to the shredder. She had a large $ sign by her coffin at her funeral, per an article I read. What an evil bitch.
It's what the Orwellian turn of the "GOP" labels "freedom" when it is in fact tyranny, anything but "liberty and justice for ALL" (my emphasis). Lincoln remarked "Accustomed to trample on the rights of those around you, you have lost the genius of your own independence, and become the fit subjects of the first cunning tyrant who rises." It still fits.
Contrast that with almost anything attributed to Trump:
The term for this seems to be "shrinkflation". When, mainly food products, get smaller while their prices remain the same. There are many articles about it. Just google the term to find them.
You mean like how what used to be a half gallon of ice cream is now 1.5 quarts? And don’t get me started on how Breyers “ice cream” has to now legally be labelled “frozen dairy dessert” because of the change in ingredients…
In Ohio, when I was growing up, they could not call it "Ice Cream" unless it was made of cream. Outfits that implied the use of cream had to spell it "Creme" or Kreme, etc. There was a product called "Ice Milk". I read that it used to be illegal to call something "grenadine" syrup unless it was made of pomegranate, but now it can be made of anything edible. I read that there is now a "Blueberry Muffin Mix" that contains artificially flavored and colored bits of blue goo that have nothing to do with blueberries. Do sheep want to be fleeced?
I have encountered the term "shrinkflation" but I have been amazed how many categories it is invading and how blatant it is becoming. It part and parcel with conversion of software products to "rent only", and the many add on Junk fees" Biden has mentioned.
Politicians claim that corporations need massive tax cuts and relief from duties to the public to provide jobs and innovation, but between "downsiziing" staff in mega-mergers and off-shoring industrial production (which Biden has begun the mitigate) corporations seem more eager than ever to SHED jobs; and while there was a ton of innovation in the 20th Century, Relativity, atomic energy, space exploration, radio, TV, computers, transistors, DNA, heart transplants, and on an on, without the intervention of Reaganomics (and of course technical innovation continues) a lot of current invention feels like it's not aimed to serve the public's interests but of those who control it, including proliferating ways usurp democracy and to more fully fleece the consumer.
Steve, this is the first I have heard of the term "shrinkflation". I have seen it in the purchase of my favorite beverage (in this case, Polar brand flavored fizzy water). I can now buy an 8 pack of Polar for the same price that I bought 12 packs last year. The favorite family treat (Hagen Daz ice cream bars) are about 2/3 the size they were a couple years ago.
Same here. And that results in significantly more packaging waste, which is the last thing our environment need. I'm seeing produce increasingly dressed up in plastic, like asparagus on wrapped plastic tray, lined up like soldiers in a row at a fixed price per package that happens to be nearly twice was the product costs in loose bunches. You have to do some grade school math to calculate the price per pound.
Specific example: Nabisco, a huge grocery staple provider…Oreo, Premium Saltines, Shreaded Wheat, Planters Nuts, Butterfinger, Blue Bonnet, and on and on. Their products seemingly take up entire aisles at Kroger, Walmart…
My go to peanut butter crackers are Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers (NABs, my favorite unhealthy snack food). Long time $2.49 at Walmart up to as high as $3.79- 52%; currently at $3.29-32% and bouncing between the two. This is just one product.
Take just a minute to scan Nabisco on Wikipedia. Since founding in 1898 as the New York Biscuit Co., and shortly thereafter, National Biscuit Co., starting around 1985 in the Reagan years, the number of mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs has been dizzying involving RJ Reynolds Tobacco, Philip Morris Companies, Nestle, Kraft, General Mills, Post, Heinz, Del Monte, etc. Kraft Foods became the parent company in 2000 but was supplanted by Mondelez International in 2012 and remains so today.
The point is, this evolved international food giant operates as a virtual monopoly with little regard for consumers, except marketing thereto. Especially, since Covid, they continue to use this greed induced leverage to maximize pricing/profitability (surely using computer-assisted programs, as mentioned elsewhere) and hit us right where it hurts - in the bread basket!
Oil giants, food giants, pharma giants, all need to be called out individually. The problem is who will and how? And, will approximately half the population listen.
For decades, including early adult years when I had to be very careful with money, Nabisco products were a staple, but it seems to me that the prices are now disproportional up and the quality/quantity is down. I used to sometimes buy store brands as a cheaper alternative, but now I prefer off-brand crackers and cookies. I don't like Oreos (but did like "Famous" cookies, that the quit making) and their Ginger Snaps. Today their Ginger Snaps are nothing like the original; not crisp and don't taste much like ginger. The original had a cracked surface so now they print fake cracks on it with food dye. Just yesterday I asked my daughter to pick up some NON-Nabisco ginger snaps, that taste and behave far more like the original. I could go on about other established products that have been degraded. Thanks for your detailed information!
Shrinkage without changing the prices is tantamount to an increase. Have seen it time and again with food. It's as if the makers think we won't notice.
After Fani W is finished in Fulton County, we all should be RICO experts. No reason why each tier of the price gauging Racket Schemers cannot be charged.
Back in the day we boycotted effectively, car pooled, didn’t buy certain things, told our neighbors. It was effective.
Collectively is a 50% gamble at best , there’s so many ways to force compliance and far too much apathy/my vote doesn’t count thought and electoral college/gerrymandering -to mention the obvious,sure is one of the many tactics.
Biden and company plod along, doing a MARVELOUS JOB and the negative messages bombard the air waves in every facet . Their intimidation is rampant and has been allowed repeatedly NOT BEING CALLED OUT Fox ,OAN,NewsMax the prominents.
If Republicans actually believed in "free enterprise" and "true capitalism" they would abandon the support they receive from the monopolists. The GQP is no longer the party of small business. They are the party of oligarchy.
Without competition, everything gets more expensive. It's just human nature. Greed with a green light.
The screaming example of monopoly or duopoly is internet and cable services. Here I blame every local city and town official who routinely allow one or two companies to rule what should be a public utility. If you haven't researched pricing and you are "lucky" (HA) enough to have two cable options, monitor their pricing and tell me how they are competitive.
There are two future options. The "pipes" could be taken by eminent domain. Or the more likely scenario will be satellite service. Guess who is launching the satellites! Two of the worst oligarchs on the planet!
As long as we act like hopeless peasants, we will be at the mercy of the nobles.
Thanks, Linda! I read the article and signed up for the newsletter.
It's the algorithm, stupid! 🤪
I love this substack for so many reasons! Not least of which is the referral by other readers to other truthful and insightful sources of information. 😊👍
Statistically, the Biden administration might be right with regard to strong economic indicators. However, while the president might have implemented workable and effective policies, I suppose, as you put it, that the messaging from the Democrats is very poor. I agree with this assertion that if you keep quiet your silence will be filled by things that doesn't resonate with you. And this has happened to Democrats. The Rs are good in spreading misinformation across the political airwaves.
Perceptions of high prices despite strong economic performance are affected by many factors which Democrats don't emphasize in their messaging.
Though the inflation is stable and in good range, the poor perception of the economy might be attributed to the rising prices of goods and services more than the wages.
Secondly, income inequality exacerbated by big corporations may make Americans believe that their income is stagnant while those from the wealthy class is rising. This comparison can alter how they see the economy even if progress is being made, albeit at a slower rate.
Even if the economy is performing well, specific price increases of basic commodities like fuel, food, and housing are largely noticeable. Even here in Kenya, despite the government subsidising fertilisers to bolster agriculture, people still complain that the government is aloof and unconcerned with their costs of living. As compared to last year, the price of maize reduced by 20% though it is yet to reach its default place.
Thirdly, the media is good in shaping and altering the thinking of the people. And in particular, those leaning towards Rs are exceptionally aggressive in muddying the Ds. They know negative news or political contradiction sells and gains the attention of the Americans. People don't pick facts, they pick what's negatively said and they will not investigate.
Similarly, in behavioral economics, people are guided by cognitive biases and this has of course influenced how Americans perceive prices. In this case, it is easy to remember price increases than decreases.
So, what can the Ds do?
They should understand these perceptive influences and be deliberate in messaging. It should be continuous and not leave chance for Rs to spread unverified information about their projects.
I welcome you to join my underserved community if you haven't. And make the difference.
Republicans have been trying to take credit for Biden's policies throughout his presidency, even though they voted against them. This is a sign of good policies - when those initially opposed to those policies later endorse them. Bad policies are characterized by loss of support by those who one endorsed them. Child separation is the most egregious example I can think of right now.
As evidenced by Republican actions (even if dishonest), Bidenomics is good policy. Messaging is not my strong suit, but appealing to stronger individual and community safety, economic performance, and civility, may be places to start.
The wealthy can pay for distribution of their talking points in the public conversation. We the (preponderance of) the people have to work at it. I am certain that there are better strategies (for Democrats) than what we have seen in recent decades.
Your comment is regrettably doctrinaire. Yes, greed is the mainspring of capitalism. It is supposed to be. But in a true capitalist economy, greed pulls prices down as well as up, as competitors undercut the competition. Th e problem is that after 50 years of having no antitrust policy worth the name, too many markets are concentrated and uncompetitive. That will take at least a decade to bring back toward balance. In the meantime, let’s remember that truth catches up and passes the lie, because it is, you know, true. And from now to next November I suggest talking about the real economy whenever you can, and letting economic theory take a back seat.
I wish. We installed as many solar panels as we could afford (14). In the summer, they pay for about 1/3 of the bill, which is usually about half of what the winter bills. In one month last winter, our system generated 1 of the measurable units (GW hours, I believe).
We had our biannual Home Show early this month, and had a fellow come out from the company that installed them 6 years ago to see if they were producing properly. All he did was try and sell us an upgrade of our existing panels because the technology is better today, and we could see a 15% improvement in our generation. We can't even add panels, because the technology is incompatable.
Yes. I have 17 panels (3’x6’ each), and they have produced, since 2015, almost as much electricity as I use (90%), and at an amortized cost a few percent lower than PG&E would have charged for that energy. I am fortunate to live in a net-metering state (California), so the grid acts as my energy storage facility. Without net metering, I would need battery storage, which would be feasible but would add to the cost.
We have different views on capitalism. It's the best system, at least philosophically, but like a plague of locusts will eat everything in sight if left unfettered. I've never seen evidence that it somehow magically regulates greed. Many very highly profitable companies pay workers as little as they can.
Capitalism today brings about drug companies charging unthinkably high prices for essential medicines that far outstrip their development and production costs.
The mantra "whatever the market will bear" has delivered grotesque economic disparity. And how does "just pull yourself up your bootstraps" work when motivated people work two jobs and can't afford housing and other basic needs?
There are plenty of pitfalls when government tries to regulate the free market. But there's a balance to be struck. Otherwise we have the status quo — a remarkably wealthy, economically strong nation with millions of people who work hard but are barely scraping by.
Well, the problem is that most people have no clue what "inflation" actually is, except that it is "bad", and when you try to explain to them that inflation is low, they will respond with "really? Have you bought groceries or gas lately?" So they have the idea that any high pricing which affects everyone is inflation and hence, in the president's wheelhouse......wrong on both accounts.
Yup, but the predatory "company store" part and the indebted servitude it engendered was a historical reality that, in somewhat altered forms, is with us today.
For the last six years, whenever I read about a new maga immorality, a misheard lyric from my youth pops into my brain ‘….and you sold your soul like a company whore…’
It is reality for far too many. I have no proof, but one blogger claimed that he had applied for a job ant Walmart and was handed a packet that included information about how to get SNAP benefits. I read that many people, perhaps most people who are lost in debt payed off the principal long ago but are trapped in cascading interest payments. When I was a kid I was told that my state had "usury laws" that capped interests for loans, but apparently no more. Elizabeth Warren was raised Republican and believed that most bankrupt individuals were either flakes or cheats, but her research disproved it; part of why she switched parties. Of course, bankruptcy in business, where incorporation shields personal fortunes, is A-OK.
"Company stores were monopolistic institutions, funneling workers' incomes back to the owners of the company. This is because company stores often faced little or no competition for workers' earnings on account of their geographical remoteness, the inability and/or unwillingness of other nearby merchants (if any existed) to accept company scrip, or both. Prices, therefore, were typically high. Allowing purchases on credit enforced a kind of debt slavery, obligating employees to remain with the company until the debt was cleared. "
I doubt it was with a shovel and I don't know what an average per worker load might be. A lot of the coal would likely be pretty large chunks after a blast. It was in any case hard, dirty, very unhealthy and dangerous work for crappy pay. Someone was getting very rich though.
I love music references...often say more than we can (no matter how thoughtful and articulate we may be). But, remember Kenny Rogers' The Gambler, the verse that applies now:
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done
Yes, kind of corny but there is real wisdom in it. "Every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser". That's an big oversimplification, but there is still a lot of truth in it.
And they truth I infer is a lot depends on how the hand is played. We sure have one of those "could go either way" hands in the political realm, and the better we play the "luckier" we are likely to be.
There are people who stick to brands at the grocery store. And those brands are giving less product for higher and higher prices. BUT: there is Republican-denied climate change which will more and more affect food prices. We need to watch Big Ag.
Too much wrong and ineffective government policy over the past 50 years combined with too little regulation and too much consumption by all of us.... of the dumb wasteful kind....has created much of the fog that currently surrounds what is essentially a very solid US economy that is improving by leaps and bounds daily.
The misperceptions of our economy are driven by so many different and subtle factors: efficiency, quality, profit motive, cost control, value, technology, innovation, fear, greed, hucksters, the dream of financial independence for the lucky few who are willing to work hard to achieve it while the bulk of our citizens live pay check to paycheck.
People hate to look into the future because they think it might get worse for them, not better. The reality of their moment dominates their opinions, beliefs and actions. This is why it’s so hard to sell the benefits of Biden’s fiscal policies. The wrongheadedness of the Republicans is making it easier, though, which in reality, is very helpful. Maybe by the end of Biden’s second term his administration’s vision and policies will be more broadly understood and valued by the vast majority of the general public; but not yet. The Fed is also doing a great job driving down inflation and achieving sustainable high levels of employment. That’s also a key part of the reality of our overall situation.
It remains my firm belief that the majority of American voters get what the Fed and the administration are doing and are driving to accomplish. This is why I believe the Dems will be able to regain control of both houses of Congress and pick up further positive momentum in 2024.
Lord, so do I. I put a lot of money on Beto. Don’t have much to contribute this year, but I’ll do what I can. Slimy Ted is well-loved by MAGAts, can’t fathom
Exactly. For myself, living on Social Security and a small pension, price increases have far outpaced my income. Add to that upcoming health insurance increases and increased drug prices, and I'm falling farther behind. I'm hoping my car repairs ($1600 so far this year) will help make my 11 yr old car last longer. I've had to cut back visiting family (grandchildren) in other states as well. AND I just got notice that mortgage payment is going up 20%!!
You are not alone, Anne, and I keep wondering about all those Trump (now Johnson) supporters who seem to think that abandoning Social Security and Medicare will be beneficial to our nation. With decent private pensions pretty much a thing of the past, millions of people will be in deep poverty.
There is a definite disparity in how the Biden Administration has improved the economy and how people perceive and or experience it.
Part of the problem for some might very well be that they’ve absorbed the incessantly anti-Biden / anti-Democrat media.
However, I think it is a mistake to assume all those people out there are not also experiencing a bad economy. I think It all depends on how the economy is defined by both the Administration and by the public and also how well Administrations measure impact of the economy on Americans.
For many of us (me included), THE ECONOMY simply means Our Income (and the time and effort involved) vs Our Expenses and the quality of life that the difference between those two numbers affords us.
Despite the Biden Administration’s successes with the economy, and I do acknowledge their successes, it still isn’t addressing the decades-long decline many of us are still painfully experiencing.
Many people are working and commuting longer hours, experiencing greater physical / mental / emotional tolls from work, and are being paid less.
We have less available free time
to prepare and eat breakfast, lunch, & dinner, raise / parent children, do necessary chores, relax & do enjoyable activities, or sleep appropriate number of hours.
These are not the Biden Administration’s fault, and they can’t force employers to pay more and stop overworking people, but it IS definitely one of the things helping affect our feelings towards the current economy.
What IS the Biden Administration’s (and earlier ones) fault, in my opinion, is that they fail to adequately measure how Americans define and experience the economy.
For example, most ordinary working Americans measure the following on some level:
•Income v Effort (including physical, mental, emotional toll)
•Work (including pre work prep)
& Commute v Free Time
•Income v Cost of Basic Needs & Expenses (housing, transpo & fuel, food, health needs, minimum clothing needed for work & home, electricity, heating, wi-fi & internet access)
and
•Amount of Disposable Income v Cost of Luxuries - which many people factor in when they consider quality of life such as affording eye glasses/contacts, dental care (yes, many people consider these to be luxuries), small trips/travel, dining out at restaurants, cost of entertainment/sports tickets & the costs to attend, TV service, books, streaming movies/games, etc.)
Also, I read a Substack post by Matt Stoller (see link below). While I am not sure I agree with everything he wrote since I just don’t know enough about economics, he brought up something interesting:
“The government has been measuring prices using some variant of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since 1913”. “…in 1983, the Reagan administration chose to exclude interest costs”
Note: I might have misread the article but I believe that the interest costs being excluded from how the government measures how Americans are weathering the economy are car loan interest, mortgage interest, and I think credit card interest as well. If I got it right, that is a heck of a thing to exclude, and dramatically alters the picture quite a bit.
Perhaps there are informed readers who can shed light on this: Halloween is coming, and each year I tally the number of treats I hand out. Last year it was 87 and we've had more families with children move onto our urban block. I was in the grocery aisle, and a number of people were complaining about the high cost of treats this year. I understand that cocoa beans are in a second year of drought, thus the chocolate bars are high. Why are the prices of the non-chocolate treats the same price? The packs of Skittles and such that are so popular around here are the same price. I conclude it is simply manufacturers greed, but perhaps there is something I am overlooking.
I'd like to see and hear as many people who are clearly not hired or professional actors across the US talking about their new jobs, and what a difference that's making in their lives, contrasted with the crap spewed by RWM and even legacy media about how bad the economy is - WHERE IS THE MEDIA MANAGER for the DNC and Biden PAC? This doesn't have to be so hard, does it?
So many Americans believe that they have a god-given, inalienable right to low inflation forever and that any US President who cannot deliver it must be replaced. This is a complete delusion and as HCR can confirm, the US Constitution provides no guarantees of low inflation (or of economic growth for that matter).
Sooner or later we in the industrial world, especially in the US, will be forced to accept that if we want to survive in a reasonably modern world, we are going to have to consume a *lot* less.
Good point about consumption. We also don't have an inalienable right against price-gouging. But we do have an inalienable right to vote out our representatives who don't protect us against it.
One reason for the disconnect between the economy’s performance and the gloomy perceptions of it is the dire living conditions—two jobs, no childcare or health insurance, lack of reliable transportation- -for workers, particularly service workers. How does a good economy help the poorest majority among us?
What you describe is what happens when real wages are stagnant for three or more decades — and the social safety net is weak. Just what Republicans have brought us. The tragic irony? Legions of Republican voters caught in this trap blame Democrats.
Rupert and Reagan were chummy. Reagan projected an avuncular persona, in a pitch man sort of way. Even in his first term, his clueless bloopers were frequent but lovable in the eyes of the press. He was pretty consistently labeled a "nice guy" despite evidence to the contrary. A smoking gun of his over the top racism was suppressed until long after his death, ( https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/31/ronald-reagan-racist-recordings-nixon ) which seemed to barely dent his manufactured legend. Reagan was genuine in his narcissistic plutocratic hubris, but he was more the clueless telegenic face of of his backers love of money and power. If you read between the lines, and actions speaking louder than words, the target of Reagan's smears was always democracy, not "government" per se; and it's only the democratic features of government that the "GOP" has subsequently made "smaller", such as anti-trust, voting rights. and consumer, minority, or environmental protection. What their base now craves is authoritarianism. We've seen it all before, but not enough of learned our lesson. Ask Mark Milley.
How about Philadelphia, Miss first thing out of the gate. Article in Jan1981, alluded to a banquet by Repubs in honor of Ruper M. Per Jack Kemp, “Rupert Murdoch used the editorial page, the front page, and every other page necessary to elect Ronald Reagan president.” Then Rupert and Roger Ailes took over our communication network when the laws were changed to allow him to buy more of the media outlets. Bill Moyers talked about this a lot as the plot thickened. Then came Fox…
And that’s what the republicans are selling, lies and propaganda. It’s their policies that have us in this mess. From Reaganomics to today with Trump’s trillion dollar tax cut for the top 1% and corporations, trickle down economics doesn’t work. Trickle down economics only made the rich richer.
Real wages have grown under President Biden, unfortunately prices that went up during Covid due to supply chain problems haven’t corrected now that those problems have gone away. It is corporate greed.
The President’s bills in size and scope were shredded by a Congress that was not cooperative by virtue of its make up, including two DINOs in the Senate. In 2024 we must purge the Congress of as many MAGAs as possible. There are 18 House seats occupied by republicans in Biden districts. In the Senate we have the opportunity to get rid of Cruz and Hawley.
I’ll end with this, Michelle Obama once said, “When they go low, we go high.” We can no longer afford to follow this. Democrats must be willing to get down and dirty. It’s gorilla warfare time.
We don’t have to lie and smear. Adlai Stevenson said, sort of “if you stop lying about Democrats, we’ll stop telling the truth about Republicans.” They never stopped lying. Time for some truth-telling, MSM and Dems….
I wasn’t suggesting they lie. I apologize if I gave that impression. I am saying that instead of touting just what they believe in, especially meat and potato issues, they need to call out when republicans lie or distort facts. Perhaps something like, Congressman Republican said X and the fact is. I enjoyed reading that at Infrastructure Act sites that signs are put up that say, this project is due to President Biden’s Infrastructure Act. Words to that effect to counter republicans going to their districts trying to claim credit for it.
Sorry if I sounded like you suggested lying. Not intended. Love that Adlai quote. You should see the parking lots around road work sites in Texas. Chump signs on pickups. One of the few places where bumper stickers are seen. Guess most are like me, afraid of vandalism.
I just saw a Biden lawn sign earlier this week. Over the last few weeks I’ve seen 3 orange blob demonstrations. A tent at 2. All of them have multiple flags, banners and lawn signs and unfortunately American flags. There are some homes that banners and signs. Some of the other faux candidates have some lawn signs. It’s a little unnerving.
I too would put a bumper sticker on my car but worry about the reaction.
I remain convinced that the President hasn’t begun campaigning in earnest.
Oh, yes, please--remove Cruz and Hawley!! Especially Hawley. It is especially galling that he replaced Claire McCaskill as Senator from Missouri. And Cruz is about as unctuous and sleazy as it gets....
Don't forget the cowgirl in CO, Boebert. It was a close race before, but hopefully independents and some republicans will switch sides. Who wants a representative that disobeys the simple rules of theater going and falls out of her dress in public? So respectful. She has decorum like MTG has.
Fox and its two new brother right-wing channels--plus thousands of Trump supporters who post utter trash on social media. It may take us generations to recover from Trump’s followers and the ultra-rich who are funding these evildoers.
That’s exactly right. It doesn’t actually matter how many jobs are added if the wage remains too low, or the number of hours allocated are insufficient. Things are not the same as they were 50 years ago when even a full-time lower wage job would be enough to purchase a home and enough for one wage earner to support a household, not in any kind of luxury by any means, but enough to keep everyone afloat and secure.
In 1967, I could work a 30-hour part time job at minimum wage, and afford a (small) one bedroom apartment in West Hollywood, a car, a good diet, and entertainment on weekends. I had time to invest in my future. Today, a full-time minimum-wage job wouldn't pay for one week in that exact same apartment (I actually saw it for rent a year ago and checked it out - instead of $45/month, it was $3,500/month - with no modernization)
So ludicrous!! Today, I went into Target as I get cereal there that’s organic. Usually, it’s cheaper there than at the grocery stores. This tiny box was $2 higher than 3 weeks ago! Corporate greed taking advantage of common folks, again and again and again. Then they wonder why people moan and groan like they do.
People really need to think about where all their money is ending up. Companies that are now making big profits made their products that much more desirable? Or do fewer and larger companies control the price of the things we need? Follow the money.
"equity firms buying up houses and rental properties so they can FORCE higher prices, "
Barbara, thank you. This is going on in every city in America. I heard from a reliable source in Houston that 80% of homes purchased inside the city of Houston over the last year were by hedge funds.
Hedge funds buying single family homes to turn them into rentals are driving up both purchase prices AND rental prices.
I note: This is exactly what killed mid size and small American manufacturing.
Bain Capital (Mitt Romney's source of wealth) went around buying small manufacturing in mid size American towns and then fired everyone and parted out all of the equipment and negotiated offshore contracts.
Disgusting. But, five or so white guys got morbidly rich so it is AOK in Amurca.
We're 15 miles from Acadia National Park and half the homes in our town are weekly or daily rentals. In the winter months landlords can make as much in a week as they can by renting it for a month. Why bother renting for a month?
Our county would have no housing issues if half of the rentals were turned into year round homes. But as long as 3.75 million visitors come to the park every year, this problem will persist.
Some of the hotels have built housing for their staff otherwise they can't get summer help..
So, yeah it's mostly white guys, but you don't have to be rich to buy a double wide trailer and rent it out for $300 a night.
Every time you see one of those signs tacked to a telephone pole "I buy houses for cash!" that's some local real estate shill working for the private equity hedge funds. they now own 50% of all single-family homes in America - jack up the rents and downplay the services.
Gosh, I guess we didn't cut taxes deeply enough for corporations and for the utra-wealthy, or trust in the "Magic of the Unregulated Marketplace" faithfully enough for the Reaganomic ship of "Prosperity for All" to make it all the way into port. Any day now, "GOP" economics will deliver, right?
Why does “Reagan’s ship of prosperity” sound like the prosperity gospel that churches preach these days. But it’s not for all, just the buyers of bull Schitt, so they say. God has promised. Puke
I am not indifferent to prosperity and enjoy a comfortable life. I think that anyone who works deserves at least a "living wage" and a "safety net", and that no one should go homeless or hungry. We can surely afford that. What I see in what remains of accounts of the life of Jesus is a prescription for for a highly acetic lifestyle, not that of a religious recuse, but of selfless service to others, indifferent to material treasures.
Indeed, like my comfort zone, wish all critters had that, my pets too. “Selfless service to others.” Repubs have made Jesus’ teachings a bad joke. Heresy in my book.
You were getting screwed, buddy. We were selling a clean weight ounce for $10, and I don't know anyone in California who paid $45 a lid until Nixon declared the war on drugs in 1971 and hippies couldn't toss a couple keys (purchased for $50) under the sleeping bag in the back of the VW microbus coming through the border from TJ. :-)
The big difference is interest rates. When people are just getting by, low internet rates keep them afloat. If interest rates drop back to near zero the non-savers will feel less stressed.
In 1963-65, my husband and I rented a one-bedroom apartment in a quadruplex just outside Cambridge MA. I worked as a secretary; he went to school. Our place cost $90 a month; we had no car; we did just fine. It couldn't work today.
Which is why you guys graduated with no student loan debt to spend the rest of your lives paying off. Here in California where tuition was practically free, I got three degrees and graduated with zero debt. I think the state might conclude that my contributions as a result were worth their investment in me.
Way too many intelligent young people are priced out of the college market in many parts of the US. A few years ago I ask a young lady if she was getting ready to go to college. I knew she was the class valedictorian at a private high school. She told me that even with scholarships she couldn't afford it. The state school I graduated from in 1977 now costs 7 1/2 times as much. How do kids afford it?
That's why there is a Student Debt Industry that got the rule made that student debt cannot be discharged in bankruptcy (a Republican idea). You can pretty much figure if there's a dickheaded bad idea in a law, that a Republican wrote it.
I grew up in Cleveland with steel companies and a Ford foundry. Every male who wanted to work could work - different races, immigrants with little or no English. An entire section of the city was built for the workers - who could afford the housing on the income from the single/male breadwinner. Little houses, all alike, a solid sea of rooftops. There was enormous pride in the work and in home ownership. (There was also pollution - to the point that the Cuyahoga River caught fire.) All those foundries are now closed, and the steel companies moved away. We all had thought that the (fairly)easy life would continue. It did not.
Policy decisions took away that life. Companies moved their work and their profits offshore. Housing costs soared. Households needed two workers to get by, but child care was/is scarce and unaffordable. (I am providing housing for a Ukrainian refugee family and I have seen, close-up,their struggle to find daycare so both parents can work. The “best” option was a special rate of $300/week, $15,600 for a year! So mom stayed home until her daughter could reach the age for enrollment in school.
The rich paid fewer and fewer taxes so infrastructure and services declined.
“Welfare Reform” in 1996 resulted in state block grants with lifetime limits (2-5 years),
Intrusive monitoring of “parenting,” drug testing, disparities in benefits and work requirements. (I volunteered in an ESL class for adult Hmong refugees who had to be in English class 4 hours/day, 5 days/week - even though these highly stressed students were obviously unable to learn English in such an intensive setting; I watched and smelled the fear-sweat running down their faces, sometimes within 15 minutes. Yet if they left early or missed class without a doctor’s statement, they could be cut off without a penny.) Benefits in Minnesota - and almost every other state - were frozen for over a quarter century, even though rents tripled in that period.)
All of this was the result of unrestrained Capitalism, corporate lobbying, corruption and greed by elected politicians. None of it HAD TO HAPPEN.
I can’t stop grieving - and my anger keeps growing.
Not even just the poorest. My nephew and his life partner are both well-educated professionals. With three kids between them and trying to meet the cost of living in San Diego - where their jobs and professional reputations are - he is pretty stressed out. Fortunately they're both smart enough and educated enough to see the situation as it really is, so they concentrate politically on working to change the system as we do. He works in finance and was telling me in 2006 that what happened in 2008 was "just one mistake away from happening."
I heard on the radio (circa 2007) that a hefty percentage of the home loans in my state were "reverse amortization" loans, on which, if you paid the minimum amount each month, you owed MORE to the lender with each month that passed. It was Chrystal clear where that was heading, and for all sorts of reasons I expected a severe "correction", though I never guessed what a flimsy house of cards the whole finance sector had become. That unregulated marketplace magic again.
60 Minutes had a blurb about NINJA loans (no income, no job) but no prob. When asked how they would pay it, She shrugged and said, well, if they are gonna give it to us, why not take it. Blew my mind. And I watched Obama get blamed for the disaster. W/Dickie should have been tarred and feathered, for a multitude of sins.
Than main reason for the disconnect is Fox News. Fox News reports, daily, on how lousy the economy is today, compared to Trump.
Since half of Americans are tuned in to those lies while simultaneously "believing" Fox is the only place they can get the "truth", we have a real problem.
You mention something that I have railed about recently, the two jobs scenario. I have been told by reliable sources that they can’t find people willing to work. I’m sure there are plenty of those out there, have always been. But at the assisted living facility where I live, plenty of service people work two jobs. There is rapid turnover. I believe that when a person works two jobs, and something is problematic at one, they can leave and seek another one where the grass looks greener. A revolving door. Gone are the days and the expectation of job security, and the commitment one has for his livelihood. This bodes trouble for the employers as well. A trend that is exacerbating all across the work force. A living wage might help…
i was at a meeting on Thursday of United Southern Service Workers and several other groups and the fight for a living wage in right-to-work states is taking off, prohibitions against collective bargaining be damned. Until we restore some economic power to those on the bottom, there is not much hope for the future of democracy.
Living in the north, I wonder if the situation is any better than it is in the South. What is your opinion? I know our minimum wage is almost $13/hour but many companies are forced to pay more than that to hire almost anyone.
Some pay $15 or more, but with the rise in rent and groceries and families it is far from enough. This is a systemic problem compounded by the effects of multigenerational inequality and the effects of historical racism in the 13 Confederate states. Reparations are on the table, and a living wage with environmentally safe (air conditioning for Amazon workers? safeguards for septic workers and toilet cleaners? bullet-proof vests for wait staff in bars in open carry districts?) workspaces will go a long way towards reaching that goal. This situation is nothing new. It is as old as America and all of humanity. But it is past time, democracies!
I've been a mainframe programmer for 45 years. I came late to the game and so many of my fellow programmers retired years ago. Nothing against Indian programmers, but rather against the consulting firms that hire them at slave wages. The problem is that even though they have good computer skills they don't have the business knowledge and therefore have trouble analyzing a problem, mod or new system. The business users have also been retiring so it takes much longer for them to get anything accomplished. At the previous contract I was the only person born in the US out of a team of 30. They were all good technicians but they brought me in to assist with analysis and problem solving since I was familiar with the systems they were running. Additionally, the turnover at these firms is very high since a dollar an hour raise will lure most of them away.
One would think the creation of the problems was deliberate. Seems more likely, than unintended consequences. Maybe just greed at the top. Usually explains a lot.
Jim, it’s interesting that the economies that poll as the happiest have government-provided healthcare and childcare (Norway, Sweden, Switzerland) and the richest in those countries don’t mind paying for the common good.
I. was in Norway a year ago and was told by one of the waitresses that starting wages are 24 Euros an hour with 32% going to taxes. Of course medical care and retirement benefits are included in the 32% tax rate. That's a net of around $17 an hour for clerks, waitress staff and housekeeping. Plus, there are other benefits like paid family leave.
I would bet that the working poor are not the people being polled - not that they would have a lot of positive feelings about the current state of the economy. The US wealth gap - highest among developed nations is a reflection of the disconnect between the poor and the rest of the population. If our democracy manages to survive past 2024, perhaps reversing that gap will be the next achievement.
Truth matters. History matters. Justice matters. 2024 Version: Reliable Sources Matter. Thank you Dr Richardson for being my #1 reliable source. Your many book tour talks and interviews on YouTube are excellent. You make it look easy but we know separating truth from fiction is hard work these days. ⭐️👏🏼🏆❤️
I agree that Dr Richardson has become one of my go-to sources of true historical sources. But I was surprised to hear her make an obvious mistake in her Judy Woodruff interview at President Lincoln’s Cottage on PBS. She said that the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1861, when it was signed on January 1, 1863. Just goes to show that even the best can mis-speak once in a while !!
Just have to say that rote knowledge of dates is ok but understanding events is critical. Thanks to Dr Richardson for understanding and sharing her insights.
Not surprised at all. My 61-year-old brain intuitively understands: speaking extemporaneously, it could easily compress January 1, 1863 into "1861". Especially if it were in the middle of a book tour and traveling back and forth across time zones because scheduling any kind of tour of the US is absolutely nuts.
That she understands the history is clear. Trivial mistakes in dates? Yeah it happens. Quite different from deliberately spreading misinformation.
She, as a student of 19th century America, slips on her century frequently. I can understand the slip; there's a "1" in the number. I think her brain goes so fast sometimes it skips things.
“Reports suggest that Card had at least a recent history of mental illness and note that his social media accounts show a history of engagement with right-wing and Republican political content.”
Right-wing/ Republican political content seems to be fostering a particular kind of paranoia and nihilism not based on anything in reality. Bad enough without adding weapons designed for mass homicide.
Also you don’t see the mentally ill in other countries even come close to the destruction wrought in this country by the mentally ill, the anti-social, and the rebellious misfits. We have a lot of them. I remember. I worked in jr, and high school. Maybe others countries don’t provide weapons of war at their fingertips. We’ve got the deranged soldiers, the weapons of war, what comes next? Chump and his worshippers…. What can go wrong….
Careful about potentially labeling / correlating those with a mental illness as right-wing nuts. As someone with a mental health disability myself (bipolar-disorder), I am mildly offended.
Matt, I apologize, that wasn't at all my intention. Right-wing paranoia and cultism is a particular kind of mental illness, and I'll rephrase. Thanks for pointing it out.
I had an entire comment written in response, saying apology accepted and explaining my situation further, but sadly there was a glitch and it was entirely lost!
The gist was that I'm the first to advocate for background checks for gun purchases, given that several years ago when I was so depressed that I had suicidal thoughts for a year, and given that my cognitive decline was such that I couldn't provide for my family.
Now that has been solved, finally after that year having been put on an antidepressant which turned on a little light bulb in my brain and allowed me to think again. During that year, I couldn't understand math that I had previously derived, which is pretty depressing if you make a living via math and numerical programming. And can no longer do what you have always done to support your family.
I hate it when those glitches happen! Thanks for taking the time to reconstruct - you're telling an important story that will resonate with a LOT of people. Bipolar runs in my family, and you have my full sympathy and hopes for continued progress.
I understand your concern Matt, for sure! I don't think that is the intention or mindset of most in this community. It's more a feeling that the right wing actively targets people with mental health differences for exploitation. Peace to you Sir and thank you for your comment. It reminds us to stay mindful.
That is a good point, being targeted. Personally I can't relate to that, however, as my anger earlier in life was directed towards the Bush administration lying is into war ... I was probably vulnerable to left-wing conspiracies at that time, but who knows which of them were true, such as Rumsfeld and Cheney being glad that 911 happened and exploiting the situation to re-invade Iraq.
I've since learned to not get personally angry about such things, as it is counterproductive for your own health.
Jeri, lost my "bff" of decades to the Trump crap and COVID theories. In retrospect, I was as brainwashed by her as if she was a Baptist Preacher. Because she is VERY wealthy and generous (showering you with gifts of things SHE likes, which fed her shopping addiction) her other traits (very controlling and passively aggressively disrespectful) she was forgiven. (That's "XXXX" just as people say "That's Trump" )
It was startling to me to realize when it ended (badly) how I was actually relieved! I didn't have to kowtow to her anymore!
Matt, may I ask you a question? First of all, there are many of us dealing with quite a few issues that require mental health help. If my question is too personal, please let me know and I will back off. Do you think you have gotten decent help for your bipolar? My opinion is that our government has failed many people. Thank you.
It took a long time, with trial and error, to get the right help medication wise. The problem is that this is an art as much as a science. You have to experiment to see what works for each individual after the first manic episode. In my case that first manic episode was a big one and didn't occur until I hit age 42, which is unusual (typically bipolar happens in teens or twenties). And it took about 3 years of experimentation to hit upon a cocktail that works, mostly. This experimentation phase is hellish. And I think a lot of it is finding a treatment that somewhat works, and then the brain learning how to cope. There are still side effects-- I have to usually sleep 12 hours per day.
Thank you so much, Matt, for your honesty and for answering the question I posed. It is truly wonderful that you are getting the right treatment and meds that keep you stabilized. I know others who have spoken about getting a cocktail. It’s because of your diligence and tenacity that you have managed your life to where it’s been good. I wish you the very best.
Thank you for being open and sharing your story about the Time it often takes to find the right medication, and I would add, the right therapist. I struggle with depression (and, I am now realizing more and more, PTSD and possibly ADHD,) but I haven't even had the energy to go find someone to help me. I will. I know what that "little light going on" feels like and I need it. Stay well. I'm glad you made it.
It is so hard to advocate for yourself when you are at an all time low with whatever malady you suffer. Too bad we have one of the poorest health care systems in the world.
I hope you will fight like heck to get the help you need when you are able to do so.
Thanks for your openness about your experience with Bipolar. My adult son struggles with it too, along with having life long intellectual disabilities. It’s so complicated...literally the ups and downs. Luckily he’s surrounded by family, professionals, staff, and a few friends who support and care about him. Finding the right supports, medications, and therapeutic outlets seems to work, even though we all struggle through the darkest times.
Matt, thank you for letting your light shine through 💕🥲
So glad you stuck with it to get to what worked for you, three Veteran students (and two non-Veteran students), at the college I worked at also seemed to take up to 3 years to get the help, carefully individualized medications, and feedback that worked for them, even the one I worried the most for (due to insensitive other students). All those I know most about eventually made it through thanks to enough support.
My role was mostly simply assuring them they weren't the only ones who had similar experiences and referring them to our college VA person who could steer them to a group or specialist most likely to earn their trust.
Thank you for sharing and for your insights about finding the right drug treatment. Your success is commendable, bipolar can be devastating. Treatment is difficult enough for those with health insurance, it’s nearly impossible for those without. Many with mental illness people can’t hold a job and therefore can’t get health insurance, a catch 22.
From where I stand, it appears Fox and other right wing media have weaponized both mental illness and ignorance with dangerous disinformation. By stoking anger at both the medical and political “establishment” they foster cynicism, tacitly encourage violence and discourage effective intervention. Then once all hope is gone listeners are encouraged to buy guns.
My family has a long history of bi-polar disorder. My great grandmother hung herself in an insane asylum in Nebraska in 1901. As part of my genealogy research I visit the state hospital and talked to the director.
She said there were few records on any of the patients until much later, so I didn't really get any new information about my great-grandmother from her. The director said there were few if any drug treatments for patients and many of them committed assisted suicides. The patients were separated into wards and their existence was with this other group of people with many different issues.
Today, my bi-polar family members have found relief through pharmacology and counseling. Thank goodness.
Visited a former insane asylum in Kentucky. Had a cemetery with numbers, no names. People put family there in secret. My friend’s mother said that when in elementary school, her class made a field trip there. She never forgot it. Unreal
I don’t recall this being an area where gov’t has gotten involved. Maybe lately, but in the 80’s and 90’s, help was dependent on having somebody to scream in your behalf.
As one who has put blood, sweat and tears into helping a Borderline Personality teen to find his way, I can say it’s not easy or cheap. But the vulnerability is real
Borderline PD is a tough one to deal with. My wife is a clinical psychologist (she describes her practice as with the "worried well"; she is a sole practitioner) and finds that BPD are very difficult to treat.
My clinical psychologist friend thought treating those so diagnosed was intriguing and a challenge. Had a hard lesson when one tried to destroy her practice. They don’t take perceived rejection well. The young man I tried to help has survived because he found a woman who is with him 24/7, literally. He once said that he didn’t feel like he existed when he was alone. I say my prayers for her because he is currently a functioning, tax-paying citizen. A miracle since his abandonment issues started early and repeated through his 20’s. Does your wife really call them the “worried well,” or did that refer to others. His was more like primal terror, disguised by, well, you name it.
That’s her description of her practice ; generally issues that people need help with, and not dealing with more psychotic/sociopathic people; just folks who need situational help.
She’s had two BPD folks who tried to destroy her practice…
Matt, first of all, you have my deepest sympathy. I am not a bipolar sufferer but I do have friends who are. I did, however, suffer a serious depression when a student. As with the most sublime experiences in my life, no direct memory of this episode is possible, but I do remember enough to be able to tell that it was a hell of total despair. Literally hell. So now I wish you lasting happiness and freedom from illness.
I do, however, feel that yours has been a misunderstanding and that, while the entire population is affected by the presence and action of psychopaths in the highest places of society and by the psychotic delusions with which they have deliberately infected millions of unhappy people, this in no way points a finger at persons like yourself.
I have tried in other lengthy comments which you’ll find below to draw attention to the collective mind poisoning carried out over a long period of time and the epidemics to which they have given rise, as in the rise of Hitlerism and the hell-on-earth it brought about, as in other awful episodes we are witnessing worldwide at this moment. I hope and pray that you (and indeed all of us) will be protected from the distress which these visit upon the world. In other words that, while we may suffer pain at having to witness these evils, we shall always remain strong, inwardly happy, secure and free from all harm, able each to do what we can to heal ourselves and our world.
“There seems to be becoming a direct correlation: mental illness and right-wing/ Republican political content. Bad enough without adding weapons designed for mass homicide.”
Alexandra, you write “There seems to be becoming” to describe a pandemic of mass psychosis that has been present for years and has grown exponentially since one of history’s great mind poisoners became President of the United States in November 2016.
The public plainly shares a gross misunderstanding that comes of viewing all psychiatric illness as an individual phenomenon. This is in itself a delusion comparable to seeing, say, the AIDS outbreak or Covid exclusively in terms of individual health. The least we can say is that the wellbeing of the entire population, the sick and the healthy, is affected when gripped by fear. And today, we face fear growing out of unprecedented and accelerating change, fear deliberately fomented by mind poisoners for political purposes, as when Hitler and the Nazis took power in 1933.
Here, I feel bound to cite someone much derided, precisely for his ability to encompass the big picture:
“…It is becoming ever more obvious that it is not famine, not earthquakes, not microbes, not cancer but man himself who is man’s greatest danger to man, for the simple reason that there is no adequate protection against psychic epidemics, which are infinitely more devastating than the worst of natural catastrophes.”
Carl Jung, The Symbolic Life
The least that can be said is that everyone’s peace of mind is affected. There is a positive side to this, which should, I hope, encourage Matt Fulkerson.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. Once this realization spreads, a healthy reaction can take place and delusions weaken.
It is up to every one of us to spread the antidotes of kindness and understanding over the earth, calming people still in the grip of nightmares.
That’s the carrot. The stick: the principal mind poisoners must be dealt with as a matter of the most urgent priority. Mankind's survival depends on it.
Now, why did I speak of kindness as the essential carrot to be offered to those infected by mass madness?
Maybe many will have lost all patience with them and I can think of someone who -- understandably -- takes that impatience much further.
But if there is anything we can ask experienced clinicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, it is for advice on how to speak to people suffering from delusions.
Negation won't work, denial guarantees failure. No choice but to listen, to agree, to gently, patiently reassure, talking them gradually out of their nightmare. You can, for instance, say they're right to be scared... not to be stampeded. Calm it...
Any shrinks here who can refer people to practical sites accessible to laymen???
*
As for those surviving Supreme Court justices whose weirdly skewed interpretation of the Second Amendment has led directly a hecatomb of unnecessary deaths, psychiatric help would be the least of things.
All those who pass legislation that puts so-called semi-automatic rifles in the hands of psychotics or block legislation to prevent such access are accessories after the fact.
They have aided and abetted mass murder and inflicted severe damage on American society... and international respect for the American republic. In so doing, they undermine world peace at a crucial juncture in world history.
Peter, some of the best training that I got in that area was in crisis negotiation training. I was a negotiator on our SWAT team for nearly 20 years; of the dozens of one on one contacts in that kind of crisis setting (one which, basically, overwhelms the ability of routine patrol to handle a situation, almost always because of the presence of weapons and the danger to bystanders), almost all of them were from that foundational delusion on the part of the subject of the call/negotiation.
I want to add something that sets out from the specific needs of children and educators.
My wife mentioned a psychologist called Alexander Kolmanovsky, telling me that he is wonderful when it comes to explaining war and violence calmly to children who will otherwise stay confused and terrified. Not hiding, talking as to adults.
This led me to look the man up and I found him on this useful site: psyhelpworld.com.
Please look and share this practical wisdom about human interactions.
(A personal example: I never forgot how a nearby table with a group of peacenik ladies so cut my appetite that I couldn't eat my lunch!)
Such persons find the ground pulled from under their feet in lands where all public figures are required to declare support for war and violence, including the perverted interpretation of the Second Amendment.
Is it not curious how figures like Putin, Kaczynski, Netanyahu all spout endlessly about "fighting Nazis" while spreading the selfsame mind poisons as those which Hitler and Mussolini used to destroy our world.
This does sound very much like the kind of training that's called for, indeed the basic approach needed in dealing with so many of the world's terrible challenges. The metaphor I have often used is that of sappers, the bomb disposal squad. That, instead of the usual "bomb 'em back into the stone age" nonsense.
Responsible, competent policing is precious but expensive, so oligarchies tend to dispense with it except for the protection of oligarchs and their key servants.
I have always believed we are all connected. I do not have a clear recollection of this but one of the U.S. astronauts (Schweickart or Swigert? Can’t recall) said he looked at the moon from space and thought, why am I so special to be having this life-changing experience, but then he realized the whole world, every person on earth had also changed, he was a conduit to everyone. As he processed the experience the whole world was too. I think it hurts all of us when any of us are suffering injustice, cruelty and neglect. We all feel it. But when we feel powerless to turn things around we are susceptible to the b.s. of the greedy and venal among us. I myself feel powerless to change things. My own State of Wisconsin is gerrymandered and legislators in power support profits over people at every turn. We have 38 prisons without enough staff to keep them safe. Rather than think maybe we have too many humans in prison the people in power here have become crueler and lockdown those in custody in overcrowded cells and deny them time outside or in the library or communal meals. Those legislators go home every weekend without a care. The energy generated is certainly negative and we are all absorbing it here in our state. Why ever would anyone be surprised when people don’t respect the law? Of course if you are not aware or do not believe we are all connected you may fail to recognize how feelings of powerlessness can equal trouble in unexpected ways. Love and compassion is needed. Not finger pointing fundamentalism which seems to be winning at every turn. It is a race to the finish right now. I wish I felt more confident the world will be able to heal. I read HCR and certain other Substack writers to keep my flickering hope alive. The fact they can voice their thoughts so freely in our country is one piece of hope I cling to. Maybe, just maybe our system of government (to quote Leonard Cohen) has the range and the machinery for change. Is Democracy coming to America as Cohen said?
It will always be deeply encouraging to hear, to read pure, unalloyed truth expressed as lucidly, as cogently as you have here.
It's almost like reading a brief update of John Donne's Meditation XVII, especially that sentence "No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main" and the passage that follows.
Thank you, and I hope you will never, never allow yourself to be discouraged by the folly, the cruelty, the pathetic mediocrity of Wisconsin's current political masters.
evelyn,I had come to that conclusion right after the shooting occurred. ''His social media accounts show a history of engagement with right wing and Republican political content.'' It certainly seems like a relation to Rethuglicans and Donald TUMP have an impact on these mentally ill nut jobs that shoot and kill innocent people. A few days before the shooting, the judge had imposed a $10,000 fine on TUMP for violating the gag order. Also, TUMP's attorneys had asked the judge to dismiss the case against TUMP, and the Judge sternly refused that request. From reports, TUMP stormed out of the courtroom in a rage. There is no way i could prove this, but it seems to me that these killers nut up when something goes against TUMP. This is just a nutty theory of mine. But i do wonder if this is a relation to some of mass shootings.
People wonder why we should be concerned with trump's vitriol. I have never before heard of threats being made to juries and judges. Even republicans who did not vote for Jordan received death threats. Look at Jan 6th where the rioters heard a message from trump to gather for a wild time. The unstable are hearing this message think violence is acceptable and feel empowered to use violence. Their restraints have been lifted.
Kudos to the voters of Nashville for rejecting a christo-fascist mayoral candidate by a four to one margin, in a southern state. The latter reinforces my growing optimism about the 2024 election.
Reports on the GOP pick for House Speaker indicates that the nation is going to have its collective nose rubbed into enough similar christo-fascism in the year before the next election to be so sick of it by Election Day to inspire similar election results. That’s if Mike Johnson even keeps the job that long. Herding cats is hard. Herding crooks is harder.
With appreciation to Heather for identifying Phil Williams as a journalist who had significant impact on educating the Nashville voters. Credible investigative reporters and local news organizations need our support.
And the average non-journalist can do great work as well. A gentleman who happened to look deeply into a candidate’s social media history, after having emailed some questions to her regarding her campaign platform and was curious about some of her answers, revealed an anti-Semite who, despite his revelations, won her seat in our local government.
He attended her swearing in, and when it came time for public comment he provided an “overview” of her posts and reposts. She resigned three days later.
Ellie, it seems that Media and Democracy's petition has been so designed that it can't be signed by expats.
That would be all too typical, but unfortunate. Expatriate Americans are often better informed citizens, seeing their country with both an insider's and an outsider's panoramic world view rather the all-too-frequent worm's eye view.
Much of today's thread is concerned with the discrepancies between a booming economy and the yawning gaps in the big picture, and this morning I received a deeply disheartening report of a trip through northern New York state. A picture of despair.
A few words taken from it:
“The poverty is immense and terrifying. Town after town with so many houses falling down... Marijuana stores, McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts…”
“Trump flags waving in the front yards.”
“Casino… Thousands of social security checks being sucked into the slot machines…”
At the heart of my response:
“Those who ruined the land and made huge profits in the process are now manipulating the victims they ruined in order to inflict terminal damage on the republic.”
I noted that this is part of a worldwide pattern, especially marked in the wealthiest countries of all. All wealth, all power siphoned up by the ultra-oligarchs, serfdom for the rest. Serfdom without benefit of any reciprocity. Trickle down? Better the lot of dogs under the table.
We are going to have to go far beyond President Biden’s noble and remarkably successful attempt to return the United States to something like the seeming normality the country long enjoyed, but the damage inflicted—economic, social, psychological—goes so deep that there may be no hope of a swift cure. In some respects it feels almost worse than the ruin inflicted by war… Under bombardment, people resist. Here…
Here, they know they’ve been wronged—but how? And by whom? Confused and despairing, they fall victim to every conman selling conspiracy theories and are easily fooled into believing that the most competent president they’ll have known in a lifetime is a doddering old fool.
I visited Upstate New York a few months ago and have friends and family there. The picture you received is grossly overgeneralized and can be selectively found just about anywhere.
Sorry, that is my fault. The report was doubtless accurate for at least one town but the writer did say this was a superficial first impression and not necessarily representative.
On the other hand, there can surely be no doubt whatever that the extremist plot is to spread fear, resentment and hatred among a population confused by the unprecedented speed and acceleration of change, then to use the violent sentiments aroused to undermine the republic.
I may have cause one day to return to the uses of inductive reasoning.
I have copied this to my US contacts, asking them to share the info. I wish I could act against the Murdochs, given the damage they have done to my country, the UK.
Biden s batting 450 in domestic and international policy. Where is the messaging from the democrats. I learn this only from this website. Where would we be without this. Everybody write their senators and representatives about this. I feel like the best model for the Democrats is a gospel choir”....shout it from the rooftops....!!!”
D “accomplishment” ads are running daily in Michigan during peak news viewership on ABC . Don’t know if these same ads are running on Fox. My take: content is too cerebral. D’s go for the brain. R’s go for the gut. Which tactic is working?
Most people don't care about GDP or job growth, they care about the cost of food and gas -- two items that are not captured in standard economic indices and two items that have risen significantly in the last three years. Unless the Democrats can create messages that address those perceptions, can recruit those who have jobs because of the Biden policies, who have seen their quality of life improve despite the increased cost of food and gas, the Republicans will have the upper hand.
The “economy” is different from people being able to afford the standard of living they had before the pandemic.
A good “economy” means nothing to people who are struggling and who have no investments.
Even for folks who were doing okay, our proximity to poverty means we have likely extended our resources to keep our friends and family alive through the past 4 years.
For the majority of Americans, times are hard, and I think that’s reflected in how the “economy” is viewed.
In general, though, these are people that Biden has tried to help, whether through reducing college debt or raising wages or getting rid of junk fees. So much of what people complain about is caused by corporate decisions, such as stock buy-backs, but they're not aware of being manipulated.
Never implied Biden hasn't tried to help. My point is that it *doesn't help* when people tout the great economy or go on about the great disconnect between the economy and how the average person feels financially --- which they equate to "the economy".
I fully understand the ways Biden has and has not helped, and yet I also am sick to death of hearing about how great the economy is. I have no good things to say currently. So don't assume people are "manipulated". Maybe we're just tired.
Heather, while all of us are trying to spread the message about what President Biden is doing to build our country, Steve Schmidt has decided that what we need in the Democratic Party is a new, unproven presidential candidate to question Biden’s choices every day on Ukraine and Israel (“ He said during his announcement speech that rising costs have left an undue burden on Americans and argued that foreign aid packages supported by the Biden administration for Ukraine and Israel should redirected to solving domestic issues.”)
Heather, am I right in thinking that every recent incumbent presidential candidate who had a non-fringe primary opponent ended up losing the general election because he was weakened by the attacks in the primary?
Hey Mary - thanks for liking my "smack in his face" nastygram I left Mr. Schmidt today on my way out - unsubbed his substack and demanded immediate unsub, and got it. I hear he has lost 90% of his subscribers in the past 16 hours. Couldn't happen to a nicer shithead, eh?
Something tells me me Steve Schmidt, who in the past impressed me with his commentary about Trump and the threat to democracy, has had trouble finding clients. So now he's working for Dean Phillips, who can't seem to remember that Harlan Crowe is helping fund his kamikaze campaign.
I don't think substack is likely to be a significant amount of his income. But I agree regarding his choice of Sarah Palin for McCain, which doomed his candidacy.
He was charging $100/year for a subscription. And according to the little substack checkmark code, he had 5,000+ subscribers. About half were annual, so that comes out to a "tidy sum" as they say.
Beau OTFC did a piece yesterday about the complications in the NH democratic primary. Biden will not be on the ballot and will have to be a write in because the national DNC changed the rules so that NC would be the first Democratic primary since its population is more representative of the party as a whole. NH has a state law that NH has to be the first primary in the nation and did not change its rules. So Biden is following the national party. And that the DNC knew that NH would have to change the law in the state to have a later primary date when it had a Republican dominated legislature is unbelievably stupid.
Beau is an excellent companion site to the daily letter. I find that both Beau and Bryan Tyler Cohen (often with Glen Kirshner, or another fine attorney whose name currently is stuck in my grey matter and won't come out. Sigh) and worthy of the free subscriptions and checking out daily.
There is a The Roads With Beau about Foreign policy where he uses a white board (I chuckled at someone commenting that he went "all Katie Porter on us") which is also very informative.
I forward the Letter onto a number of people, and also find that the small Youtube clips capture a number of minds who don't/won't take time to read.
And Biden needs no opposition in the primary when everyone assumed he was running for one term only? I'm not saying that Dean Phillips is the best candidate, but rather that the Democrats should have a primary. Dean is absolutely right regarding the Biden poll numbers. They are atrocious.
I never assumed he wouldn't run again. "Everyone" is a slippery word often used by Orange people.
I had the luxury of voting for Warren because I live in CA and even with Bernie in play I knew Biden had it in the bag. And that he was a lifelong politician and would stay as long as he thought he was "fighting the good fight" as men of his generation like to say. Honestly, I'm pleased with how much he seems to listen to his team and adapt to the very rapid changes happening in our society. At least until the powers that were planted the seed of discontent with a Jerusalem embassy and Kushner's personally lucrative Abraham Accords.
I can see that Biden is still somehow caught in the thick web that the Oilgarchy and War Machine have woven around our government for almost a century, since they tasted blood profits in WWI. But I believe he knows it. I believe he also knows that if he doesn't figure out a way to stop them his grandchildren may not have an earth that supports human life. He still bargains with the devil so he can buy time to angel fund the green economy?
Kind of a ramble here, but you are Right about Bush/Cheney and the lies about Iraq. Remember how they won. Against Al Gore. The Climate Crisis Candidate. (Study it. Roger Stone. Brooks Bros riot. Justice Thomas. Study the Bush family history)
Best thing we can do is Support Good Journalists not just here, where we're all converted, but in Local newspapers and radio stations and investigative papers and mags like VOX and Mother Jones and - which ones do you like?
And Get Out The Vote. I used to take my son out with me when I was door knocking for Kerry. I'd take them to the polls routinely. I yelled at NPR in the car in 2015 - 2021. Now they drive themselves. And they vote. OK, I'm in "listen hear, Sonny" mode. Sorry.
Miselle, when I was in my teens, in the 1950's, I imagined a newspaper which I called "The Good News." It was to print only positive items - inspirational, without being preachy. I thought then that I would become a journalist (but I became a secretary instead). Still a great idea though.
Matt, and how is Dean Phillips’ attacking Biden on inflation going to help Biden’s poll numbers and help either beat Trump? Harlan Crow (who supplies Clarence Thomas’ vacations and is hard core Republicans) is bankrolling Dean’s campaign. With all the foreign stuff going on, I really appreciate Biden’s foreign negotiator skills.
Do we really think that he will regret taking money from Harlan Crow? Maybe he can get invited along on Clarence Thomas’s trips with ‘ole Harlan <sarcasm>
On 10/27/23, CNN ran a piece from Patrick T. Brown with the headline “Opinion: Why Mike Johnson is actually an inspired choice for Speaker.” It is a very sobering bit of hagiography.
Mark the date. Be sure to read the piece in full. It is the first step in the Project 2025 oligarchs’ plan to jettison Trump and the MAGAts (the chaos caucus) and the insufficiently pure conservatives like Emmer (the remnants) as they remake the FRP (Former Republican Party) into a party that will appeal to bedrock conservatives and independents. They are trimming the fat as the largest of the three factions in the unstable coalition that is the current FRP what I have called the grievance faction, reasserts itself. Polarization has served its purpose. Violence is bad for business. The long game is to have the Mike Johnson’s ultimately in charge.
That the piece is in CNN is telling, and in line with Heather's concerns about growing misrepresentation in the media. I've done a deep dive on the piece on my substack on the re-casting of Mike Johnson in the media as a main stream conservative.
Yes. Normalizing white supremacy etc. CNN described Johnson as a “college professor” the day after his election to Speaker. This de-escalation language is intentional. They’re doing this with Trump’s legal cases short-hand descriptors, too. Removing the “sting” out of fear of backlash from the right wing. Mark my words — this significant erosion will affect the election.
The disinformation machine is hard at work, flooding social media with lies about, well just about everything good that is the result of effective governance.
Forty years of supply-side induced income inequality has created a dissatisfied population that is ripe for the picking. And skilled psy-ops players like Mike Flynn (who should be in prison) are exploiting this problem.
I’m trying hard to stay positive, but it’s taking every fiber of my being.
Today's letter puts strong emphasis on partisan politics and disinformation as major reasons for Americans' poor opinion of Biden's handling of the economy, and that is true, but there are other reasons as well.
'Unaffordable housing'
'The economy feels extra crummy for people looking to buy a home.'
'Housing affordability is at its lowest point in decades, with mortgage rates climbing above 7% to their highest level in more than 20 years. When Biden took office, mortgage rates were at a record low of 2.65%.'
'Home affordability is the worst it has been since 1984'
'The Fed is partly to blame. Eleven interest rate hikes over the past year and a half have helped push mortgage rates higher, faster.'
'The median US home price has risen to $416,100 from $258,000 in 2019.'
'But the affordability issue isn’t just because of higher financing costs. It’s also because of historically low inventory, thanks to a pandemic-era buying spree combined with a lingering shortage rooted in the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis.'
The partisan gap
'CNN’s latest poll shows that Republicans and Democrats are both souring on President Biden’s handling of the economy.'
'Only 2% of Republicans and 48% of Democrats said economic conditions had improved under Biden. Nearly a quarter of Democrats said Biden’s policies have worsened economic conditions. Ninety-one percent of Republicans agreed.'
“People are no longer telling us how they feel about the economy — really, they’re telling us how they feel about the president,” Wolfers said.'
'Either way, that poses a political problem for President Biden, whose re-election campaign has sought to highlight the economy’s strengths.'
“You can’t jawbone people into feeling better,” said former White House senior adviser David Axelrod on CNN This Morning. “I think the president has to find a way to talk about the things that he’s done in a context other than kind of asking for a report card from the American people.” (CNN) See link below.
"Today, for example, the White House announced an effort to turn the dual problems of empty office buildings and a shortage of affordable housing into a win-win. It announced a series of actions to convert vacant commercial properties to residential buildings. Their efforts are designed to create affordable, energy-efficient housing near public transportation and jobs. "
The White House has tried many different things to spark the housing market. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of tools in that tool belt. I had a conversation with a commercial real estate agent from Philadelphia recently. I asked him about the feasibility of converting commercial inner-city buildings into apartments.
He told me the biggest issue is windows and egress. A typical apartment has windows in every living area including sliding glass doors. Many buildings have windows on only one or two sides and are wide so converting them to living spaces with windows is impossible.
He also mentioned that in most cities you have many classes of commercial buildings. He said the newest office spaces have done ok but most of the older buildings sit empty and will likely be torn down eventually. The options for these buildings are very limited and corporations can find better, cheaper and more accessible space for their workforce in the suburbs.
I have been visiting my daughter in FL for the past week to help her move. FL has become unaffordable for her with property taxes doubling in five years and homeowners and flood insurance also increasing substantially. Her monthly housing expenses before paying her mortgage are over $1200/mo. for a starter home. Five years ago it was $500 a month.
FL housing affordability woes are totally a Republican caused problem. DeSantis and his colleagues choose to do nothing about it. They would rather change the school curriculum and lie about Covid-19 statistics. Instead, they blame it on Biden and the Democrats.
Most big cities have many choices for door dash food which my daughter and I have been living on since her kitchen has been packed up. It easily costs twice as much to order delivery than to cook it yourself. The restaurants here are packed. I walked by a lady and a child who were eating at a pizza/Italian restaurant. She was commenting to the child, "$59.00" for lunch during the week at a pizza place. Ouch. Of course, people think that food has gotten expensive when they eat out several times a week.
As for gasoline prices, where was the Republican bitching when gasoline prices increase by 22% during Trump's first two years in office. Yeah, crickets. I get coffee at a convenience store gas station when I'm in Maine. (Don't judge). Anyway, many of the patrons buy cigarettes and then hop in their pickup trucks that they've left running outside. And then they complain about the cost of gasoline. (ok, you can judge me for getting coffee at a gas station).
Of course, not everyone complains, but it's understandable why they do. But it's incorrect to blame the Democrats for their financial woes while wearing their red MAGA hats.
Gary, I don't know whether or not we can say that Democrats have not played a role in the country's housing crisis. I do not know why the federal government has not played more of a role in getting much more affordable housing built. I don't know which BIG City Democrats have bent in favor of real estate developers to curry their money, do you? I know that Bloomberg let the city's housing projects deteriorate when he was the mayor of New York City. Perhaps, some stories have been told, and we need to find them, along with encouraging more investigative reporting about the roles of both parties in the housing crisis. Importantly, we need to voice how crucial it is to have much more affordable housing in America, with the appropriate elected representatives and with the candidates.
I agree that the Democrats have not assisted with the housing crisis other than with freezing rents and evictions. I am don't know either with BIG city Democrats have been involved with the housing issues either.
The influx of Venezuelan migrants has stretched the budgets of many cities for all services including housing. Living in NYC you are very aware of these problems.
Like you, I try to offer solutions to a problem, but the causes are so varied across the country.
The White House's move to convert commercial space does have merit for a small percentage of buildings. But if implemented in several cities and towns, it could certainly help.
Keep digging for the facts; work with community groups to push the issue. Find grassroots organizations in your area and statewide that are working to serve the community in terms of housing needs. 'ANHD, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, builds community power to win affordable housing and thriving, equitable neighborhoods for all New Yorkers. As a member organization of community groups across New York City, we use research, advocacy, and grassroots organizing to support our members in their work to build equity and justice in their neighborhoods and city-wide. We believe housing justice is economic justice is racial justice.'
'ANHD values justice, equity and opportunity. We believe in the importance of movement-building that centers marginalized communities in our work.'
'GRASSROOTS' LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY'
Jun 9, 2022
'Curated Article | Funders Together to End Homelessness'
'Giving Compass' Take:
Five Black and Latinx-led/serving grassroots organizations share their insights on how to improve housing affordability while prioritizing racial equity.
In what ways can you amplify these voices while directing dollars toward solutions?
Learn more about the affordable housing crisis.
Funders Together pushes philanthropy to both fund grassroots organizations that are working on housing justice and to make sure that their voices are being included in policy conversations. On March 30, Funders Together and California YIMBY hosted a briefing to introduce funders to five Black and Latinx led/serving grassroots organizations that want to work deeper in housing affordability issues and center racial equity in the process. Here are the profiles of the five organizations who shared how increased capacity can transform housing policy.'
'California YIMBY proposed this funder briefing to not only bring more BIPOC groups to the table but to expand their capacity to bring in new ideas and participate in setting the housing reform agenda. These groups are members of a new Housing Working Group convened by California YIMBY and have agreed to prioritize these housing reforms:'
'Ending the housing shortage
Ending discriminatory housing policies
Increasing homeownership opportunities
Prioritizing communities vulnerable to displacement
Bringing down skyrocketing housing costs' (Giving Compass) See line below.
As always, Fern, I love your posts. The major issue is housing affordability. Supplying the roof is first and foremost. Everything else comes after but with too little left after, it eventually falls apart and then there is no roof. It has been this way for way, way too long and has only gotten so much worse. A home mortgage is no leg up on renting anymore with the exception that it takes longer to turn you out but out you'll still go if you try to balance eating, utilities, gas, etc, etc, etc.. and can't.
Yes, Tamera, housing, and affordable housing, in particular, is an enormous problem. Your analysis, starting with the roof, hit the nail of the head! Another problem is the gap between inflation, which has come down a lot but still outpaces wage growth.
'Sarah Foster, a Bankrate analyst, told Insider she looked at wages and inflation as two runners in a race. When the economy began emerging from the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, she said, inflation sprinted ahead — taking a big lead over wage growth — but the gap has narrowed over the past year.'
"Inflation doesn't have as much momentum anymore, and, since May, wages are now running at a faster speed than inflation," she said. "But because of how much ground wages lost in the race, they're not yet taking the lead."
'Inflation, however, or specifically the gap between inflation and wage growth, is far from the only explanation that has been proposed for Americans' apparent pessimism about the economy.'
'Some experts have pointed to the rise in political partisanship, which could be souring Republicans' assessment of the economy. Others have pointed to surveys that suggest most Americans are actually quite satisfied with their individual economic situations but change their tune when they're asked about the national economy — why this might be happening is a whole other debate.'
'If the inflation-wage gap is souring Americans' view on the economy, this factor could persist for a while longer.'
'Bankrate projects that wages won't catch up to inflation until the fourth quarter of 2024, but any progress could be good news for President Joe Biden's reelection chances. An August Wall Street Journal survey found 59% of Americans disapproved of the job he's doing on the economy.'
'Foster said that to close the wage-inflation gap next year, the optimistic economic trends of recent months would have to persist.'
"The likelihood of Americans fully recovering their purchasing power depends on whether the economy can continue staging this impressive performance and stand strong against these massive headwinds," she said. "If a recession were to begin at some point next year, joblessness would likely rise, weighing on inflation but wage growth as well." (BusinessInsider) See link below.
Wages, inflation, and the price gouging going on in all of the "daily consumables" that make up the American grocery bills and fuel costs (not just gas, but heating oil). Price gouging is a big problem.
But satisfied, dissatisfied, people will be completely nuts if they want to entrust the country and the economy to anyone else. In other words, to the very people who made such a god-awful mess of it all and now promise infinitely worse.
Sounds just like those people in Seville during the Easter Week processions screaming at the Madonna that she's failed them, she hasn't answered their prayers...
As I've seen the abandonment of shopping malls throughout the US, I wonder why those malls couldn't become housing for the homeless. Some of the smaller shops could convert to "women with children" groupings (or larger families), the department stores could be subdivided for individual dwellings, there are food courts to be made more healthy for food needs, restrooms could add showers, etc. There could be play centers for kids; study centers for older kids. Tell me why this couldn't work?
I read your letters so I can retain some degree of hope for the future - and in particular, for the near-future elections in 2024. But hope is getting really, really difficult. SO MUCH disinformation out there - Esp for Joe Biden who's been so damaged by the perception that he's a doddering old man (at best) and at worst, "Genocide Joe" (his new moniker on TikTok re: support for Israel). To see poll after poll, esp in the swing states, with Trump even with or even ahead of Biden? It's crazy. Absolutely crazy.
"Reports suggest that Card had at least a recent history of mental illness and note that his social media accounts show a history of engagement with right-wing and Republican political content."
In other words, another dumbassed MAGAt lifetime loser.
But his family says he was hearing voices and deteriorating rapidly. A structured way to get an immediate and competent response from law enforcement when a person is starting to decompensate would save a lot of horrible stories such as the Maine tragedy, or just sad situations of family members yelling “Don’t shoot him, he’s off his meds!” while several nervous cops are bearing down on some poor raving person, handguns drawn because they don’t know what else to do and they are trained to expect some ketamine fueled berserker. It’s a mess.
Been there/done that with my crazy brother, who finally committed suicdieby-18-wheeler, driving up the offramp to I-5 and meeting an 18 wheeler at an estimated combined impact speed of 95mph. Three different times talked the cops out of shooting him when he was out on the street acting out his hallucinations. And for my trouble in caring about him, he managed to get an order preventing me from further "harassing" six months before the inevitable end.
So sorry, similar experiences, stopped my father from killing himself 3 times, and stopped him from killing my mother once. The rules for care of SMI patients needs to be written by those who love them.
“Engagement farmers” are a symptom, not the disease, thriving on willful ignorance and intellectual laziness. Addressing “engagement farmers” however won’t solve the root cause, which I believe to be an abject lack of empathy for others. We truly must be the most self-absorbed nation in the world. Front and center, on the heels of the most deadly epidemic in living experience, fewer than 20% of Americans bothered to get a FREE improved Covid vaccine this past year. That’s right, we essentially have zero herd immunity. That is a blatant eff-you to our neighbors who are immune suppressed like some cancer and most transplant patients, as well as newborns. We are collectively unable to give a sh*t about our neighbors. What’s worse, I think we can only expect further compassion entropic doom as long as the self-appointed arbiters of morality remain solely interested in money and power, and that’s clearly here to stay. Why? Full circle, intellectual laziness and willful ignorance. Let us prey.
Heather - I watched your conversation with Katie Couric and enjoyed that you spent some time talking with her about the news business... and that she agreed it was a topic that deserves its own conversation between you two in the future. PLEASE make this happen! I really want to hear her insights regarding how Biden’s accomplishments are covered by the mainstream news... including the degree to which they aren’t covered or receive very little coverage compared to the more dramatic “clown shown” in the GOP. I think you and Katie talking about this (before the pattern of election 2024 coverage gets locked in) could make a real difference! In my opinion, reporters and editors MUST break free of their traditional “horse race reporting” mental model! 2024 is NOT “Dems vs Reps”. It’s “democracy vs authoritarianism”!
Inflation has indeed dropped, but prices for many things are high. Artificially so because companies raised them under cover of Covid-driven economic problems.
Greed, plain and simple, and the hallmark of unregulated capitalism. Thus many people struggle, and many are clueless about Biden delivering a robust economy with real wage growth and bountiful jobs.
Michael, Thank you for your comment. For some time, I repeatedly have expressed concerns that Democrats, overall, have declined to enact a united, laser-focused effort to expose how corporate profits account for over half of the increased prices people are paying. While some might defend a party’s reluctance to bite the hand that feeds it, I believe the benefits of pinning corporate pricing as the biggest driver of a largely manufactured inflation would outweigh the costs. I would add that not only should Democrats not ignore corporate gouging; they should make it clear to working families throughout this country, many of whom are prepared to vote Republican, that if they vote Republican, the Party that has been silent on this issue, their vote will run counter to their interests and concerns. In a word, we need Democratic leadership to be focused and disciplined and not to allow Republican deceptions and distortions related to the state of the economy to go unanswered.
Mark Twain famously, said “A lie goes halfway around the world before the truth gets its pants on.“ Apparently, this is not a new problem, but now, with the use of social media platforms a lie can go all the way around the world in seconds.
Marc, While you’re right, I would add, were Biden and his team to take full advantage of the bully pulpit, they would have a shot at superseding the media industry.
HCR, in referencing Catherine Rampell's article, today points out that 'Americans think our economy, currently the strongest in the world, is in poor shape. They mistakenly believe it was better under Trump.' Quoting dry economic statistics does not correct this misconception. People ignore them. Yes, the President must constantly use his 'bully pulpit' to let the country know the the truth, and hope that the media reports his doing so.
The media is pretty much terrible at this. But blame can also be applied to advertising. I see _so_ many local ads talking about "these difficult times." I'm not sure how much better it has to be to be "good."
Advertising copywriters have caused much harm to America. They got people to smoke and die from cancer. They glorify fat-filled, carbohydrate laden, fast foods. Then they cash in with ads for medicines to cure obesity and diabetes. They make drinking more than just beer seem glamourous, eventually creating a few more alcoholics. They raise appetites for fast cars, as if you own street were Daytona or Indy. Then they make getting automobile insurance a 'fun' comedy show. And now, they're busy trying to instill the gambling habit in those who can least afford it. Yes, indeed, these are 'difficult times' and advertising makes them so.
They are difficult time emotionally with all the hate and fear out there. They are also confusing because of the disinformation coming from the Republican noise machine, right-wing politics, and several wars going on. That is separate from economics and it should be noted that autoworkers just lobbied for and got a big raise. It should also be noted that President Biden stood with them on the picket line. Josh Hawley and Crew were nowhere to be seen. America has got to get a grip.
I wonder what exactly it would take for the media to actually report on anything good that President Biden does? Very, very frustrating. Listening to Hakeem Jefferies' speech following the unanimous Republican approval of a White Nationalist Christian to be Speaker of the House was inspiring and hit all the points needed to keep us all going to defeat MAGA. That "moderate" Republicans supported the WNC creep is deeply saddening.
You ask what it would take for the media to report on anything good that the President does? How about presenting some kind of award in a White House ceremony for personal efforts to get young people to register to vote? I'm thinking of Taylor Swift, and I think that would draw media attention.
Jack, My apologies for the delayed response. I would note I agree that people, largely, don’t relate simply to hearing numbers and percentages, especially the 60% living from paycheck to paycheck, wherein family income often only is sustained by more people working longer hours while still weighted down by mortgage debt, credit card debt, and the like. Accordingly, I continue to press Democrats to focus more on their pro-worker agenda—$15 hourly minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, extension of the child tax credit, affordable quality childcare, universal healthcare, investments in housing, in eldercare, and more—all of which have received zero Republican support.
This is a big mystery to me too - why they are not using the bully pulpit. I have now memorized that there are more than 13.9 million jobs since Biden took office and economic growth grew at an annual pace of 4.9% - when people come up at me with disparaging words about the dems. However I will be struck dumb when they moan about inflated pricing across the board.
Do you watch the news? Biden always points out the job growth, the income growth. People coming up at you about "inflated prices across the board" have already made up their minds on grounds other than facts. Ask them, where they got their "facts".
They don't pay any attention to Biden because they believe that he lies as much as trump does. Because trump has taught them that all politicians lie all the time. What would make them believe otherwise?
“They” don’t pay any attention to him. That shows their ignition🥲
That’s because they don’t feel it and democrats need to push the message of why prices are still high, related to consumer gouging from wealthy companies and the other reasons. People generally don’t read past the first sentence or dive deeper to find out what’s really happening.
Marj, Aside from apologizing for my late reply, I write partially to note that this thread, overall, is a useful resource for knowing how to speak about manufactured “inflated pricing.” You might also wish to review the embeddedJack Lippman thread, which includes a reply from me regarding the limited affect of simply hearing numbers and percentages.
Agreed!!
He has no "bully pulpit". As long as he supports genocide, he has no moral or practical voice to help our people understand what's happening in this nation.
He has voiced numerous times that Israel should stand down but of course you don’t hear that.
Harold Knight - "He has no 'bully pulpit'. As long as he supports genocide"
Do you have evidence to support this theory?
To your point on genocide, AP Nes report on mass casualties resulting from attack to areas further south of North Gaza that Palestinians had fled to following Israeli evacuation directives. Entire families have been killed. Directing people fleeing conflict to an area and purposefully targeting such area made me think of the nazi strategy corralling Jews into specific neigborhoods and buildings to focus their merciless execution. Today’s action are not less despicable, inhuman and criminal than those committed by the Nazis. Not sure how we silence and reconcile within ourselves to such despicable actions and set clear and just expectation to our leaders. I truly pray for wisdom, clarity and justice. Right now, extreme right in the US is seizing this as an opportunity to attack freedom of speech at University campuses in the US. I pray for courage, wisdom and justice. What is happening in Gaza right now and how Israel is unfolding it has nothing to do with self-defense.
Most of the country is supporting this latest genocide in Gaza because we must always treat Israel like the perpetual victim. The news media has a long history of bias in favor of Israel's brutal policies toward the Palestinians.
Very simplistic statement to a complex moment in history resulting from past errors going back British colonialism, Zionism, and World response to other historical events, such WW1, WW2 and the Holocaust.
Biden does not support genocide. He supports Israel as an ally but had cautioned them about the necessity of having a goal and an objective in their military plans towards Hamas and it is not genocide.
Any possible way to introduce antisemitism into a discussion, eh?
What are you talking about?
?????
And yet, Barbara, the media have shown little interest in airing Biden's messages. And many headlines blur the positive facts.
Taiwan’s Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, is tackling the “infodemic.”
Every time a hoax surfaces on social media, Tang and her band of civic hackers unleash a joke containing the facts of the matter within two hours of spotting the post, based on the idea that since people like to share funny memes on social media, doing so allows the government to wrest control of the narrative. They call it "humor to rumor." Tang also said that government agencies have employed professional comedians as “engagement officers” to help in the cause. If they miss the two-hour window, Tang’s team locates the perpetrators and recruits them as allies.
https://qz.com/1863931/taiwan-is-using-humor-to-quash-coronavirus-fake-news
What an ingenious messaging idea!! I’d love to see this administration create a “digital minister” position. We are certainly not lacking in folks who could qualify as “engagement officers.”
Yes, Jan B, and if not the administration, then the Democratic party, or a more active replacement for the Democratic party, should create it! Audrey Tang started off as an activist hacker, and had several of her programs in action before she was made part of Taiwan's government.
Biden on “Truth Social” is a start. Tang’s idea is genius.
The Democratic party needs to be less panic-stricken in their fund-raising, too. They need to proclaim the advances under their Democratic President, show themselves as proud of what has been accomplished, thanking voters for allowing them to help the country move forward, touting their ideas for how to keep the momentum going. Come out as champions rather than victims. People responded to the fake winners in the GOP. The Democrats need to declare strong leadership against price-gouging corporations/monopolies and vigorous job creation with real wage growth.
"Ukraine’s IT Army is a volunteer hacker collective that emerged after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It uses digital channels to spread information about Russia’s brutality to Russians and disrupt Russian systems."
There must be local talent that can at least counter, if not disrupt, the paths of these lies….
https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/10/27/ukrainian-it-army-paralyzes-russian-telecom-in-occupied-territories/
Christian Fascist are the biggest threat to our democracy and freedoms. Their symbiotic relationship with Trump has enabled his poisonous rhetoric, that in-turn has enabled right wing militias. They are all connected. Until Trump is brought to justice and silenced and Americans speak out and vote in overwhelming numbers to address the infection that is White Nationalism and Christian Fascism, will positive economic/job numbers matter.
Another aphorism that applies to the failure of so many to hear/understand/accept the factual reality of the economy is the one about "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink". Sadly, all too many perceive only the elevated food and gas prices and blame the person in the White House.
HCR writes in this letter: "There is a crucial divorce here between image and reality. Americans think our economy, currently the strongest in the world, is in poor shape. They mistakenly believe it was better under Trump."
Why is it so, why does a large number "not get it?" IMO, it is because their sources of "information, i.e., disinformation" are Fox, OAN, Newsmax, Alex Jones, et al., conspiracy-spreading entities. Their viewers believe what they want to believe and don't question it. We need to work harder to find a way to get real facts to these folks, and I frankly don't know how to do it.
I wish that one of the liberal billionaires would start a news station to counter FOX, and promote itself as a GOOD NEWS station. While it would report the bad as well, it would not use the scare tactics and fear mongering.
I honestly believe that many people are getting tired of the chaos in the US and world. I believe that people DO want to know what it going on, but they are fatigued by it all.
The Lever, perhaps one of the best investigative news sources available, produces a "Good News" edition every weekend. They do real investigative journalism, so a reader looking for confirmation bias and partisan stooging won't like it. Those who appreciate evidence-based reasoning, however, will love it. Here's this weekend's edition. https://www.levernews.com/you-love-to-see-it-reimagining-public-housing/
Wait...what liberal billionaires?
Or “real news” station
Real facts have not been shown to change many minds, unfortunately. People tend to vote on an emotional basis. A snappy slogan gets more people engaged than a fact based nuanced explanation. That has ever been the case. Morning in America, I like Ike, Make America Great Again. Slogans from Republican campaigns. Millions of people have drunk the MAGA kool-ade.
What you say is correct and one step that we can take to coping is to understand it. Why are tens of millions MAGA Republicans? The study that I have referenced many times, "The Anger Games: Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" explains the motivations, beliefs and prejudices of the MAGA Republicans. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0896920517740615
The book by Timothy Egan, "A Fever in the Heartland," about the rise of the KKK in the Midwest in the 1920's. To my mind, there is no doubt that MAGA is the 21st century version of the KKK.
So true. So sad. And so very dangerous.
I guess we need snappier slogans to help get people interested in real facts!
Yes. I would add that peoples' political views are often managed in the part of the brain that deals with religion. This is why GOPers still think global warming isn't real, and it's why Democrats think that adding 20 million immigrants to the US population every decade--a number equal to the population of New York State--is not a problem, despite the fact that the US is running out of groundwater according to the NYT https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/28/climate/groundwater-drying-climate-change.html
and MILLIONS of Americans will become climate refugees in the nexts several decades according to propublica.
https://www.propublica.org/article/climate-change-will-force-a-new-american-migration
I do feel the need to add that at the present moment, I'm much more worried about America hanging onto our Democracy, and keeping Biden in office (best Pres of my lifetime, which began during the first summer of the Eisenhower Administration) than I am about our exploding population...
but I do want to emphasize that mass immigration is a bad thing, that is effing up our politics (see Ruy Teixeira https://substack.com/inbox/post/137887616/) and contributing to global warming (the average immigrant's GH emissions rise threefold after arrival in the US, the major industrialized nation with the greatest per capita GH emissions.
Human beings are the most destructive invasive species on the planet. Look at what we have done.
David - I didn't hit "like" for this post, but I do want to comment. I totally agree that human overpopulation is a giant elephant in the room when it comes to global warming. This world is literally teeming with humans, and we are a high-on-the-food chain species living in an ecosystem that tends naturally (through evolutionary pressures) to limit the population of the most high on the food chain. It's a natural thing - these species high on the food chain use up the most per capita resources. Easy to see the problem from that perspective. Add to that our discovery of fossil fuels to feed our societies, and you have a recipe for climate disaster.
Your comment that refugees on average increase their carbon footprint threefold after arriving in the US might be true. And that is alarming. However, it signifies people coming out of abject poverty which ought to be a good thing regardless. I don't agree that ought to be a reason to limit immigration. It is however a good reason to invest in efforts abroad to help fight poverty, and overpopulation. Which our administration is actually doing to a certain extent.
However - having said that, I would not mind at all if the US were a bit more particular about who is allowed in on a permanent basis. I believe many of the world's most civilized and desirable countries have limits on immigration more stringent than the US, which require prospective immigrants to show what they have to offer before agreeing to let them become part of their country.
Something I didn't mention is that immigration is big biz' way of keeping wages down. That's why Z'berg has his "FWD.US" to try to get more tech worker immigrants, and why the Koch Brothers have alwys supported increased immigration. In 1980, most meat packers were Black, and earning decent middle class wages. By that decade's end, most were immigrants, earning barely above minimum wage working under atrocious conditions, where amputations were common. See: Back of the Hiring Line: A 200-Year History of Immigration Surges, Employer Bias, and Depression of Black Wealth, $14 on Amazon.
Shoiuld we be putting immigrants over the descendants of slavery? That's what we're doing!
Among other things, the author makes the point that people who have the gumption to make their way to the US are probably the ones who could greatly improve matters in their own country, if we didn't operate as a pressure release valve for badly run countries.
And we ARE in a climate emergency. And not only do people who come to the US from third world countries increase their emissions, but when you move millions of people into the US, wilderness is turned to urban sprawl and farmland, releasing large quantities of carbon to the atmosphere. There are around half the numbers of insects (much of the bottom of the food chain) that there were 50 years ago; the numbers of birds, reptiles, amphibians, etc. are way own as well. I remember x-country road trips from my youth where at the end of a day's drive, loads of insects were plastered to the grill. Doesn't happen now. And much worse, according to the NYT, we're running out of groundwater, putting our agricultural industry at risk, and according to Propublica, MILLIONS of Americans will become climate refugees in the next several decades. Do you really think we should be letting our population increase with those two things happening?
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/28/climate/groundwater-drying-climate-change.html
https://www.propublica.org/article/climate-change-will-force-a-new-american-migration
Additionally, I can tell you that over the last 50 years, during which time the US population has increased from 207 million to 335 million, the quality of life has gone down in ways that are directly attributable to that population growth, and wilderness has been disappearing.
I've been driving between Boston and DC for the last 30 years (at xmas time and some times at other times). In the '90s, bad traffic was rare. Now you can almost depend on it unless you leave in the late evening and drive at night. And in the Boston area, I never used to get stuck in traffic outside of normal rush hour. Now, if I go anywhere, I need to look at google maps before I go, to see what the traffic is doing. And I don't know what sort of driving you do, but driving in traffic is stressful. It's the kind of thing that puts plaque in your arteries, as is noise pollution, which has also gotten worse.
Before the pandemic, one day I was seeing my doc for an annual physical. Someone called her, and she took the call, something she'd never done in the previous 20 years which I"d been seeing her. When she got off, I asked her about that. She said that the traffic had gotten so bad that people were often calling her, stuck in traffic, to ask if they could come a bit later.
Obviously, it is a very complicated matter. For those who oppose immigration as it now stands (and I think that the vast majority of us do,) I feel that we believe that attacking the symptom instead of the problem is not going to work. David Holzman writes that those persons coming here should stay home and take care of matters there. But, we're struggling here to preserve our own democracy. And, in terms of getting started, we relied heavily on French assistance in winning our independence. Should Western Hemisphere military forces go into Central America and Venezuela as a means of helping to restore order, peace and a democratic system? That would be my solution but we're struggling to save our own. Damn, it's complicated and scary. If we lose to the MAGA/KKK seditionists, immigration, climate change, etc. will be the least and the last of our concerns.
Biden, an otherwise terrific president, who will be remembered with FDR and Lincoln, polls the worst on immigration, with about 20% approval. Current Democratic policy on immigration is hurting us badly.
https://substack.com/inbox/post/137887616
They all have limits that are much more stringent than those of the US. And at present we do'nt have limits. There was a moment in the Democratic primary debates that expresses where we are. One of the two moderators who came from Spanish language stations asked the candidates, all at once, to raise their hands if they would not deport anyone. They all raised their hands except for Joe Biden, whose hand went up and down several times, and I can't remember where it ended up.
Now, why they had moderators who were basically serving the interests of non-Americans, I don't know. Had I been running the show, I would not have allowed that. The kinds of questions I would have liked to hear are things like "How many immigrants do you think the US can absorb annually without resulting in lower wages; and "Do you know what the population of the US is?" and "Do you think the US is overpopulated or not, and why?"
David - How about neutering all the Reps? Would that help?
David, for some reason all of the posts from you end up in my spam folder. Immigration, climate warming - both huge problems that are extremely complicated. There are remedial actions that we can take but politics keeps getting in the way. It is extremely difficult to keep people out of the U.S. who are running for their lives.
most aren't running for their lives. Most are economic migrants. If they were running for their lives, they would have been happy to arrive in Costa Rica or Mexico.
David, there is no question but that economic opportunity is a motive for the migrants from Mexico, Central America and South America making the trek to here. Can you imagine yourself in such a dire financial situation that you would attempt, on foot, to traverse the jungles and dangers encountered on these treks just to improve your financial situation, leaving all that you know and love behind? As for me, my family were among the original white settlors of Texas, fighting in the Texas war of independence. My great, great uncle, William Depriest Sutherland, age 18, died at the Alamo. His younger brother, Thomas Shelton Sutherland, age 16 at the time, is my great grandfather. Texas won the war against Santa Anna in 1836 and on Dec. 29, 1845 the U.S. annexed Texas. This led to the Mexican American War of 1846-1848. The U.S. defeated Mexico and seized one-half of Mexico's territory, including Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada and Western Colorado. In my view, we stole it. So, when Mexicans come to this country, I cannot raise a moral opposition to it.
Please tell Ruy that Biden did not choose to continue building that wall--it was already part of the law when Biden came into office. I can't correct him because I am out of subscribing money.
I don't subscribe either. But I thoiught he had a helluva lot of good points, despite being mistaken on the wall.
Yes, he did intensive research about algorythmic use in price-fixing.
They need cult deprograming which would involve no access to media. It will never happen.
I agree, Jo, in probably the great majority of the cases, we will not get through to them with verifiable facts. Facts don't matter when one has a confirmed belief. Religious belief is the prime example. We're dealing with that kind of commitment. So, we can do at least two things: 1) work harder to get out the vote; and 2) reach those who may be open to verifiable facts.. And a third, I think: take massive action now.
What do you mean by 'massive action'?
What can we be doing right now? Getting involved in our local Democratic Party activities. Spurring them on to action and organization if they're not doing it on their own. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead
I post her ‘Letters’ to my FB often, I share email/messenger all those I subscribe to with others. I have a largely democratic committee I play/am friends with but live in blood red poor WV ..there’s plenty of his flags still waving !
I’m really interested to see how your town meetings are going and how do I get one started perhaps..it’s kinda scary but Repugs taking over is scarier.
Good morning, Patricia. The meetings that I run are for Democrats only. I get their names and contact info from the Supervisor of Elections. I tell them that the primary purpose of the get-together is to introduce the Democrats on their street or in their development to one another. I also pass out applications to join the Lakeland Democratic Club. The Florida Democratic Party gets this information and makes it available through the local county Democratic Party apparatus. There may be something like this in West Virginia and other states. I serve snacks and drinks - all sorts. The attendees do enjoy these and many are surprised to learn that some of their neighbors, and even friends, are Democrats. Here in Florida most Democrats are "in the closet." All do appreciate these events.
Excellent. I will research this avenue and see what can be worked like this too.
Super thanks!
When HCR , speaks about the American economy, I automatically leave myself out of it. I know my income and output is too miniscule to be counted. Okay, I'm happy to know the USA isn't in a recession, but that doesn't cure my personal depression.
Susan, I'm not an expert on anything. Still, there are things that I must do - and one of those is to work like crazy to get Democrats to the polls. And action may help to cure one's feelings of depression. There are a couple of observations that help me keep going.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mean
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." - Edward Everett Hale
I think you meant Margaret Mead and that autocorrect messed with what you wrote.
The task of informing Republican voters that they are voting against their own self interest would require them to actually define what their interests really are. “Do you want a better life, or do you want to insure that you deny it to those lessor than you?”
Its an Everest Climb
Exactly, seems they need to be told this. Why is that. No brainer,
My friend's maga husband only compares gas prices under Trump/Biden to know who runs the economy best. I tried to tell him that Biden does not own the oil companies, but how capitalism works merely befuddles him.
What a great idea. Thank you!!!!
In Democracy Awakening, Heather makes it clear that authoritarianism can flourish when folks see less on their table than before, and need someone to blame. Trump, high on his Apprentice success, took advantage of his already built-up audience to "marry republican politics to authoritarianism. Speaking simply and with words that packed an emotional punch, he offered those left behind by the Republican revolution a way to recover a mythological lost world in which they called the shots. And he promised that he, and he alone, could lead the way." (P.84) The next two paragraphs highlight brilliantly the specifics of his messages. I think that could be a playbook of exactly which "deceptions and distortions" need to be answered "with words that pack an even greater emotional punch." Any suggestions as to the best way to offer this suggestion to the White House? I'm going to start with an email through their site.
Let's apply Occam's Razor here. Democrats haven't launched "a united, laser-focused effort to expose how corporate profits account for over half of the increased prices people are paying" because they know they'd never be able to prove it, so why waste time?
"Artificially so because companies raised them under cover of Covid-driven economic problems."
Exactly correct. And they all did it under TRUMP.
Not Biden.
Mike, it's obvious to us that corporations raised prices because they could and can. Ever notice how the price of gas goes up when there is some small factor, never mind the truly large ones. And so often when you think you are getting a great bargain, it doesn't last. We are fortunately to be older and retired, so we don't need a lot of stuff and in fact, we and most everyone we know, are trying to get downsize in various ways. Today is the last outdoor local Saturday Market for the year and we will go and continue to support local businesses and then we will go grocery shopping at our local natural foods store. We are lucky to be able to afford the latter. Is it just me, or does there seem to be more labor strikes this year. Part of the message seems to be, you have made record profit from our efforts and you should share it with us. Finally, I think people sense that something is wrong. It is more profound than the economy as it is likely climate change and swarms of impolite people who are angry and no longer act in a civil manner, brought about in part by death star who has given carte blanche to be rude and awful.
There IS something wrong. We’re working & commuting longer hours, we’re having to do more work for less money and benefits, more stressed out and we have less free time. Our monthly expenses have gone up (including interest rates in auto & home loans and credit cards). And while the cost of basic goods might appear lower on a national average, they are still too high in some states. Basically, they’re still not affordable in our budgets and that makes us know the economy is not working out for us.
I think it goes beyond this. I know people are focused on nitty gritty issues like what they can afford, but I think the malaise goes beyond this. Many things do not work as they should. It is a difficult to get an appointment for something. Traffic is many places is awful and many people drive in an unsafe manner. People are rude and in your face because they are angry about everything. And on it goes. Part of the reason that things are not affordable is just plain greed on the part of the people at the top. By the way, I recommend as an excellent read Poverty, by America.
Michele, you hit upon two things that I've already commented about (why are non-chocolate candy prices high) and "people sense something is wrong" which I mentioned the negative-news-fatigue. The latter is why I have a fantasy of a "Good news" television station. Perhaps some bright person here could start a daily YouTube good news clip. Besides Biden accomplishments, I am talking bigger stories than "puppy saved from a well"--more on the order of, say, like how much money for charities was raised by runners in the Chicago Marathon, with clips of a few runners and what made them run/choose that charity.
I have occasionally seen comments put on here, where people say that they have taken/will take a "media break" for awhile.
I can't stand constant negativity. What I see is the good news at the end of newscasts, so first it's all the awful stuff. So now I am going to relate a good news story. Our neighbor across the street is in the process of dying and she does have home help. Also our next-door neighbor helps out. She asked what the lady wanted to do as a kind of last wish and she wanted to take a cruise to Alaska. Thankfully, her son could pay for both her and our helpful neighbor to go. Our next-door neighbor provided assistance to the lady during the trip. I would say good neighbor and good son. Good things do happen, but they are usually out of sight.
How is that obvious? What evidence is there for that claim?
Oh my, Unwoke in Indiana. I guess that says it all.
It says all that needs to be said up to this point.
Well, Thomas, I am Hoosier born and raised and I recognize the mentality. You aren't going to get anywhere and so we are already done.
Make this a news flash…
You might find the substack by Matt Stoller, mainly about monopolies, interesting. This article is about price fixing. https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/the-banality-of-price-fixing
This is so disturbing. Technology enabling the mass bilking of consumers to make the rich richer. We're so exploited.
Technology and monopoly. I am increasingly noticed a decoupling of the price of an item and my sense of its cost to the manufacturer. I am pretty sure that once very cheap items (like rice and beans) have suffered disproportionate price inflation which would disproportionately impact the poor. I am also noticing that sales of many online items, once a cheap way to shop, are actually higher than the cost of the same item in a physical store, and that's after a pretty dogged search of prices, which I perhaps obsess about. Online bargains are still to be found, but it often takes more searching than in the past. Also, increasingly, I am obliged to by more of inexpensive products than makes an sense. I found (after a long search) I could buy 100 of a small electronic capacitor significantly cheaper than to buy one, shipping and tax included.
Today, my daughter, who is visiting, brought home a bag of major brand cookies that are significantly smaller than they were for decades preceding. I literally open boxes of products that are half full. Food products seem to be among the biggest ripoffs. It feels like the markets are being run by the mob.
I agree about everything you are saying. This is one of the reasons that I am trying to follow this anti-trust Substack as well as other technological discussions, since that is not an area of great knowledge for me. That Biden has put a Lina Khan, PhD in charge of the Federal Trade Commission, someone whose dissertation focuses on how Google violates the anti-trust laws, says a lot.
https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/commissioners-staff/lina-m-khan
There is a lot of depth to what Biden does, that unfortunately so many people cannot seem to see, particularly main press journalists and their editors. Each decision has a reason even if it is not expedient to share with the public, or immediately obvious. So, while I might prefer another decision be made, I understand that there is a long term plan that makes the choice end up with a better outcome long term.
Long term plan, waiting, and waiting. We need a firehose NOW. The barn will be ashes before long.
I agree. He is thoughtful and determined.
They are, the mob of “look what I can get away with.” As Ayn Rand said, “it’s not who is going to let me, It’s who is going to stop me.” Yep, her evil blather still rules the fools.
I just listened to the podcast Behind the Bastards about the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2riEnboK8kfNiAKQQ1boHI) . Highly recommend for people interested in US history, which of course all HCR readers are. Summary per Wikipedia: "Facing widespread unemployment during the Great Depression, about three thousand men, three-fourths of whom were black, came to West Virginia to dig the tunnel. They worked ten to fifteen hour shifts, using drills and dynamite to mine the sandstone, which was composed primarily of cemented quartz (silica) sand. The workers completed the project more than twice as quickly as original projections.[2] They were not given any masks or breathing equipment to use while mining, although management wore such equipment during inspection visits. Black workers told Congress in 1936 that they were denied breaks and even forced to work at gunpoint.[2] As a result of the exposure to silica dust, many workers developed silicosis, a debilitating and incurable lung disease caused by the effects of silica dust in the lungs. A large number[which?] of the workers eventually died from silicosis, in some cases as quickly as within a year." Union Carbide then proceeds to continue to Union Carbide (see: Bhopal, India).
I remember Bhopal. Horrid and seemingly gross negligence. The poor are at the mercy of greed. Always
While I oppose book banning, I wouldn't hesitate to toss a loose copy of Atlas Shrugged in the garbage.
Certainly not a candidate for recycling, unless to the shredder. She had a large $ sign by her coffin at her funeral, per an article I read. What an evil bitch.
It's what the Orwellian turn of the "GOP" labels "freedom" when it is in fact tyranny, anything but "liberty and justice for ALL" (my emphasis). Lincoln remarked "Accustomed to trample on the rights of those around you, you have lost the genius of your own independence, and become the fit subjects of the first cunning tyrant who rises." It still fits.
Contrast that with almost anything attributed to Trump:
"In private conversation, Pratt claims Trump had told him in 2019 of ordering an airstrike on Iranian-linked militants in Iraq, before it hit the headlines, and said that Iraq’s president had called him to complain. Pratt says Trump responded: “I [Trump] said to him [Iraq’s leader], ‘OK, what are you going to do about it?’” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/23/donald-trump-truth-social-post-nuclear-submarines-red-haired-weirdo-australian-billionaire-anthony-pratt
We all should be trembling in our booties at just the thought of what he can do to all of us, the country, and the world.
The term for this seems to be "shrinkflation". When, mainly food products, get smaller while their prices remain the same. There are many articles about it. Just google the term to find them.
You mean like how what used to be a half gallon of ice cream is now 1.5 quarts? And don’t get me started on how Breyers “ice cream” has to now legally be labelled “frozen dairy dessert” because of the change in ingredients…
They also add air and whip it so it is lighter.
In Ohio, when I was growing up, they could not call it "Ice Cream" unless it was made of cream. Outfits that implied the use of cream had to spell it "Creme" or Kreme, etc. There was a product called "Ice Milk". I read that it used to be illegal to call something "grenadine" syrup unless it was made of pomegranate, but now it can be made of anything edible. I read that there is now a "Blueberry Muffin Mix" that contains artificially flavored and colored bits of blue goo that have nothing to do with blueberries. Do sheep want to be fleeced?
I have encountered the term "shrinkflation" but I have been amazed how many categories it is invading and how blatant it is becoming. It part and parcel with conversion of software products to "rent only", and the many add on Junk fees" Biden has mentioned.
Politicians claim that corporations need massive tax cuts and relief from duties to the public to provide jobs and innovation, but between "downsiziing" staff in mega-mergers and off-shoring industrial production (which Biden has begun the mitigate) corporations seem more eager than ever to SHED jobs; and while there was a ton of innovation in the 20th Century, Relativity, atomic energy, space exploration, radio, TV, computers, transistors, DNA, heart transplants, and on an on, without the intervention of Reaganomics (and of course technical innovation continues) a lot of current invention feels like it's not aimed to serve the public's interests but of those who control it, including proliferating ways usurp democracy and to more fully fleece the consumer.
Steve, this is the first I have heard of the term "shrinkflation". I have seen it in the purchase of my favorite beverage (in this case, Polar brand flavored fizzy water). I can now buy an 8 pack of Polar for the same price that I bought 12 packs last year. The favorite family treat (Hagen Daz ice cream bars) are about 2/3 the size they were a couple years ago.
Same here. And that results in significantly more packaging waste, which is the last thing our environment need. I'm seeing produce increasingly dressed up in plastic, like asparagus on wrapped plastic tray, lined up like soldiers in a row at a fixed price per package that happens to be nearly twice was the product costs in loose bunches. You have to do some grade school math to calculate the price per pound.
Yes, they are offering smaller portions for higher pricing. These are corporate rip offs.
And a "pound" of coffee appears to be 13 oz now ... but, but, but 'it's on sale' (Not).
Yup, although "Reaganomics" is considered a politer way to say it.
Specific example: Nabisco, a huge grocery staple provider…Oreo, Premium Saltines, Shreaded Wheat, Planters Nuts, Butterfinger, Blue Bonnet, and on and on. Their products seemingly take up entire aisles at Kroger, Walmart…
My go to peanut butter crackers are Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers (NABs, my favorite unhealthy snack food). Long time $2.49 at Walmart up to as high as $3.79- 52%; currently at $3.29-32% and bouncing between the two. This is just one product.
Take just a minute to scan Nabisco on Wikipedia. Since founding in 1898 as the New York Biscuit Co., and shortly thereafter, National Biscuit Co., starting around 1985 in the Reagan years, the number of mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs has been dizzying involving RJ Reynolds Tobacco, Philip Morris Companies, Nestle, Kraft, General Mills, Post, Heinz, Del Monte, etc. Kraft Foods became the parent company in 2000 but was supplanted by Mondelez International in 2012 and remains so today.
The point is, this evolved international food giant operates as a virtual monopoly with little regard for consumers, except marketing thereto. Especially, since Covid, they continue to use this greed induced leverage to maximize pricing/profitability (surely using computer-assisted programs, as mentioned elsewhere) and hit us right where it hurts - in the bread basket!
Oil giants, food giants, pharma giants, all need to be called out individually. The problem is who will and how? And, will approximately half the population listen.
For decades, including early adult years when I had to be very careful with money, Nabisco products were a staple, but it seems to me that the prices are now disproportional up and the quality/quantity is down. I used to sometimes buy store brands as a cheaper alternative, but now I prefer off-brand crackers and cookies. I don't like Oreos (but did like "Famous" cookies, that the quit making) and their Ginger Snaps. Today their Ginger Snaps are nothing like the original; not crisp and don't taste much like ginger. The original had a cracked surface so now they print fake cracks on it with food dye. Just yesterday I asked my daughter to pick up some NON-Nabisco ginger snaps, that taste and behave far more like the original. I could go on about other established products that have been degraded. Thanks for your detailed information!
Shrinkage without changing the prices is tantamount to an increase. Have seen it time and again with food. It's as if the makers think we won't notice.
I notice the price gets substatially bigger while what you get for it is smaller.
My favorite product which belongs to the half full or half empty category is potato chips.
And what is a cheaper crop than potatoes? Maybe hay? Yes the oil costs something, as well as the bag, but what are you actually getting for you money.
After Fani W is finished in Fulton County, we all should be RICO experts. No reason why each tier of the price gauging Racket Schemers cannot be charged.
Back in the day we boycotted effectively, car pooled, didn’t buy certain things, told our neighbors. It was effective.
Collectively is a 50% gamble at best , there’s so many ways to force compliance and far too much apathy/my vote doesn’t count thought and electoral college/gerrymandering -to mention the obvious,sure is one of the many tactics.
Biden and company plod along, doing a MARVELOUS JOB and the negative messages bombard the air waves in every facet . Their intimidation is rampant and has been allowed repeatedly NOT BEING CALLED OUT Fox ,OAN,NewsMax the prominents.
Can we.
Will we....
end this charade?
By 💙💙VOTING THE BLUE TSUNAMI WE WILL💙💙
‘24..’26..’28 >>>>
If Republicans actually believed in "free enterprise" and "true capitalism" they would abandon the support they receive from the monopolists. The GQP is no longer the party of small business. They are the party of oligarchy.
Without competition, everything gets more expensive. It's just human nature. Greed with a green light.
The screaming example of monopoly or duopoly is internet and cable services. Here I blame every local city and town official who routinely allow one or two companies to rule what should be a public utility. If you haven't researched pricing and you are "lucky" (HA) enough to have two cable options, monitor their pricing and tell me how they are competitive.
There are two future options. The "pipes" could be taken by eminent domain. Or the more likely scenario will be satellite service. Guess who is launching the satellites! Two of the worst oligarchs on the planet!
As long as we act like hopeless peasants, we will be at the mercy of the nobles.
I would like the corporate tax rate be linked to the difference between management vs worker salaries... think B corporation
Nice idea! I would like it be federal law that every board of directors include workers - not just share holders and greedy top officers.
Thanks, Linda! I read the article and signed up for the newsletter.
It's the algorithm, stupid! 🤪
I love this substack for so many reasons! Not least of which is the referral by other readers to other truthful and insightful sources of information. 😊👍
Thanks, I will read this (after sleep and rest of my eyes!).
Thanks for that reference. It certainly helps explain part of the problem. Rather scary.
Statistically, the Biden administration might be right with regard to strong economic indicators. However, while the president might have implemented workable and effective policies, I suppose, as you put it, that the messaging from the Democrats is very poor. I agree with this assertion that if you keep quiet your silence will be filled by things that doesn't resonate with you. And this has happened to Democrats. The Rs are good in spreading misinformation across the political airwaves.
Perceptions of high prices despite strong economic performance are affected by many factors which Democrats don't emphasize in their messaging.
Though the inflation is stable and in good range, the poor perception of the economy might be attributed to the rising prices of goods and services more than the wages.
Secondly, income inequality exacerbated by big corporations may make Americans believe that their income is stagnant while those from the wealthy class is rising. This comparison can alter how they see the economy even if progress is being made, albeit at a slower rate.
Even if the economy is performing well, specific price increases of basic commodities like fuel, food, and housing are largely noticeable. Even here in Kenya, despite the government subsidising fertilisers to bolster agriculture, people still complain that the government is aloof and unconcerned with their costs of living. As compared to last year, the price of maize reduced by 20% though it is yet to reach its default place.
Thirdly, the media is good in shaping and altering the thinking of the people. And in particular, those leaning towards Rs are exceptionally aggressive in muddying the Ds. They know negative news or political contradiction sells and gains the attention of the Americans. People don't pick facts, they pick what's negatively said and they will not investigate.
Similarly, in behavioral economics, people are guided by cognitive biases and this has of course influenced how Americans perceive prices. In this case, it is easy to remember price increases than decreases.
So, what can the Ds do?
They should understand these perceptive influences and be deliberate in messaging. It should be continuous and not leave chance for Rs to spread unverified information about their projects.
I welcome you to join my underserved community if you haven't. And make the difference.
Republicans have been trying to take credit for Biden's policies throughout his presidency, even though they voted against them. This is a sign of good policies - when those initially opposed to those policies later endorse them. Bad policies are characterized by loss of support by those who one endorsed them. Child separation is the most egregious example I can think of right now.
As evidenced by Republican actions (even if dishonest), Bidenomics is good policy. Messaging is not my strong suit, but appealing to stronger individual and community safety, economic performance, and civility, may be places to start.
"individual and community safety, economic performance, and civility, may be places to start."
Yes, these can form good messaging even in finality.
The wealthy can pay for distribution of their talking points in the public conversation. We the (preponderance of) the people have to work at it. I am certain that there are better strategies (for Democrats) than what we have seen in recent decades.
Is this a recent revelation
Your comment is regrettably doctrinaire. Yes, greed is the mainspring of capitalism. It is supposed to be. But in a true capitalist economy, greed pulls prices down as well as up, as competitors undercut the competition. Th e problem is that after 50 years of having no antitrust policy worth the name, too many markets are concentrated and uncompetitive. That will take at least a decade to bring back toward balance. In the meantime, let’s remember that truth catches up and passes the lie, because it is, you know, true. And from now to next November I suggest talking about the real economy whenever you can, and letting economic theory take a back seat.
This is true especially of utility companies. In most places, there is no choice at all.
solar panels. So far it has been a great option for us. Little or no bills for many months. How nice it is to see: 0 due on the bill.
I wish. We installed as many solar panels as we could afford (14). In the summer, they pay for about 1/3 of the bill, which is usually about half of what the winter bills. In one month last winter, our system generated 1 of the measurable units (GW hours, I believe).
We had our biannual Home Show early this month, and had a fellow come out from the company that installed them 6 years ago to see if they were producing properly. All he did was try and sell us an upgrade of our existing panels because the technology is better today, and we could see a 15% improvement in our generation. We can't even add panels, because the technology is incompatable.
Wow. Planned obsolescence?
Yes. I have 17 panels (3’x6’ each), and they have produced, since 2015, almost as much electricity as I use (90%), and at an amortized cost a few percent lower than PG&E would have charged for that energy. I am fortunate to live in a net-metering state (California), so the grid acts as my energy storage facility. Without net metering, I would need battery storage, which would be feasible but would add to the cost.
We have different views on capitalism. It's the best system, at least philosophically, but like a plague of locusts will eat everything in sight if left unfettered. I've never seen evidence that it somehow magically regulates greed. Many very highly profitable companies pay workers as little as they can.
Capitalism today brings about drug companies charging unthinkably high prices for essential medicines that far outstrip their development and production costs.
The mantra "whatever the market will bear" has delivered grotesque economic disparity. And how does "just pull yourself up your bootstraps" work when motivated people work two jobs and can't afford housing and other basic needs?
There are plenty of pitfalls when government tries to regulate the free market. But there's a balance to be struck. Otherwise we have the status quo — a remarkably wealthy, economically strong nation with millions of people who work hard but are barely scraping by.
And yes, on this issue I am doctrinaire.
Well, the problem is that most people have no clue what "inflation" actually is, except that it is "bad", and when you try to explain to them that inflation is low, they will respond with "really? Have you bought groceries or gas lately?" So they have the idea that any high pricing which affects everyone is inflation and hence, in the president's wheelhouse......wrong on both accounts.
You load sixteen tons, and whaddaya get?
Tennessee Earnie Ford on Saturday nights in the 50’s
Yup, but the predatory "company store" part and the indebted servitude it engendered was a historical reality that, in somewhat altered forms, is with us today.
For the last six years, whenever I read about a new maga immorality, a misheard lyric from my youth pops into my brain ‘….and you sold your soul like a company whore…’
another day older and deeper in debt? JL?
It is reality for far too many. I have no proof, but one blogger claimed that he had applied for a job ant Walmart and was handed a packet that included information about how to get SNAP benefits. I read that many people, perhaps most people who are lost in debt payed off the principal long ago but are trapped in cascading interest payments. When I was a kid I was told that my state had "usury laws" that capped interests for loans, but apparently no more. Elizabeth Warren was raised Republican and believed that most bankrupt individuals were either flakes or cheats, but her research disproved it; part of why she switched parties. Of course, bankruptcy in business, where incorporation shields personal fortunes, is A-OK.
Yup. Beat me to to it.
"Saint Peter don'tcha call me 'cause I cain't go. I owe my soul to the company stoooore."
"Company stores were monopolistic institutions, funneling workers' incomes back to the owners of the company. This is because company stores often faced little or no competition for workers' earnings on account of their geographical remoteness, the inability and/or unwillingness of other nearby merchants (if any existed) to accept company scrip, or both. Prices, therefore, were typically high. Allowing purchases on credit enforced a kind of debt slavery, obligating employees to remain with the company until the debt was cleared. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_store
32,000 pounds of coal?
Nah, that's what the employer gets. ;)
I doubt it was with a shovel and I don't know what an average per worker load might be. A lot of the coal would likely be pretty large chunks after a blast. It was in any case hard, dirty, very unhealthy and dangerous work for crappy pay. Someone was getting very rich though.
I love music references...often say more than we can (no matter how thoughtful and articulate we may be). But, remember Kenny Rogers' The Gambler, the verse that applies now:
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done
And, please, we're NOT done yet!
Yes, kind of corny but there is real wisdom in it. "Every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser". That's an big oversimplification, but there is still a lot of truth in it.
And they truth I infer is a lot depends on how the hand is played. We sure have one of those "could go either way" hands in the political realm, and the better we play the "luckier" we are likely to be.
There are people who stick to brands at the grocery store. And those brands are giving less product for higher and higher prices. BUT: there is Republican-denied climate change which will more and more affect food prices. We need to watch Big Ag.
Perception versus reality.
Too much wrong and ineffective government policy over the past 50 years combined with too little regulation and too much consumption by all of us.... of the dumb wasteful kind....has created much of the fog that currently surrounds what is essentially a very solid US economy that is improving by leaps and bounds daily.
The misperceptions of our economy are driven by so many different and subtle factors: efficiency, quality, profit motive, cost control, value, technology, innovation, fear, greed, hucksters, the dream of financial independence for the lucky few who are willing to work hard to achieve it while the bulk of our citizens live pay check to paycheck.
People hate to look into the future because they think it might get worse for them, not better. The reality of their moment dominates their opinions, beliefs and actions. This is why it’s so hard to sell the benefits of Biden’s fiscal policies. The wrongheadedness of the Republicans is making it easier, though, which in reality, is very helpful. Maybe by the end of Biden’s second term his administration’s vision and policies will be more broadly understood and valued by the vast majority of the general public; but not yet. The Fed is also doing a great job driving down inflation and achieving sustainable high levels of employment. That’s also a key part of the reality of our overall situation.
It remains my firm belief that the majority of American voters get what the Fed and the administration are doing and are driving to accomplish. This is why I believe the Dems will be able to regain control of both houses of Congress and pick up further positive momentum in 2024.
They aren’t in Texas
Jeri, I still hold out hope for Colin Allread against Cruz. He’s avoided the third rail of gun registration that doomed Beto.
I think Dems will just lose his House seat. Repubs in Texas cheat big time. Otherwise Beto would be our Sen.
Jeri, I hope that you’re wrong.
Lord, so do I. I put a lot of money on Beto. Don’t have much to contribute this year, but I’ll do what I can. Slimy Ted is well-loved by MAGAts, can’t fathom
Exactly. For myself, living on Social Security and a small pension, price increases have far outpaced my income. Add to that upcoming health insurance increases and increased drug prices, and I'm falling farther behind. I'm hoping my car repairs ($1600 so far this year) will help make my 11 yr old car last longer. I've had to cut back visiting family (grandchildren) in other states as well. AND I just got notice that mortgage payment is going up 20%!!
You are not alone, Anne, and I keep wondering about all those Trump (now Johnson) supporters who seem to think that abandoning Social Security and Medicare will be beneficial to our nation. With decent private pensions pretty much a thing of the past, millions of people will be in deep poverty.
Sorry you're having to deal with all this. It's such a familiar, unfortunate — and preventable problem.
There is a definite disparity in how the Biden Administration has improved the economy and how people perceive and or experience it.
Part of the problem for some might very well be that they’ve absorbed the incessantly anti-Biden / anti-Democrat media.
However, I think it is a mistake to assume all those people out there are not also experiencing a bad economy. I think It all depends on how the economy is defined by both the Administration and by the public and also how well Administrations measure impact of the economy on Americans.
For many of us (me included), THE ECONOMY simply means Our Income (and the time and effort involved) vs Our Expenses and the quality of life that the difference between those two numbers affords us.
Despite the Biden Administration’s successes with the economy, and I do acknowledge their successes, it still isn’t addressing the decades-long decline many of us are still painfully experiencing.
Many people are working and commuting longer hours, experiencing greater physical / mental / emotional tolls from work, and are being paid less.
We have less available free time
to prepare and eat breakfast, lunch, & dinner, raise / parent children, do necessary chores, relax & do enjoyable activities, or sleep appropriate number of hours.
These are not the Biden Administration’s fault, and they can’t force employers to pay more and stop overworking people, but it IS definitely one of the things helping affect our feelings towards the current economy.
What IS the Biden Administration’s (and earlier ones) fault, in my opinion, is that they fail to adequately measure how Americans define and experience the economy.
For example, most ordinary working Americans measure the following on some level:
•Income v Effort (including physical, mental, emotional toll)
•Work (including pre work prep)
& Commute v Free Time
•Income v Cost of Basic Needs & Expenses (housing, transpo & fuel, food, health needs, minimum clothing needed for work & home, electricity, heating, wi-fi & internet access)
and
•Amount of Disposable Income v Cost of Luxuries - which many people factor in when they consider quality of life such as affording eye glasses/contacts, dental care (yes, many people consider these to be luxuries), small trips/travel, dining out at restaurants, cost of entertainment/sports tickets & the costs to attend, TV service, books, streaming movies/games, etc.)
Also, I read a Substack post by Matt Stoller (see link below). While I am not sure I agree with everything he wrote since I just don’t know enough about economics, he brought up something interesting:
“The government has been measuring prices using some variant of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since 1913”. “…in 1983, the Reagan administration chose to exclude interest costs”
Note: I might have misread the article but I believe that the interest costs being excluded from how the government measures how Americans are weathering the economy are car loan interest, mortgage interest, and I think credit card interest as well. If I got it right, that is a heck of a thing to exclude, and dramatically alters the picture quite a bit.
https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/strikes-and-bidenomics?r=73vlo&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Also worth reading:
https://open.substack.com/pub/moreperfectus/p/automobile-prices-are-skyrocketing?r=73vlo&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
AGREED
Perhaps there are informed readers who can shed light on this: Halloween is coming, and each year I tally the number of treats I hand out. Last year it was 87 and we've had more families with children move onto our urban block. I was in the grocery aisle, and a number of people were complaining about the high cost of treats this year. I understand that cocoa beans are in a second year of drought, thus the chocolate bars are high. Why are the prices of the non-chocolate treats the same price? The packs of Skittles and such that are so popular around here are the same price. I conclude it is simply manufacturers greed, but perhaps there is something I am overlooking.
That is so true and why so many people do not think the economy is better..Democrats need to address this!
I'd like to see and hear as many people who are clearly not hired or professional actors across the US talking about their new jobs, and what a difference that's making in their lives, contrasted with the crap spewed by RWM and even legacy media about how bad the economy is - WHERE IS THE MEDIA MANAGER for the DNC and Biden PAC? This doesn't have to be so hard, does it?
Well said, thank you! Add to that the dwindling of consumer cash reserves, 401k and such that remain in steep decline.
So many Americans believe that they have a god-given, inalienable right to low inflation forever and that any US President who cannot deliver it must be replaced. This is a complete delusion and as HCR can confirm, the US Constitution provides no guarantees of low inflation (or of economic growth for that matter).
Sooner or later we in the industrial world, especially in the US, will be forced to accept that if we want to survive in a reasonably modern world, we are going to have to consume a *lot* less.
Good point about consumption. We also don't have an inalienable right against price-gouging. But we do have an inalienable right to vote out our representatives who don't protect us against it.
One reason for the disconnect between the economy’s performance and the gloomy perceptions of it is the dire living conditions—two jobs, no childcare or health insurance, lack of reliable transportation- -for workers, particularly service workers. How does a good economy help the poorest majority among us?
What you describe is what happens when real wages are stagnant for three or more decades — and the social safety net is weak. Just what Republicans have brought us. The tragic irony? Legions of Republican voters caught in this trap blame Democrats.
Irony yes, but of a carefully laid and richly financed trap.
Rupert created the snare, MSM followed, sad to say.
Rupert and Reagan were chummy. Reagan projected an avuncular persona, in a pitch man sort of way. Even in his first term, his clueless bloopers were frequent but lovable in the eyes of the press. He was pretty consistently labeled a "nice guy" despite evidence to the contrary. A smoking gun of his over the top racism was suppressed until long after his death, ( https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/31/ronald-reagan-racist-recordings-nixon ) which seemed to barely dent his manufactured legend. Reagan was genuine in his narcissistic plutocratic hubris, but he was more the clueless telegenic face of of his backers love of money and power. If you read between the lines, and actions speaking louder than words, the target of Reagan's smears was always democracy, not "government" per se; and it's only the democratic features of government that the "GOP" has subsequently made "smaller", such as anti-trust, voting rights. and consumer, minority, or environmental protection. What their base now craves is authoritarianism. We've seen it all before, but not enough of learned our lesson. Ask Mark Milley.
How about Philadelphia, Miss first thing out of the gate. Article in Jan1981, alluded to a banquet by Repubs in honor of Ruper M. Per Jack Kemp, “Rupert Murdoch used the editorial page, the front page, and every other page necessary to elect Ronald Reagan president.” Then Rupert and Roger Ailes took over our communication network when the laws were changed to allow him to buy more of the media outlets. Bill Moyers talked about this a lot as the plot thickened. Then came Fox…
And that’s what the republicans are selling, lies and propaganda. It’s their policies that have us in this mess. From Reaganomics to today with Trump’s trillion dollar tax cut for the top 1% and corporations, trickle down economics doesn’t work. Trickle down economics only made the rich richer.
Real wages have grown under President Biden, unfortunately prices that went up during Covid due to supply chain problems haven’t corrected now that those problems have gone away. It is corporate greed.
The President’s bills in size and scope were shredded by a Congress that was not cooperative by virtue of its make up, including two DINOs in the Senate. In 2024 we must purge the Congress of as many MAGAs as possible. There are 18 House seats occupied by republicans in Biden districts. In the Senate we have the opportunity to get rid of Cruz and Hawley.
I’ll end with this, Michelle Obama once said, “When they go low, we go high.” We can no longer afford to follow this. Democrats must be willing to get down and dirty. It’s gorilla warfare time.
We don’t have to lie and smear. Adlai Stevenson said, sort of “if you stop lying about Democrats, we’ll stop telling the truth about Republicans.” They never stopped lying. Time for some truth-telling, MSM and Dems….
I wasn’t suggesting they lie. I apologize if I gave that impression. I am saying that instead of touting just what they believe in, especially meat and potato issues, they need to call out when republicans lie or distort facts. Perhaps something like, Congressman Republican said X and the fact is. I enjoyed reading that at Infrastructure Act sites that signs are put up that say, this project is due to President Biden’s Infrastructure Act. Words to that effect to counter republicans going to their districts trying to claim credit for it.
Sorry if I sounded like you suggested lying. Not intended. Love that Adlai quote. You should see the parking lots around road work sites in Texas. Chump signs on pickups. One of the few places where bumper stickers are seen. Guess most are like me, afraid of vandalism.
I just saw a Biden lawn sign earlier this week. Over the last few weeks I’ve seen 3 orange blob demonstrations. A tent at 2. All of them have multiple flags, banners and lawn signs and unfortunately American flags. There are some homes that banners and signs. Some of the other faux candidates have some lawn signs. It’s a little unnerving.
I too would put a bumper sticker on my car but worry about the reaction.
I remain convinced that the President hasn’t begun campaigning in earnest.
Oh, yes, please--remove Cruz and Hawley!! Especially Hawley. It is especially galling that he replaced Claire McCaskill as Senator from Missouri. And Cruz is about as unctuous and sleazy as it gets....
Don't forget the cowgirl in CO, Boebert. It was a close race before, but hopefully independents and some republicans will switch sides. Who wants a representative that disobeys the simple rules of theater going and falls out of her dress in public? So respectful. She has decorum like MTG has.
How about that NC elderly woman FOXX yelling "SHUT UP!!"??
I will be sending her some of my Poison Postcards--YOU shut up!
"Legions of Republican voters caught in this trap blame Democrats."
Reason why? Fox News lies, daily fed up by a conspiracy theory cable channel.
Fox and its two new brother right-wing channels--plus thousands of Trump supporters who post utter trash on social media. It may take us generations to recover from Trump’s followers and the ultra-rich who are funding these evildoers.
If we ever can, Rupert is not dead yet, and he has spawned more than his biology suggests.
That’s exactly right. It doesn’t actually matter how many jobs are added if the wage remains too low, or the number of hours allocated are insufficient. Things are not the same as they were 50 years ago when even a full-time lower wage job would be enough to purchase a home and enough for one wage earner to support a household, not in any kind of luxury by any means, but enough to keep everyone afloat and secure.
In 1967, I could work a 30-hour part time job at minimum wage, and afford a (small) one bedroom apartment in West Hollywood, a car, a good diet, and entertainment on weekends. I had time to invest in my future. Today, a full-time minimum-wage job wouldn't pay for one week in that exact same apartment (I actually saw it for rent a year ago and checked it out - instead of $45/month, it was $3,500/month - with no modernization)
So ludicrous!! Today, I went into Target as I get cereal there that’s organic. Usually, it’s cheaper there than at the grocery stores. This tiny box was $2 higher than 3 weeks ago! Corporate greed taking advantage of common folks, again and again and again. Then they wonder why people moan and groan like they do.
People really need to think about where all their money is ending up. Companies that are now making big profits made their products that much more desirable? Or do fewer and larger companies control the price of the things we need? Follow the money.
A reason that the prices of rentals and houses are skyrocketing is the push by big real estate companies and equity firms buying up houses and rental properties so they can FORCE higher prices, which will increase homelessness over time. Sherrod Brown and other Democrats have introduced a bill to restrict these companies from raking in big tax breaks by doing this. Here's the info: https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/majority/brown-colleagues-introduce-bill-crack-down-big-corporate-investors-buy-up-local-homes-drive-housing-prices#:~:text=%E2%80%93%20Today%2C%20U.S.%20Senator%20Sherrod%20Brown%20%28D-OH%29%2C%20Chair,often%20driving%20up%20local%20housing%20prices%20and%20rents.
"equity firms buying up houses and rental properties so they can FORCE higher prices, "
Barbara, thank you. This is going on in every city in America. I heard from a reliable source in Houston that 80% of homes purchased inside the city of Houston over the last year were by hedge funds.
Hedge funds buying single family homes to turn them into rentals are driving up both purchase prices AND rental prices.
I note: This is exactly what killed mid size and small American manufacturing.
Bain Capital (Mitt Romney's source of wealth) went around buying small manufacturing in mid size American towns and then fired everyone and parted out all of the equipment and negotiated offshore contracts.
Disgusting. But, five or so white guys got morbidly rich so it is AOK in Amurca.
Same with Mnuchin and God knows how many more parasites
We're 15 miles from Acadia National Park and half the homes in our town are weekly or daily rentals. In the winter months landlords can make as much in a week as they can by renting it for a month. Why bother renting for a month?
Our county would have no housing issues if half of the rentals were turned into year round homes. But as long as 3.75 million visitors come to the park every year, this problem will persist.
Some of the hotels have built housing for their staff otherwise they can't get summer help..
So, yeah it's mostly white guys, but you don't have to be rich to buy a double wide trailer and rent it out for $300 a night.
Every time you see one of those signs tacked to a telephone pole "I buy houses for cash!" that's some local real estate shill working for the private equity hedge funds. they now own 50% of all single-family homes in America - jack up the rents and downplay the services.
Gosh, I guess we didn't cut taxes deeply enough for corporations and for the utra-wealthy, or trust in the "Magic of the Unregulated Marketplace" faithfully enough for the Reaganomic ship of "Prosperity for All" to make it all the way into port. Any day now, "GOP" economics will deliver, right?
Why does “Reagan’s ship of prosperity” sound like the prosperity gospel that churches preach these days. But it’s not for all, just the buyers of bull Schitt, so they say. God has promised. Puke
I am not indifferent to prosperity and enjoy a comfortable life. I think that anyone who works deserves at least a "living wage" and a "safety net", and that no one should go homeless or hungry. We can surely afford that. What I see in what remains of accounts of the life of Jesus is a prescription for for a highly acetic lifestyle, not that of a religious recuse, but of selfless service to others, indifferent to material treasures.
Indeed, like my comfort zone, wish all critters had that, my pets too. “Selfless service to others.” Repubs have made Jesus’ teachings a bad joke. Heresy in my book.
In 1967, I was buying one ounce of weed for $20 and turning it into 9 nickel bags worth total of $45.00. My humble start in the business world.
You were getting screwed, buddy. We were selling a clean weight ounce for $10, and I don't know anyone in California who paid $45 a lid until Nixon declared the war on drugs in 1971 and hippies couldn't toss a couple keys (purchased for $50) under the sleeping bag in the back of the VW microbus coming through the border from TJ. :-)
You misunderstood, man. $20 for Acapulco gold and I doubled plus a nickel for me. That was east coast pricing.
We were closer to the source. :-)
Were you a Nam vet?
The big difference is interest rates. When people are just getting by, low internet rates keep them afloat. If interest rates drop back to near zero the non-savers will feel less stressed.
The deck is stacked, high and tilting
In 1963-65, my husband and I rented a one-bedroom apartment in a quadruplex just outside Cambridge MA. I worked as a secretary; he went to school. Our place cost $90 a month; we had no car; we did just fine. It couldn't work today.
Which is why you guys graduated with no student loan debt to spend the rest of your lives paying off. Here in California where tuition was practically free, I got three degrees and graduated with zero debt. I think the state might conclude that my contributions as a result were worth their investment in me.
Way too many intelligent young people are priced out of the college market in many parts of the US. A few years ago I ask a young lady if she was getting ready to go to college. I knew she was the class valedictorian at a private high school. She told me that even with scholarships she couldn't afford it. The state school I graduated from in 1977 now costs 7 1/2 times as much. How do kids afford it?
That's why there is a Student Debt Industry that got the rule made that student debt cannot be discharged in bankruptcy (a Republican idea). You can pretty much figure if there's a dickheaded bad idea in a law, that a Republican wrote it.
I grew up in Cleveland with steel companies and a Ford foundry. Every male who wanted to work could work - different races, immigrants with little or no English. An entire section of the city was built for the workers - who could afford the housing on the income from the single/male breadwinner. Little houses, all alike, a solid sea of rooftops. There was enormous pride in the work and in home ownership. (There was also pollution - to the point that the Cuyahoga River caught fire.) All those foundries are now closed, and the steel companies moved away. We all had thought that the (fairly)easy life would continue. It did not.
Policy decisions took away that life. Companies moved their work and their profits offshore. Housing costs soared. Households needed two workers to get by, but child care was/is scarce and unaffordable. (I am providing housing for a Ukrainian refugee family and I have seen, close-up,their struggle to find daycare so both parents can work. The “best” option was a special rate of $300/week, $15,600 for a year! So mom stayed home until her daughter could reach the age for enrollment in school.
The rich paid fewer and fewer taxes so infrastructure and services declined.
“Welfare Reform” in 1996 resulted in state block grants with lifetime limits (2-5 years),
Intrusive monitoring of “parenting,” drug testing, disparities in benefits and work requirements. (I volunteered in an ESL class for adult Hmong refugees who had to be in English class 4 hours/day, 5 days/week - even though these highly stressed students were obviously unable to learn English in such an intensive setting; I watched and smelled the fear-sweat running down their faces, sometimes within 15 minutes. Yet if they left early or missed class without a doctor’s statement, they could be cut off without a penny.) Benefits in Minnesota - and almost every other state - were frozen for over a quarter century, even though rents tripled in that period.)
All of this was the result of unrestrained Capitalism, corporate lobbying, corruption and greed by elected politicians. None of it HAD TO HAPPEN.
I can’t stop grieving - and my anger keeps growing.
Not even just the poorest. My nephew and his life partner are both well-educated professionals. With three kids between them and trying to meet the cost of living in San Diego - where their jobs and professional reputations are - he is pretty stressed out. Fortunately they're both smart enough and educated enough to see the situation as it really is, so they concentrate politically on working to change the system as we do. He works in finance and was telling me in 2006 that what happened in 2008 was "just one mistake away from happening."
I heard on the radio (circa 2007) that a hefty percentage of the home loans in my state were "reverse amortization" loans, on which, if you paid the minimum amount each month, you owed MORE to the lender with each month that passed. It was Chrystal clear where that was heading, and for all sorts of reasons I expected a severe "correction", though I never guessed what a flimsy house of cards the whole finance sector had become. That unregulated marketplace magic again.
JL,
The legalization of "Derivatives" (Mortgage Backed Securities were among those), in 2001 by Bush and his Congress led directly to the 2008 debacle.
That law was never repealed. It stands today. I don't know if any regulation can stop it.
Holy cow!
Would you say that most brokers and traders don't understand dirivatives? Warren Buffett made a statement to that affect back in 2008.
60 Minutes had a blurb about NINJA loans (no income, no job) but no prob. When asked how they would pay it, She shrugged and said, well, if they are gonna give it to us, why not take it. Blew my mind. And I watched Obama get blamed for the disaster. W/Dickie should have been tarred and feathered, for a multitude of sins.
Jim,
Than main reason for the disconnect is Fox News. Fox News reports, daily, on how lousy the economy is today, compared to Trump.
Since half of Americans are tuned in to those lies while simultaneously "believing" Fox is the only place they can get the "truth", we have a real problem.
The core of our disfunction.
You mention something that I have railed about recently, the two jobs scenario. I have been told by reliable sources that they can’t find people willing to work. I’m sure there are plenty of those out there, have always been. But at the assisted living facility where I live, plenty of service people work two jobs. There is rapid turnover. I believe that when a person works two jobs, and something is problematic at one, they can leave and seek another one where the grass looks greener. A revolving door. Gone are the days and the expectation of job security, and the commitment one has for his livelihood. This bodes trouble for the employers as well. A trend that is exacerbating all across the work force. A living wage might help…
i was at a meeting on Thursday of United Southern Service Workers and several other groups and the fight for a living wage in right-to-work states is taking off, prohibitions against collective bargaining be damned. Until we restore some economic power to those on the bottom, there is not much hope for the future of democracy.
100%. A living wage should solve a lot of problems. Thank you Joe for your focus on manufacturing and unions. Great after 40+ years of union bashing.
Living in the north, I wonder if the situation is any better than it is in the South. What is your opinion? I know our minimum wage is almost $13/hour but many companies are forced to pay more than that to hire almost anyone.
Some pay $15 or more, but with the rise in rent and groceries and families it is far from enough. This is a systemic problem compounded by the effects of multigenerational inequality and the effects of historical racism in the 13 Confederate states. Reparations are on the table, and a living wage with environmentally safe (air conditioning for Amazon workers? safeguards for septic workers and toilet cleaners? bullet-proof vests for wait staff in bars in open carry districts?) workspaces will go a long way towards reaching that goal. This situation is nothing new. It is as old as America and all of humanity. But it is past time, democracies!
I've been a mainframe programmer for 45 years. I came late to the game and so many of my fellow programmers retired years ago. Nothing against Indian programmers, but rather against the consulting firms that hire them at slave wages. The problem is that even though they have good computer skills they don't have the business knowledge and therefore have trouble analyzing a problem, mod or new system. The business users have also been retiring so it takes much longer for them to get anything accomplished. At the previous contract I was the only person born in the US out of a team of 30. They were all good technicians but they brought me in to assist with analysis and problem solving since I was familiar with the systems they were running. Additionally, the turnover at these firms is very high since a dollar an hour raise will lure most of them away.
One would think the creation of the problems was deliberate. Seems more likely, than unintended consequences. Maybe just greed at the top. Usually explains a lot.
Jim, it’s interesting that the economies that poll as the happiest have government-provided healthcare and childcare (Norway, Sweden, Switzerland) and the richest in those countries don’t mind paying for the common good.
No Fox news there, either.
I wouldn't trust Fox news with a weather forecast. I hear that they broadcast sports. It would be more difficult to put a spin on something like that.
I. was in Norway a year ago and was told by one of the waitresses that starting wages are 24 Euros an hour with 32% going to taxes. Of course medical care and retirement benefits are included in the 32% tax rate. That's a net of around $17 an hour for clerks, waitress staff and housekeeping. Plus, there are other benefits like paid family leave.
I would bet that the working poor are not the people being polled - not that they would have a lot of positive feelings about the current state of the economy. The US wealth gap - highest among developed nations is a reflection of the disconnect between the poor and the rest of the population. If our democracy manages to survive past 2024, perhaps reversing that gap will be the next achievement.
Amen, amen, amen! It’s what some of us are working and praying for every day
For the most part, it doesn’t.
Truth matters. History matters. Justice matters. 2024 Version: Reliable Sources Matter. Thank you Dr Richardson for being my #1 reliable source. Your many book tour talks and interviews on YouTube are excellent. You make it look easy but we know separating truth from fiction is hard work these days. ⭐️👏🏼🏆❤️
I agree that Dr Richardson has become one of my go-to sources of true historical sources. But I was surprised to hear her make an obvious mistake in her Judy Woodruff interview at President Lincoln’s Cottage on PBS. She said that the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1861, when it was signed on January 1, 1863. Just goes to show that even the best can mis-speak once in a while !!
Just have to say that rote knowledge of dates is ok but understanding events is critical. Thanks to Dr Richardson for understanding and sharing her insights.
Not surprised at all. My 61-year-old brain intuitively understands: speaking extemporaneously, it could easily compress January 1, 1863 into "1861". Especially if it were in the middle of a book tour and traveling back and forth across time zones because scheduling any kind of tour of the US is absolutely nuts.
That she understands the history is clear. Trivial mistakes in dates? Yeah it happens. Quite different from deliberately spreading misinformation.
She, as a student of 19th century America, slips on her century frequently. I can understand the slip; there's a "1" in the number. I think her brain goes so fast sometimes it skips things.
And a tip of the hat to reliable Justice Matters source Glenn Kirschner. Another reliable source who never leaves me confused. ⭐️👏🏼🏆❤️
Are you as surprised as me?
“Reports suggest that Card had at least a recent history of mental illness and note that his social media accounts show a history of engagement with right-wing and Republican political content.”
Right-wing/ Republican political content seems to be fostering a particular kind of paranoia and nihilism not based on anything in reality. Bad enough without adding weapons designed for mass homicide.
Funny how you don’t see a lot of liberal progressive mass killer/gun nuts.
I wonder why that is.
Also you don’t see the mentally ill in other countries even come close to the destruction wrought in this country by the mentally ill, the anti-social, and the rebellious misfits. We have a lot of them. I remember. I worked in jr, and high school. Maybe others countries don’t provide weapons of war at their fingertips. We’ve got the deranged soldiers, the weapons of war, what comes next? Chump and his worshippers…. What can go wrong….
Exactly Ralph, thank you. Have there been any?
The attack on the capital on January 6th 2020 was surprisingly free from gun violence - thankfully.
Does anyone ever wonder why the 'proud boys' et al kept their guns at home?
They did find a truck (car) filled with ammo and guns-ready for use.
Yes I read that thanks Karen. Terrifying both then and now.
Uh, not so. A woman was shot by a security person as she was entering through a broken window,
yes Fay, rthats right.Thanks for that reminder
Careful about potentially labeling / correlating those with a mental illness as right-wing nuts. As someone with a mental health disability myself (bipolar-disorder), I am mildly offended.
Matt, I apologize, that wasn't at all my intention. Right-wing paranoia and cultism is a particular kind of mental illness, and I'll rephrase. Thanks for pointing it out.
I had an entire comment written in response, saying apology accepted and explaining my situation further, but sadly there was a glitch and it was entirely lost!
The gist was that I'm the first to advocate for background checks for gun purchases, given that several years ago when I was so depressed that I had suicidal thoughts for a year, and given that my cognitive decline was such that I couldn't provide for my family.
Now that has been solved, finally after that year having been put on an antidepressant which turned on a little light bulb in my brain and allowed me to think again. During that year, I couldn't understand math that I had previously derived, which is pretty depressing if you make a living via math and numerical programming. And can no longer do what you have always done to support your family.
I hate it when those glitches happen! Thanks for taking the time to reconstruct - you're telling an important story that will resonate with a LOT of people. Bipolar runs in my family, and you have my full sympathy and hopes for continued progress.
And while I no longer am plagued by suicidal thoughts for a number of years (thankfully!) I will leave the dear hunting up to my dad and brother!
I am glad you were able to find a drug to help you. I am told depression is a miserable disease.
It takes support, many don’t have it, sad to say
I understand your concern Matt, for sure! I don't think that is the intention or mindset of most in this community. It's more a feeling that the right wing actively targets people with mental health differences for exploitation. Peace to you Sir and thank you for your comment. It reminds us to stay mindful.
That is a good point, being targeted. Personally I can't relate to that, however, as my anger earlier in life was directed towards the Bush administration lying is into war ... I was probably vulnerable to left-wing conspiracies at that time, but who knows which of them were true, such as Rumsfeld and Cheney being glad that 911 happened and exploiting the situation to re-invade Iraq.
I've since learned to not get personally angry about such things, as it is counterproductive for your own health.
Had a meltdown over that too, warped my brain as my bff worshipped that bull Schitt.
Jeri, lost my "bff" of decades to the Trump crap and COVID theories. In retrospect, I was as brainwashed by her as if she was a Baptist Preacher. Because she is VERY wealthy and generous (showering you with gifts of things SHE likes, which fed her shopping addiction) her other traits (very controlling and passively aggressively disrespectful) she was forgiven. (That's "XXXX" just as people say "That's Trump" )
It was startling to me to realize when it ended (badly) how I was actually relieved! I didn't have to kowtow to her anymore!
Matt, may I ask you a question? First of all, there are many of us dealing with quite a few issues that require mental health help. If my question is too personal, please let me know and I will back off. Do you think you have gotten decent help for your bipolar? My opinion is that our government has failed many people. Thank you.
It took a long time, with trial and error, to get the right help medication wise. The problem is that this is an art as much as a science. You have to experiment to see what works for each individual after the first manic episode. In my case that first manic episode was a big one and didn't occur until I hit age 42, which is unusual (typically bipolar happens in teens or twenties). And it took about 3 years of experimentation to hit upon a cocktail that works, mostly. This experimentation phase is hellish. And I think a lot of it is finding a treatment that somewhat works, and then the brain learning how to cope. There are still side effects-- I have to usually sleep 12 hours per day.
Thanks so much for asking.
Thank you so much, Matt, for your honesty and for answering the question I posed. It is truly wonderful that you are getting the right treatment and meds that keep you stabilized. I know others who have spoken about getting a cocktail. It’s because of your diligence and tenacity that you have managed your life to where it’s been good. I wish you the very best.
Thank you for being open and sharing your story about the Time it often takes to find the right medication, and I would add, the right therapist. I struggle with depression (and, I am now realizing more and more, PTSD and possibly ADHD,) but I haven't even had the energy to go find someone to help me. I will. I know what that "little light going on" feels like and I need it. Stay well. I'm glad you made it.
It is so hard to advocate for yourself when you are at an all time low with whatever malady you suffer. Too bad we have one of the poorest health care systems in the world.
I hope you will fight like heck to get the help you need when you are able to do so.
Such a struggle. Hang in there Matt.
I am! Life has been pretty darn good now for 5 years straight.
Thanks for your openness about your experience with Bipolar. My adult son struggles with it too, along with having life long intellectual disabilities. It’s so complicated...literally the ups and downs. Luckily he’s surrounded by family, professionals, staff, and a few friends who support and care about him. Finding the right supports, medications, and therapeutic outlets seems to work, even though we all struggle through the darkest times.
Matt, thank you for letting your light shine through 💕🥲
So glad you stuck with it to get to what worked for you, three Veteran students (and two non-Veteran students), at the college I worked at also seemed to take up to 3 years to get the help, carefully individualized medications, and feedback that worked for them, even the one I worried the most for (due to insensitive other students). All those I know most about eventually made it through thanks to enough support.
My role was mostly simply assuring them they weren't the only ones who had similar experiences and referring them to our college VA person who could steer them to a group or specialist most likely to earn their trust.
Thank you for sharing and for your insights about finding the right drug treatment. Your success is commendable, bipolar can be devastating. Treatment is difficult enough for those with health insurance, it’s nearly impossible for those without. Many with mental illness people can’t hold a job and therefore can’t get health insurance, a catch 22.
From where I stand, it appears Fox and other right wing media have weaponized both mental illness and ignorance with dangerous disinformation. By stoking anger at both the medical and political “establishment” they foster cynicism, tacitly encourage violence and discourage effective intervention. Then once all hope is gone listeners are encouraged to buy guns.
Brilliant and disturbing last paragraph, Diane.
My family has a long history of bi-polar disorder. My great grandmother hung herself in an insane asylum in Nebraska in 1901. As part of my genealogy research I visit the state hospital and talked to the director.
She said there were few records on any of the patients until much later, so I didn't really get any new information about my great-grandmother from her. The director said there were few if any drug treatments for patients and many of them committed assisted suicides. The patients were separated into wards and their existence was with this other group of people with many different issues.
Today, my bi-polar family members have found relief through pharmacology and counseling. Thank goodness.
Visited a former insane asylum in Kentucky. Had a cemetery with numbers, no names. People put family there in secret. My friend’s mother said that when in elementary school, her class made a field trip there. She never forgot it. Unreal
Good grief! A field trip?
I don’t recall this being an area where gov’t has gotten involved. Maybe lately, but in the 80’s and 90’s, help was dependent on having somebody to scream in your behalf.
As one who has put blood, sweat and tears into helping a Borderline Personality teen to find his way, I can say it’s not easy or cheap. But the vulnerability is real
Borderline PD is a tough one to deal with. My wife is a clinical psychologist (she describes her practice as with the "worried well"; she is a sole practitioner) and finds that BPD are very difficult to treat.
My clinical psychologist friend thought treating those so diagnosed was intriguing and a challenge. Had a hard lesson when one tried to destroy her practice. They don’t take perceived rejection well. The young man I tried to help has survived because he found a woman who is with him 24/7, literally. He once said that he didn’t feel like he existed when he was alone. I say my prayers for her because he is currently a functioning, tax-paying citizen. A miracle since his abandonment issues started early and repeated through his 20’s. Does your wife really call them the “worried well,” or did that refer to others. His was more like primal terror, disguised by, well, you name it.
That’s her description of her practice ; generally issues that people need help with, and not dealing with more psychotic/sociopathic people; just folks who need situational help.
She’s had two BPD folks who tried to destroy her practice…
Matt, first of all, you have my deepest sympathy. I am not a bipolar sufferer but I do have friends who are. I did, however, suffer a serious depression when a student. As with the most sublime experiences in my life, no direct memory of this episode is possible, but I do remember enough to be able to tell that it was a hell of total despair. Literally hell. So now I wish you lasting happiness and freedom from illness.
I do, however, feel that yours has been a misunderstanding and that, while the entire population is affected by the presence and action of psychopaths in the highest places of society and by the psychotic delusions with which they have deliberately infected millions of unhappy people, this in no way points a finger at persons like yourself.
I have tried in other lengthy comments which you’ll find below to draw attention to the collective mind poisoning carried out over a long period of time and the epidemics to which they have given rise, as in the rise of Hitlerism and the hell-on-earth it brought about, as in other awful episodes we are witnessing worldwide at this moment. I hope and pray that you (and indeed all of us) will be protected from the distress which these visit upon the world. In other words that, while we may suffer pain at having to witness these evils, we shall always remain strong, inwardly happy, secure and free from all harm, able each to do what we can to heal ourselves and our world.
That's what happens when we generalize.
“There seems to be becoming a direct correlation: mental illness and right-wing/ Republican political content. Bad enough without adding weapons designed for mass homicide.”
Alexandra, you write “There seems to be becoming” to describe a pandemic of mass psychosis that has been present for years and has grown exponentially since one of history’s great mind poisoners became President of the United States in November 2016.
The public plainly shares a gross misunderstanding that comes of viewing all psychiatric illness as an individual phenomenon. This is in itself a delusion comparable to seeing, say, the AIDS outbreak or Covid exclusively in terms of individual health. The least we can say is that the wellbeing of the entire population, the sick and the healthy, is affected when gripped by fear. And today, we face fear growing out of unprecedented and accelerating change, fear deliberately fomented by mind poisoners for political purposes, as when Hitler and the Nazis took power in 1933.
Here, I feel bound to cite someone much derided, precisely for his ability to encompass the big picture:
“…It is becoming ever more obvious that it is not famine, not earthquakes, not microbes, not cancer but man himself who is man’s greatest danger to man, for the simple reason that there is no adequate protection against psychic epidemics, which are infinitely more devastating than the worst of natural catastrophes.”
Carl Jung, The Symbolic Life
The least that can be said is that everyone’s peace of mind is affected. There is a positive side to this, which should, I hope, encourage Matt Fulkerson.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. Once this realization spreads, a healthy reaction can take place and delusions weaken.
It is up to every one of us to spread the antidotes of kindness and understanding over the earth, calming people still in the grip of nightmares.
That’s the carrot. The stick: the principal mind poisoners must be dealt with as a matter of the most urgent priority. Mankind's survival depends on it.
Now, why did I speak of kindness as the essential carrot to be offered to those infected by mass madness?
Maybe many will have lost all patience with them and I can think of someone who -- understandably -- takes that impatience much further.
But if there is anything we can ask experienced clinicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, it is for advice on how to speak to people suffering from delusions.
Negation won't work, denial guarantees failure. No choice but to listen, to agree, to gently, patiently reassure, talking them gradually out of their nightmare. You can, for instance, say they're right to be scared... not to be stampeded. Calm it...
Any shrinks here who can refer people to practical sites accessible to laymen???
*
As for those surviving Supreme Court justices whose weirdly skewed interpretation of the Second Amendment has led directly a hecatomb of unnecessary deaths, psychiatric help would be the least of things.
All those who pass legislation that puts so-called semi-automatic rifles in the hands of psychotics or block legislation to prevent such access are accessories after the fact.
They have aided and abetted mass murder and inflicted severe damage on American society... and international respect for the American republic. In so doing, they undermine world peace at a crucial juncture in world history.
A long and tedious process, sort of like deprogramming.
Very much like deprogramming.
Not fast or easy. Not for the faint of heart or the impatient.
Peter, some of the best training that I got in that area was in crisis negotiation training. I was a negotiator on our SWAT team for nearly 20 years; of the dozens of one on one contacts in that kind of crisis setting (one which, basically, overwhelms the ability of routine patrol to handle a situation, almost always because of the presence of weapons and the danger to bystanders), almost all of them were from that foundational delusion on the part of the subject of the call/negotiation.
I want to add something that sets out from the specific needs of children and educators.
My wife mentioned a psychologist called Alexander Kolmanovsky, telling me that he is wonderful when it comes to explaining war and violence calmly to children who will otherwise stay confused and terrified. Not hiding, talking as to adults.
This led me to look the man up and I found him on this useful site: psyhelpworld.com.
Please look and share this practical wisdom about human interactions.
(A personal example: I never forgot how a nearby table with a group of peacenik ladies so cut my appetite that I couldn't eat my lunch!)
Such persons find the ground pulled from under their feet in lands where all public figures are required to declare support for war and violence, including the perverted interpretation of the Second Amendment.
Is it not curious how figures like Putin, Kaczynski, Netanyahu all spout endlessly about "fighting Nazis" while spreading the selfsame mind poisons as those which Hitler and Mussolini used to destroy our world.
The evil that men do lives after them...
Thanks for this info, Peter. I will be researching this today.
This does sound very much like the kind of training that's called for, indeed the basic approach needed in dealing with so many of the world's terrible challenges. The metaphor I have often used is that of sappers, the bomb disposal squad. That, instead of the usual "bomb 'em back into the stone age" nonsense.
Responsible, competent policing is precious but expensive, so oligarchies tend to dispense with it except for the protection of oligarchs and their key servants.
I have always believed we are all connected. I do not have a clear recollection of this but one of the U.S. astronauts (Schweickart or Swigert? Can’t recall) said he looked at the moon from space and thought, why am I so special to be having this life-changing experience, but then he realized the whole world, every person on earth had also changed, he was a conduit to everyone. As he processed the experience the whole world was too. I think it hurts all of us when any of us are suffering injustice, cruelty and neglect. We all feel it. But when we feel powerless to turn things around we are susceptible to the b.s. of the greedy and venal among us. I myself feel powerless to change things. My own State of Wisconsin is gerrymandered and legislators in power support profits over people at every turn. We have 38 prisons without enough staff to keep them safe. Rather than think maybe we have too many humans in prison the people in power here have become crueler and lockdown those in custody in overcrowded cells and deny them time outside or in the library or communal meals. Those legislators go home every weekend without a care. The energy generated is certainly negative and we are all absorbing it here in our state. Why ever would anyone be surprised when people don’t respect the law? Of course if you are not aware or do not believe we are all connected you may fail to recognize how feelings of powerlessness can equal trouble in unexpected ways. Love and compassion is needed. Not finger pointing fundamentalism which seems to be winning at every turn. It is a race to the finish right now. I wish I felt more confident the world will be able to heal. I read HCR and certain other Substack writers to keep my flickering hope alive. The fact they can voice their thoughts so freely in our country is one piece of hope I cling to. Maybe, just maybe our system of government (to quote Leonard Cohen) has the range and the machinery for change. Is Democracy coming to America as Cohen said?
It will always be deeply encouraging to hear, to read pure, unalloyed truth expressed as lucidly, as cogently as you have here.
It's almost like reading a brief update of John Donne's Meditation XVII, especially that sentence "No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main" and the passage that follows.
Thank you, and I hope you will never, never allow yourself to be discouraged by the folly, the cruelty, the pathetic mediocrity of Wisconsin's current political masters.
evelyn,I had come to that conclusion right after the shooting occurred. ''His social media accounts show a history of engagement with right wing and Republican political content.'' It certainly seems like a relation to Rethuglicans and Donald TUMP have an impact on these mentally ill nut jobs that shoot and kill innocent people. A few days before the shooting, the judge had imposed a $10,000 fine on TUMP for violating the gag order. Also, TUMP's attorneys had asked the judge to dismiss the case against TUMP, and the Judge sternly refused that request. From reports, TUMP stormed out of the courtroom in a rage. There is no way i could prove this, but it seems to me that these killers nut up when something goes against TUMP. This is just a nutty theory of mine. But i do wonder if this is a relation to some of mass shootings.
People wonder why we should be concerned with trump's vitriol. I have never before heard of threats being made to juries and judges. Even republicans who did not vote for Jordan received death threats. Look at Jan 6th where the rioters heard a message from trump to gather for a wild time. The unstable are hearing this message think violence is acceptable and feel empowered to use violence. Their restraints have been lifted.
I was so glad I was sitting down when I read that. Shocking!! (NOT!)
Shocking, NOT
Kudos to the voters of Nashville for rejecting a christo-fascist mayoral candidate by a four to one margin, in a southern state. The latter reinforces my growing optimism about the 2024 election.
Reports on the GOP pick for House Speaker indicates that the nation is going to have its collective nose rubbed into enough similar christo-fascism in the year before the next election to be so sick of it by Election Day to inspire similar election results. That’s if Mike Johnson even keeps the job that long. Herding cats is hard. Herding crooks is harder.
With appreciation to Heather for identifying Phil Williams as a journalist who had significant impact on educating the Nashville voters. Credible investigative reporters and local news organizations need our support.
https://www.newschannel5.com/about-us/phil-williams
The Media and Democracy (MAD) Project identifies dis/misinformation perpetrators, as well as journalistic heroes.
https://www.mediaanddemocracyproject.org/
And the average non-journalist can do great work as well. A gentleman who happened to look deeply into a candidate’s social media history, after having emailed some questions to her regarding her campaign platform and was curious about some of her answers, revealed an anti-Semite who, despite his revelations, won her seat in our local government.
He attended her swearing in, and when it came time for public comment he provided an “overview” of her posts and reposts. She resigned three days later.
Wow.
Thanks for these links, Ellie.
Ellie, it seems that Media and Democracy's petition has been so designed that it can't be signed by expats.
That would be all too typical, but unfortunate. Expatriate Americans are often better informed citizens, seeing their country with both an insider's and an outsider's panoramic world view rather the all-too-frequent worm's eye view.
Hm. I'll pass on your note to the MAD Project leadership. Thanks!
Friends also recommend the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. https://democraticredistricting.com/
Much of today's thread is concerned with the discrepancies between a booming economy and the yawning gaps in the big picture, and this morning I received a deeply disheartening report of a trip through northern New York state. A picture of despair.
A few words taken from it:
“The poverty is immense and terrifying. Town after town with so many houses falling down... Marijuana stores, McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts…”
“Trump flags waving in the front yards.”
“Casino… Thousands of social security checks being sucked into the slot machines…”
At the heart of my response:
“Those who ruined the land and made huge profits in the process are now manipulating the victims they ruined in order to inflict terminal damage on the republic.”
I noted that this is part of a worldwide pattern, especially marked in the wealthiest countries of all. All wealth, all power siphoned up by the ultra-oligarchs, serfdom for the rest. Serfdom without benefit of any reciprocity. Trickle down? Better the lot of dogs under the table.
We are going to have to go far beyond President Biden’s noble and remarkably successful attempt to return the United States to something like the seeming normality the country long enjoyed, but the damage inflicted—economic, social, psychological—goes so deep that there may be no hope of a swift cure. In some respects it feels almost worse than the ruin inflicted by war… Under bombardment, people resist. Here…
Here, they know they’ve been wronged—but how? And by whom? Confused and despairing, they fall victim to every conman selling conspiracy theories and are easily fooled into believing that the most competent president they’ll have known in a lifetime is a doddering old fool.
I visited Upstate New York a few months ago and have friends and family there. The picture you received is grossly overgeneralized and can be selectively found just about anywhere.
Sorry, that is my fault. The report was doubtless accurate for at least one town but the writer did say this was a superficial first impression and not necessarily representative.
On the other hand, there can surely be no doubt whatever that the extremist plot is to spread fear, resentment and hatred among a population confused by the unprecedented speed and acceleration of change, then to use the violent sentiments aroused to undermine the republic.
I may have cause one day to return to the uses of inductive reasoning.
Ever practical.
I have copied this to my US contacts, asking them to share the info. I wish I could act against the Murdochs, given the damage they have done to my country, the UK.
Biden s batting 450 in domestic and international policy. Where is the messaging from the democrats. I learn this only from this website. Where would we be without this. Everybody write their senators and representatives about this. I feel like the best model for the Democrats is a gospel choir”....shout it from the rooftops....!!!”
Thanks Heather
D “accomplishment” ads are running daily in Michigan during peak news viewership on ABC . Don’t know if these same ads are running on Fox. My take: content is too cerebral. D’s go for the brain. R’s go for the gut. Which tactic is working?
Most people don't care about GDP or job growth, they care about the cost of food and gas -- two items that are not captured in standard economic indices and two items that have risen significantly in the last three years. Unless the Democrats can create messages that address those perceptions, can recruit those who have jobs because of the Biden policies, who have seen their quality of life improve despite the increased cost of food and gas, the Republicans will have the upper hand.
I 100% agree with this. The cost of food in particular is a weekly struggle for most people I know, yet politicians don’t mention it.
Agreed. Job growth to many people means they get two jobs instead of one.
Excellent point.
Exactly
The “economy” is different from people being able to afford the standard of living they had before the pandemic.
A good “economy” means nothing to people who are struggling and who have no investments.
Even for folks who were doing okay, our proximity to poverty means we have likely extended our resources to keep our friends and family alive through the past 4 years.
For the majority of Americans, times are hard, and I think that’s reflected in how the “economy” is viewed.
Unfortunately.
In general, though, these are people that Biden has tried to help, whether through reducing college debt or raising wages or getting rid of junk fees. So much of what people complain about is caused by corporate decisions, such as stock buy-backs, but they're not aware of being manipulated.
Never implied Biden hasn't tried to help. My point is that it *doesn't help* when people tout the great economy or go on about the great disconnect between the economy and how the average person feels financially --- which they equate to "the economy".
I fully understand the ways Biden has and has not helped, and yet I also am sick to death of hearing about how great the economy is. I have no good things to say currently. So don't assume people are "manipulated". Maybe we're just tired.
Heather, while all of us are trying to spread the message about what President Biden is doing to build our country, Steve Schmidt has decided that what we need in the Democratic Party is a new, unproven presidential candidate to question Biden’s choices every day on Ukraine and Israel (“ He said during his announcement speech that rising costs have left an undue burden on Americans and argued that foreign aid packages supported by the Biden administration for Ukraine and Israel should redirected to solving domestic issues.”)
Heather, am I right in thinking that every recent incumbent presidential candidate who had a non-fringe primary opponent ended up losing the general election because he was weakened by the attacks in the primary?
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/10/26/politics/dean-phillips-presidential-campaign-launch/index.html
Hey Mary - thanks for liking my "smack in his face" nastygram I left Mr. Schmidt today on my way out - unsubbed his substack and demanded immediate unsub, and got it. I hear he has lost 90% of his subscribers in the past 16 hours. Couldn't happen to a nicer shithead, eh?
Something tells me me Steve Schmidt, who in the past impressed me with his commentary about Trump and the threat to democracy, has had trouble finding clients. So now he's working for Dean Phillips, who can't seem to remember that Harlan Crowe is helping fund his kamikaze campaign.
I don't think substack is likely to be a significant amount of his income. But I agree regarding his choice of Sarah Palin for McCain, which doomed his candidacy.
He was charging $100/year for a subscription. And according to the little substack checkmark code, he had 5,000+ subscribers. About half were annual, so that comes out to a "tidy sum" as they say.
I was shocked that he did that. I’m not a paid subscriber to his Substack, but I did read him. Utterly shocked.
Beau OTFC did a piece yesterday about the complications in the NH democratic primary. Biden will not be on the ballot and will have to be a write in because the national DNC changed the rules so that NC would be the first Democratic primary since its population is more representative of the party as a whole. NH has a state law that NH has to be the first primary in the nation and did not change its rules. So Biden is following the national party. And that the DNC knew that NH would have to change the law in the state to have a later primary date when it had a Republican dominated legislature is unbelievably stupid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3_UdqJVpoM&t=7s
https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/12/05/as-new-hampshire-vows-to-hold-first-primary-the-consequences-could-be-steep/
SC will be the first primary. NC is first in flight, except in Ohio.
Beau is an excellent companion site to the daily letter. I find that both Beau and Bryan Tyler Cohen (often with Glen Kirshner, or another fine attorney whose name currently is stuck in my grey matter and won't come out. Sigh) and worthy of the free subscriptions and checking out daily.
There is a The Roads With Beau about Foreign policy where he uses a white board (I chuckled at someone commenting that he went "all Katie Porter on us") which is also very informative.
I forward the Letter onto a number of people, and also find that the small Youtube clips capture a number of minds who don't/won't take time to read.
Georgia, and here we are.
Yeah, I fired Schmidt.
And Biden needs no opposition in the primary when everyone assumed he was running for one term only? I'm not saying that Dean Phillips is the best candidate, but rather that the Democrats should have a primary. Dean is absolutely right regarding the Biden poll numbers. They are atrocious.
I never assumed he wouldn't run again. "Everyone" is a slippery word often used by Orange people.
I had the luxury of voting for Warren because I live in CA and even with Bernie in play I knew Biden had it in the bag. And that he was a lifelong politician and would stay as long as he thought he was "fighting the good fight" as men of his generation like to say. Honestly, I'm pleased with how much he seems to listen to his team and adapt to the very rapid changes happening in our society. At least until the powers that were planted the seed of discontent with a Jerusalem embassy and Kushner's personally lucrative Abraham Accords.
I can see that Biden is still somehow caught in the thick web that the Oilgarchy and War Machine have woven around our government for almost a century, since they tasted blood profits in WWI. But I believe he knows it. I believe he also knows that if he doesn't figure out a way to stop them his grandchildren may not have an earth that supports human life. He still bargains with the devil so he can buy time to angel fund the green economy?
Kind of a ramble here, but you are Right about Bush/Cheney and the lies about Iraq. Remember how they won. Against Al Gore. The Climate Crisis Candidate. (Study it. Roger Stone. Brooks Bros riot. Justice Thomas. Study the Bush family history)
Best thing we can do is Support Good Journalists not just here, where we're all converted, but in Local newspapers and radio stations and investigative papers and mags like VOX and Mother Jones and - which ones do you like?
And Get Out The Vote. I used to take my son out with me when I was door knocking for Kerry. I'd take them to the polls routinely. I yelled at NPR in the car in 2015 - 2021. Now they drive themselves. And they vote. OK, I'm in "listen hear, Sonny" mode. Sorry.
Don't take it personal.
Patrice Curedale, I liked your rant. It was nice!
Well said Patrice!
I posted above that we need if not a television GOOD NEWS channel, we at least could use a GOOD NEWS YouTube channel.
Miselle, when I was in my teens, in the 1950's, I imagined a newspaper which I called "The Good News." It was to print only positive items - inspirational, without being preachy. I thought then that I would become a journalist (but I became a secretary instead). Still a great idea though.
Matt, and how is Dean Phillips’ attacking Biden on inflation going to help Biden’s poll numbers and help either beat Trump? Harlan Crow (who supplies Clarence Thomas’ vacations and is hard core Republicans) is bankrolling Dean’s campaign. With all the foreign stuff going on, I really appreciate Biden’s foreign negotiator skills.
See Simon Rosenberg’s take on polling...
E Sonoma link pleased?
Robert Hubbell says early polling means very little
Atrocious, Matt. And absurd.
How can the rest of the world trust America if Americans are so confused (to put it politely)?
This will be a vote for democracy itself. The point needs to be got across before it is too late.
So odd. Does he forget how contrite he felt about his role in the Palin choice? Sad too as I had come to respect him because of his views about Trump.
Do we really think that he will regret taking money from Harlan Crow? Maybe he can get invited along on Clarence Thomas’s trips with ‘ole Harlan <sarcasm>
I hadn't picked up on the Schmidt -Crow connection. That deepens the shame Steve deserves to feel.
‘“This was not about me,” Phillips told CNN’... Oh yes it is!
And, if you believe that, you’ll probably believe that Steve Schmidt is trying to improve the Democratic Party’s chances against TFG. <sarcasm >
I’m sure that Harlan Crow’s (he’s the one that gave all those cool vacations to Clarence Thomas) money didn’t make a difference.
On 10/27/23, CNN ran a piece from Patrick T. Brown with the headline “Opinion: Why Mike Johnson is actually an inspired choice for Speaker.” It is a very sobering bit of hagiography.
Mark the date. Be sure to read the piece in full. It is the first step in the Project 2025 oligarchs’ plan to jettison Trump and the MAGAts (the chaos caucus) and the insufficiently pure conservatives like Emmer (the remnants) as they remake the FRP (Former Republican Party) into a party that will appeal to bedrock conservatives and independents. They are trimming the fat as the largest of the three factions in the unstable coalition that is the current FRP what I have called the grievance faction, reasserts itself. Polarization has served its purpose. Violence is bad for business. The long game is to have the Mike Johnson’s ultimately in charge.
That the piece is in CNN is telling, and in line with Heather's concerns about growing misrepresentation in the media. I've done a deep dive on the piece on my substack on the re-casting of Mike Johnson in the media as a main stream conservative.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/26/opinions/mike-johnson-house-speaker-gop-brown/index.html
I am shocked still that the newsmedia will not address Project2025! The plan is all laid out in plain view. Complicity?
The Cretin News Network strikes again.
Yes. Normalizing white supremacy etc. CNN described Johnson as a “college professor” the day after his election to Speaker. This de-escalation language is intentional. They’re doing this with Trump’s legal cases short-hand descriptors, too. Removing the “sting” out of fear of backlash from the right wing. Mark my words — this significant erosion will affect the election.
The disinformation machine is hard at work, flooding social media with lies about, well just about everything good that is the result of effective governance.
Forty years of supply-side induced income inequality has created a dissatisfied population that is ripe for the picking. And skilled psy-ops players like Mike Flynn (who should be in prison) are exploiting this problem.
I’m trying hard to stay positive, but it’s taking every fiber of my being.
Today's letter puts strong emphasis on partisan politics and disinformation as major reasons for Americans' poor opinion of Biden's handling of the economy, and that is true, but there are other reasons as well.
'Unaffordable housing'
'The economy feels extra crummy for people looking to buy a home.'
'Housing affordability is at its lowest point in decades, with mortgage rates climbing above 7% to their highest level in more than 20 years. When Biden took office, mortgage rates were at a record low of 2.65%.'
'Home affordability is the worst it has been since 1984'
'The Fed is partly to blame. Eleven interest rate hikes over the past year and a half have helped push mortgage rates higher, faster.'
'The median US home price has risen to $416,100 from $258,000 in 2019.'
'But the affordability issue isn’t just because of higher financing costs. It’s also because of historically low inventory, thanks to a pandemic-era buying spree combined with a lingering shortage rooted in the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis.'
The partisan gap
'CNN’s latest poll shows that Republicans and Democrats are both souring on President Biden’s handling of the economy.'
'Only 2% of Republicans and 48% of Democrats said economic conditions had improved under Biden. Nearly a quarter of Democrats said Biden’s policies have worsened economic conditions. Ninety-one percent of Republicans agreed.'
“People are no longer telling us how they feel about the economy — really, they’re telling us how they feel about the president,” Wolfers said.'
'Either way, that poses a political problem for President Biden, whose re-election campaign has sought to highlight the economy’s strengths.'
“You can’t jawbone people into feeling better,” said former White House senior adviser David Axelrod on CNN This Morning. “I think the president has to find a way to talk about the things that he’s done in a context other than kind of asking for a report card from the American people.” (CNN) See link below.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/business/us-economy-biden-approval/index.html
HCR writes -
"Today, for example, the White House announced an effort to turn the dual problems of empty office buildings and a shortage of affordable housing into a win-win. It announced a series of actions to convert vacant commercial properties to residential buildings. Their efforts are designed to create affordable, energy-efficient housing near public transportation and jobs. "
The White House has tried many different things to spark the housing market. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of tools in that tool belt. I had a conversation with a commercial real estate agent from Philadelphia recently. I asked him about the feasibility of converting commercial inner-city buildings into apartments.
He told me the biggest issue is windows and egress. A typical apartment has windows in every living area including sliding glass doors. Many buildings have windows on only one or two sides and are wide so converting them to living spaces with windows is impossible.
He also mentioned that in most cities you have many classes of commercial buildings. He said the newest office spaces have done ok but most of the older buildings sit empty and will likely be torn down eventually. The options for these buildings are very limited and corporations can find better, cheaper and more accessible space for their workforce in the suburbs.
I have been visiting my daughter in FL for the past week to help her move. FL has become unaffordable for her with property taxes doubling in five years and homeowners and flood insurance also increasing substantially. Her monthly housing expenses before paying her mortgage are over $1200/mo. for a starter home. Five years ago it was $500 a month.
FL housing affordability woes are totally a Republican caused problem. DeSantis and his colleagues choose to do nothing about it. They would rather change the school curriculum and lie about Covid-19 statistics. Instead, they blame it on Biden and the Democrats.
Most big cities have many choices for door dash food which my daughter and I have been living on since her kitchen has been packed up. It easily costs twice as much to order delivery than to cook it yourself. The restaurants here are packed. I walked by a lady and a child who were eating at a pizza/Italian restaurant. She was commenting to the child, "$59.00" for lunch during the week at a pizza place. Ouch. Of course, people think that food has gotten expensive when they eat out several times a week.
As for gasoline prices, where was the Republican bitching when gasoline prices increase by 22% during Trump's first two years in office. Yeah, crickets. I get coffee at a convenience store gas station when I'm in Maine. (Don't judge). Anyway, many of the patrons buy cigarettes and then hop in their pickup trucks that they've left running outside. And then they complain about the cost of gasoline. (ok, you can judge me for getting coffee at a gas station).
Of course, not everyone complains, but it's understandable why they do. But it's incorrect to blame the Democrats for their financial woes while wearing their red MAGA hats.
Gary, I don't know whether or not we can say that Democrats have not played a role in the country's housing crisis. I do not know why the federal government has not played more of a role in getting much more affordable housing built. I don't know which BIG City Democrats have bent in favor of real estate developers to curry their money, do you? I know that Bloomberg let the city's housing projects deteriorate when he was the mayor of New York City. Perhaps, some stories have been told, and we need to find them, along with encouraging more investigative reporting about the roles of both parties in the housing crisis. Importantly, we need to voice how crucial it is to have much more affordable housing in America, with the appropriate elected representatives and with the candidates.
I agree that the Democrats have not assisted with the housing crisis other than with freezing rents and evictions. I am don't know either with BIG city Democrats have been involved with the housing issues either.
The influx of Venezuelan migrants has stretched the budgets of many cities for all services including housing. Living in NYC you are very aware of these problems.
The problems seems to be critical in San Francisco and Los Angeles https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/state-report-slams-san-francisco-glacial-expensive-housing-permitting-process/
This is behind a paywall in the Economist from your mayor. I only read the first couple paragraphs. I may go to the library to read the rest. https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/state-report-slams-san-francisco-glacial-expensive-housing-permitting-process/
Like you, I try to offer solutions to a problem, but the causes are so varied across the country.
The White House's move to convert commercial space does have merit for a small percentage of buildings. But if implemented in several cities and towns, it could certainly help.
Fern, do you have any suggestions or solutions?
Keep digging for the facts; work with community groups to push the issue. Find grassroots organizations in your area and statewide that are working to serve the community in terms of housing needs. 'ANHD, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, builds community power to win affordable housing and thriving, equitable neighborhoods for all New Yorkers. As a member organization of community groups across New York City, we use research, advocacy, and grassroots organizing to support our members in their work to build equity and justice in their neighborhoods and city-wide. We believe housing justice is economic justice is racial justice.'
'ANHD values justice, equity and opportunity. We believe in the importance of movement-building that centers marginalized communities in our work.'
https://anhd.org/about-us
'GRASSROOTS' LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY'
Jun 9, 2022
'Curated Article | Funders Together to End Homelessness'
'Giving Compass' Take:
Five Black and Latinx-led/serving grassroots organizations share their insights on how to improve housing affordability while prioritizing racial equity.
In what ways can you amplify these voices while directing dollars toward solutions?
Learn more about the affordable housing crisis.
Funders Together pushes philanthropy to both fund grassroots organizations that are working on housing justice and to make sure that their voices are being included in policy conversations. On March 30, Funders Together and California YIMBY hosted a briefing to introduce funders to five Black and Latinx led/serving grassroots organizations that want to work deeper in housing affordability issues and center racial equity in the process. Here are the profiles of the five organizations who shared how increased capacity can transform housing policy.'
'California YIMBY proposed this funder briefing to not only bring more BIPOC groups to the table but to expand their capacity to bring in new ideas and participate in setting the housing reform agenda. These groups are members of a new Housing Working Group convened by California YIMBY and have agreed to prioritize these housing reforms:'
'Ending the housing shortage
Ending discriminatory housing policies
Increasing homeownership opportunities
Prioritizing communities vulnerable to displacement
Bringing down skyrocketing housing costs' (Giving Compass) See line below.
https://givingcompass.org/article/grassroots-leadership-insights-on-housing-affordability
National Low Income Housing Coalition
https://www.nlihc.org/
As always, Fern, I love your posts. The major issue is housing affordability. Supplying the roof is first and foremost. Everything else comes after but with too little left after, it eventually falls apart and then there is no roof. It has been this way for way, way too long and has only gotten so much worse. A home mortgage is no leg up on renting anymore with the exception that it takes longer to turn you out but out you'll still go if you try to balance eating, utilities, gas, etc, etc, etc.. and can't.
Yes, Tamera, housing, and affordable housing, in particular, is an enormous problem. Your analysis, starting with the roof, hit the nail of the head! Another problem is the gap between inflation, which has come down a lot but still outpaces wage growth.
'Sarah Foster, a Bankrate analyst, told Insider she looked at wages and inflation as two runners in a race. When the economy began emerging from the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, she said, inflation sprinted ahead — taking a big lead over wage growth — but the gap has narrowed over the past year.'
"Inflation doesn't have as much momentum anymore, and, since May, wages are now running at a faster speed than inflation," she said. "But because of how much ground wages lost in the race, they're not yet taking the lead."
'Inflation, however, or specifically the gap between inflation and wage growth, is far from the only explanation that has been proposed for Americans' apparent pessimism about the economy.'
'Some experts have pointed to the rise in political partisanship, which could be souring Republicans' assessment of the economy. Others have pointed to surveys that suggest most Americans are actually quite satisfied with their individual economic situations but change their tune when they're asked about the national economy — why this might be happening is a whole other debate.'
'If the inflation-wage gap is souring Americans' view on the economy, this factor could persist for a while longer.'
'Bankrate projects that wages won't catch up to inflation until the fourth quarter of 2024, but any progress could be good news for President Joe Biden's reelection chances. An August Wall Street Journal survey found 59% of Americans disapproved of the job he's doing on the economy.'
'Foster said that to close the wage-inflation gap next year, the optimistic economic trends of recent months would have to persist.'
"The likelihood of Americans fully recovering their purchasing power depends on whether the economy can continue staging this impressive performance and stand strong against these massive headwinds," she said. "If a recession were to begin at some point next year, joblessness would likely rise, weighing on inflation but wage growth as well." (BusinessInsider) See link below.
https://www.businessinsider.com/why-americans-hate-economy-inflation-wages-recession-2023-9
Wages, inflation, and the price gouging going on in all of the "daily consumables" that make up the American grocery bills and fuel costs (not just gas, but heating oil). Price gouging is a big problem.
It's yes, yes and yes again, life's still hard.
But satisfied, dissatisfied, people will be completely nuts if they want to entrust the country and the economy to anyone else. In other words, to the very people who made such a god-awful mess of it all and now promise infinitely worse.
Sounds just like those people in Seville during the Easter Week processions screaming at the Madonna that she's failed them, she hasn't answered their prayers...
Go figure.
As I've seen the abandonment of shopping malls throughout the US, I wonder why those malls couldn't become housing for the homeless. Some of the smaller shops could convert to "women with children" groupings (or larger families), the department stores could be subdivided for individual dwellings, there are food courts to be made more healthy for food needs, restrooms could add showers, etc. There could be play centers for kids; study centers for older kids. Tell me why this couldn't work?
I read your letters so I can retain some degree of hope for the future - and in particular, for the near-future elections in 2024. But hope is getting really, really difficult. SO MUCH disinformation out there - Esp for Joe Biden who's been so damaged by the perception that he's a doddering old man (at best) and at worst, "Genocide Joe" (his new moniker on TikTok re: support for Israel). To see poll after poll, esp in the swing states, with Trump even with or even ahead of Biden? It's crazy. Absolutely crazy.
How polite, SFHaine, to call it crazy.
"Reports suggest that Card had at least a recent history of mental illness and note that his social media accounts show a history of engagement with right-wing and Republican political content."
In other words, another dumbassed MAGAt lifetime loser.
The MAGAt propaganda aims directly at the amygdala of folks like that, giving them the license to kill (in their disturbed minds.)
But his family says he was hearing voices and deteriorating rapidly. A structured way to get an immediate and competent response from law enforcement when a person is starting to decompensate would save a lot of horrible stories such as the Maine tragedy, or just sad situations of family members yelling “Don’t shoot him, he’s off his meds!” while several nervous cops are bearing down on some poor raving person, handguns drawn because they don’t know what else to do and they are trained to expect some ketamine fueled berserker. It’s a mess.
Been there/done that with my crazy brother, who finally committed suicdieby-18-wheeler, driving up the offramp to I-5 and meeting an 18 wheeler at an estimated combined impact speed of 95mph. Three different times talked the cops out of shooting him when he was out on the street acting out his hallucinations. And for my trouble in caring about him, he managed to get an order preventing me from further "harassing" six months before the inevitable end.
So sorry, similar experiences, stopped my father from killing himself 3 times, and stopped him from killing my mother once. The rules for care of SMI patients needs to be written by those who love them.
“Engagement farmers” are a symptom, not the disease, thriving on willful ignorance and intellectual laziness. Addressing “engagement farmers” however won’t solve the root cause, which I believe to be an abject lack of empathy for others. We truly must be the most self-absorbed nation in the world. Front and center, on the heels of the most deadly epidemic in living experience, fewer than 20% of Americans bothered to get a FREE improved Covid vaccine this past year. That’s right, we essentially have zero herd immunity. That is a blatant eff-you to our neighbors who are immune suppressed like some cancer and most transplant patients, as well as newborns. We are collectively unable to give a sh*t about our neighbors. What’s worse, I think we can only expect further compassion entropic doom as long as the self-appointed arbiters of morality remain solely interested in money and power, and that’s clearly here to stay. Why? Full circle, intellectual laziness and willful ignorance. Let us prey.
Heather - I watched your conversation with Katie Couric and enjoyed that you spent some time talking with her about the news business... and that she agreed it was a topic that deserves its own conversation between you two in the future. PLEASE make this happen! I really want to hear her insights regarding how Biden’s accomplishments are covered by the mainstream news... including the degree to which they aren’t covered or receive very little coverage compared to the more dramatic “clown shown” in the GOP. I think you and Katie talking about this (before the pattern of election 2024 coverage gets locked in) could make a real difference! In my opinion, reporters and editors MUST break free of their traditional “horse race reporting” mental model! 2024 is NOT “Dems vs Reps”. It’s “democracy vs authoritarianism”!