Grocery Prices have soared.

[Moonglow]

My friend in Florida was disabled now she's 66 I think she gets ss now not disability. Don't cry for her. Uber rides to the doctors 5 days a week. $500 customized gym shoes because she has diabetes. Free Ozempic.

Do you know High Pitch Eric on the Howard Stern show? It is frustrating sometimes to see someone like this on disability getting to live a life of leisure that you and I can't afford.

Or my 350 lb neighbor who said she's got to be careful and not loose too much weight or they might make her go back to work. I think it should be mandatory she lose the weight or lose the benefits. That'll make her think twice before drinking that diet coke or star buck Mocha frapachino.

I got nine hundred a month for disability and had a twelve year old kid to raise as a single parent. I had no goodies to consume.

 

[sealybobo]

I got nine hundred a month for disability and had a twelve year old kid to raise as a single parent. I had no goodies to consume.

This woman has a rich sister who bought her condo but wasn't spoiling her in 2022. I went back last month and I think the sister has raised her allowance.

Either that or things got better when she turned 65? Is that possible?

I think her sister is giving her more money.

And guess what? Now she's doing crack with her disposable income.

 

[sealybobo]

It didn't cause all of it no. But it dang sure caused some of it. And his policies are not conducive to the free market bringing it naturally down and will continue to exacerbate the difficulties put on American citizens.

Most of Trump's policies helped everybody of all demographics and socioeconomic groups.

I can't think of ANY Biden policies that are helping anybody other than a favored very few. And what he says he intends to do will not help but will most likely make things worse.

Do not expect unregulated free market capitalism to bring down prices. That's libertarian bullshit.

 

[sealybobo]

President Joe Biden is regularly promoting signs of a strengthening economy and easing inflation, but when it comes to the indicator closest to home, it’s a tough sell.

The surge in grocery prices since just before the Covid lockdown has been stunning: up more than 25%, a full 5 percentage points more than consumer prices overall.

Yep, the economy is doing just great, it's just your pocketbook that's suffering.

MSN

Here is how a strong middle class emerges.

Volkswagen Chattanooga Workers Request Union Election With UAW​

The union is hoping to parlay its strike against the "Big Three" into a historic organizing success in the U.S. South.

When American workers down south have had enough. Oh, and when they do wake up, Republicans will say that the corporations will just move overseas. But that contradicts what Trump is saying. He says he will increase tariffs 100%. So companies going overseas is not an option. Like China says, if they want to sell their stuff here, they have to make it here. Hire Chinese workers. Makes sense.

 

[AveMarica]

Or my 350 lb neighbor who said she's got to be careful and not loose too much weight or they might make her go back to work. I think it should be mandatory she lose the weight or lose the benefits. That'll make her think twice before drinking that diet coke or star buck Mocha frapachino.

I guess the only solace here is that she is likely to die young and have less time to bleed the system.

I wonder why they believe she can't work, there are plenty of jobs where you mostly sit in a chair, and there are plenty of overweight people who do work.

 

[sealybobo]

I lived through Carter and Reagan and you will live also.

I think he is going to be getting a teachers pension so he will survive. They may not get the big raises but they'll get a pension for life after they retire. That's something right?

Even if they cut his social security 25% that pension he gets will make him be able to survive. And he didn't want to be in a union. Thank God for that union huh?

I wonder if he gets social security too.

Teachers' eligibility for social security coverage depends on what state and school district they work in. Some states provide coverage to teachers while others do not, and a small number of states have a mixed landscape where some districts in the state have coverage and others do not.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Wrong. Why, when it is so easy to find the FACTS?

In general the recommended amounts for certain categories are:

• Housing costs: 25-30%
• Food: 10-20%
• Transportation: 15-20%
• Giving: 10%
• Insurance: 3-5%

 

[sealybobo]

I guess the only solace here is that she is likely to die young and have less time to bleed the system.

I wonder why they believe she can't work, there are plenty of jobs where you mostly sit in a chair, and there are plenty of overweight people who do work.

She was working, running her own salon. Then Covid hit and/or the Kroger in her strip mall closed and she went in to the doctor and found all kinds of problems. A lot going wrong. I believe she has Lupis? And she doesn't have circulation in her fingers. My god all these years and she gets a free gym membership and she's always talking about how great pool aerobics are but my god you're just as fat as you were when you first got on disability.

She got a doctor to say she qualifies. That's all that matters. Did the doctor say it's her fault? I don't think they care why you are disabled right? Of course it's her fault.

 

[AveMarica]

Hire Chinese workers. Makes sense.

It worked before, at least until the agitator Kwai Chang Caine showed up and started rocking the boat.

 

[sealybobo]

It worked before, at least until the agitator Kwai Chang Caine showed up and started rocking the boat.

View attachment 918908

Largest supermarket merger in U.S. history will eliminate competition and raise grocery prices for millions of Americans, while harming tens of thousands of workers, FTC alleges

Kroger Company’s $24.6 billion acquisition of the Albertsons Companies, Inc.—alleging that the deal is anticompetitive.

“This supermarket mega merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years. Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today,” said Henry Liu, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.”

 

[sealybobo]

Kroger made $2.2B in profits in 2022​

 

[Foxfyre]

Do not expect unregulated free market capitalism to bring down prices. That's libertarian bullshit.

It always has. No reason to believe that won't continue.

 

[sealybobo]

It always has. No reason to believe that won't continue.

Well now is it's chance. I want to see smaller newer better more innovative Americans start inventing products that are cheaper and better.

I think someone could come out with a Frosted Flakes type cereal that only costs $1.50 a box. And still make a good profit.

How come no one is inventing a knock off of TikTock?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

It always has. No reason to believe that won't continue.

it has?

Can you give some actual examples.

 

[sealybobo]

I lived through Carter and Reagan and you will live also.

Actually maybe he isn't going to get social security

Massachusetts is one of a handful of “non-Social Security” states. This means that you, as a member of a contributory retirement system, pay into our system instead of Social Security; you do not earn any Social Security “credits” or “quarters” for your MTRS contributions or service. However, you may have earned Social Security credits through other employment. If you are eligible for Social Security benefits, you may be subject to one of two Social Security “double-dipping” laws: the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset.

 

[22lcidw]

Only because you have made it one. Because to be honest, the economy is fine. And what's wrong with it, is because you don't support middle class. Now Trump wants to pretend by going after illegals that's going to fix their problems? We debate enough here that you know illegals aren't their problem. Unemployment is really low so wages are already up as far as they are going to go. The Feds raised interest rates to cool down the economy. We have not suffered as much as we could have fixing inflation. It could be a lot worse. Like how it was when Carter was in office.

The middle class better not get duped. They need to organize and corporations need to be better regulated. Trump won't fix shit. But Republicans will still claim he made America great. That's what's scary. We know even if Trump does a lousy job, Republicans will say he's great. Like Putin supporters.

Progs play group warfare between the working-class economic levels. Forgiving college tuition, pushing 4-day work weeks, etc, etc.

 

[sealybobo]

Progs play group warfare between the working-class economic levels. Forgiving college tuition, pushing 4-day work weeks, etc, etc.

Class warfare exists even if you don't realize it bub.

The rich/corporations waged war on us starting in the late 70's. They got Bush elected too and he really pushed their agenda. And don't forget who was president between them.

"I think Bill Clinton was a great president,’" Trump said in the interview that was conducted shortly after the 2008 presidential election on NY1's "Inside City Hall" program.

"You know, you look at the country then. The economy was doing great. Look at what happened during the Clinton years. I mean we had no war, the economy was doing great, everybody was happy. A lot of people hated him because they were jealous as hell,’" Trump said.

 

[22lcidw]

Class warfare exists even if you don't realize it bub.

The rich/corporations waged war on us starting in the late 70's. They got Bush elected too and he really pushed their agenda. And don't forget who was president between them.

"I think Bill Clinton was a great president,’" Trump said in the interview that was conducted shortly after the 2008 presidential election on NY1's "Inside City Hall" program.

"You know, you look at the country then. The economy was doing great. Look at what happened during the Clinton years. I mean we had no war, the economy was doing great, everybody was happy. A lot of people hated him because they were jealous as hell,’" Trump said.

Once we stopped with pax Americana the competition overseas overwhelmed us. They did it cheaper and even better in many ways.

 

[Markle]

Kroger made $2.2B in profits in 2022​

How much in total sales, or doesn't that matter?

What is the average net profit margin for a grocery chain?

 

[sealybobo]

On how much in total sales? What is the average net profit margin for a grocery chain?

IDK but they are raking it in.

I remember Farmer Jacks broke their union back in the 70's or 80's. My aunt worked for them. Single mom was able to raise 2 kids working at Farmer Jacks. That's not possible today right?