Politics It's the economy, stupid! Gas, healthcare, & chickens!

I’m glad there’s at least something on the news to distract from the market crashing, gas hitting over $5/gallon national average, and a record-breaking high inflation report all happening in the same day.

 

I got out of the market the day Trump was elected.but my retirement accounts haven't lost since....saw this coming...as to gas...it's not the 5 dollar number, it's the value of the dollar which comes after a 2+ year pandemic when 48 million lost jobs and over a million died of covid along massive forest fires that destroyed half a million homes in Oregon alone...with the trade wars stopping business as usual with China...yeah....Americans like most of the world forever might have to use public transportation for a change, drive a scooter or ride a bike and drive less in the meantime....also glad I bought a hybrid 9 years ago...preparation for the roller coaster that has always been ...you missed several lean chapters in our history because you're too young to remember but my father went through the dust bowl...3 years with no rain and I went through the Carter years trying to get ahead when the economy sucked...shit happens and this time around, we had the most corrupt leadership since JP Morgan bought a president in charge leading up to this..yeah..we get it. You're seeing democracy tested like it's never been tested before...probably the most important political event in your lifetime...but yeah.....gas! On the other hand my nephew is making 22 dollars an hour washing dishes in Redmond....that's like 5 dollar gas...just numbers...people all over the world have always paid twice what we pay for gas except for the Middle east ...most people overseas have paid at least 3 dollars a liter for decades...it's why they drive 4 cylinder cars

 

Also the largest ever Medicare hike, with the profits going straight to private insurers who donated to Biden’s campaign. It’s funny all this shit goes down at the same time as the big insurrection prime time bonanza. Impeccable timing.

 

If I didn't know any better, I'd think it was straight out of the Republican playbook..........

 

Its out of the establishment scumbag playbook, political party irrelevant. It’s just reached the point now where it’s so egregious they aren’t even trying to hide it anymore.

 

I agree 100%. This is what happens when "we" don't ever hold our so called leaders accountable. We just keep doubling and tripling down by reelecting the same scumbags. And then we wonder why things just keep getting worse......

 

J-boy just likes touting the most sensational headline talking points -- little does he know this Medicare increase was news at the end of last year, but also that there is a nearly 6% cost of living increase for those receiving social security (which also happens to be the majority of folks on these Medicare Part B premiums that he's referring to). That increase, barely more than $20/mo, will easily be covered by the COLA adjustment.

"The increase in the Part B premium for 2022 is continued evidence that rising drug costs threaten the affordability and sustainability of the Medicare program," CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said in a statement. "The Biden-Harris Administration is working to make drug prices more affordable and equitable for all Americans, and to advance drug pricing reform through competition, innovation, and transparency."

 

But none of those things teach my children to be disrespectful and hateful towards others and those who look different than do……. Like our former president did. Id’ rather my kids and myself work harder to make more money to afford life than thinking it’s ok to shit all over other human beings daily.

 

Nobody needs to be taking parenting cues from Donald Trump. It’s not the President’s job to raise people’s children, it’s the job of a father. You seem to be doing a fine job regardless of whatever clown is in office, case and point.
The President, government, whatever, should be using the billions of dollars they take from us and using it to ensure there is some semblance of a functioning economy so we can do our jobs as parents and be present. Not being able to afford food, gas or a home causes more stress and less time with our children than the little we already have. Families begin to fall apart, not everyone can handle it.
Criticism of Biden doesn’t necessarily equal praise for Trump either. You had concerns about Trump that were valid. He’s a dirtbag morally and his existence alone causes division. I think my criticisms of Biden are valid as well. He can’t string together a sentence and the country is falling apart.
Both suck, let’s find new people.

 

So Medicare did increase you say?

And what about the other things I said? Inflation? Gas prices?

You guys can’t seriously look around and think things are ok.

 

I've been looking around since 1954 and news flash...things have never been ok...things were actually worse when gas was 19 cents a gallon actually...especially for minorities and poor people. We were happy that equal rights and civil rights made some progress but now we're seeing those rights stripped away... I spent time in a country with really expensive gas and bought a motorcycle and was really happy for a stretch. If you think Chinese trade wars...the oil and wheat crunch from the Russian war and the worldwide pandemic are all on Biden it is baseless....sure he's an old guy with a speech impediment. Let's make fun of that eh......my question is why are you worried about food and a roof? Nobody I know is struggling for food or homeless. Just a bit of advice...get some chickens and grow a garden....you can even do that in containers and learn to fish...you'll feed the kids just fine. Adapt...it's the American way...I'm on medicare and haven't seen this giant travesty you talk about ....plan well and if it's not working for you in Wyoming and you've got kids...the military will give you a job with the ways and means to offer security to your children...you've mentioned this several times and I sincerely hope your kids are not hungry or homeless.

 

Tell people who rent to “get some chickens”. Tell people who live in a city to “learn to fish”. You’re being unrealistic. Look outside your own existence dude. I’ve got a good job and a stream full of fish in my backyard, not everyone does. Believe it or not I worry about more than myself.
You’re also looking at things from the past to justify our current situation. Wouldn’t you rather future generations be able to own homes and have some quality of life than to give it all a pass and quantify it being “not so bad” with some tropes from the past? Things aren’t getting better, this isn’t a “dip”. They’ve been progressively getting worse and worse for a long time.

 

move if that's your issue...advice is free..you can hang onto the futility of existence thing but it's not going to solve problems. If you can't learn from the past you'll be unable to apply the lessons of that to the future. Quality of life starts with food and shelter...if your current rental doesn't allow that...move. I advised my son to get a house before having kids...it's been a good move for him . Advice isn't debate...it's a process. Get your community to have a garden in the city...they're all over Eugene...you weed and help and everybody gets food...work in the food industry and you'll eat. Choices. To me a city in Wyoming is like a small town in California..things get better if you make life better...walk that walk. You're too young to be a "victim" of politics. We're in damage control all over the world but we're not bombed out of our homes and jobs like Ukrainians are. There are things that are way better today than in the 50s. Appreciate those and good luck finding your home.

 

You totally left out "learn to fish or join the army"

 

You keep insisting these are just my personal gripes when I’m telling you I’m actually quite comfortable compared to many. I’m saying there are other people, millions of people falling through the cracks now more than ever, and your entire premise is basically the old ‘pull yourself up by the boot straps and move’ excuse. Many people aren’t in the position to hop up and do those things. Not everyone bought cheap homes with zero credit 40 years ago that are worth 10x what they payed. Why is this so hard for you to understand?
I’m telling you an entire generation is financially fucked for life and you are saying to get chickens.

 

No johnnyboy...I'm not telling you anything I haven't told my kids and grandkids....and none of them seem to be headed for a doom and gloom life because they have pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and in many cases...moved where the could sustain it if necessary. I know you want to think I don't "understand" but in fact ...I do. No problem...not asking you to value my opinion so you do you. You're talking about my children and grandchildren and I don't see anything but great futures for them. If you know how many times in my life folks have screamed the world is ending...it becomes crying wolf after a while...this era is just another transition and people have always fallen through the cracks...especially if they live in a place like Africa. Good luck to you and anyone you know who is facing bleak horizons. oh...and get some chickens! Or barter with a farmer.

 

That's all I could ask for Bennifer!