All purpose news and politics thread part VII: News & Politics Total Landscaping

[Catlady in training]

Oh god.

Social media is FULL of actors whose sole goal is to destabilize the west. Of course social media is full of people saying their wages did not go up BECAUSE THEY ARE IN EFFING RUSSIA AREN'T THEY SHOOSHOO

Internet Research Agency (not to be confused with the other IRA terrorists)

[numberthirty]

Oh god.

Social media is FULL of actors whose sole goal is to destabilize the west. Of course social media is full of people saying their wages did not go up BECAUSE THEY ARE IN EFFING RUSSIA AREN'T THEY SHOOSHOO

You believe what people say on social media? ON SOCIAL MEDIA? Seriously?

Let me guess...

They are so good at working towards said goal that they gamed US polling?

https://news.gallup.com/poll/609221/...americans.aspx

Economic Mood Improves, but Inflation Still Vexing Americans

Currently, 63% of Americans say the economy is getting worse, 30% say it is improving, and 4% think it is staying the same. Last month, 68% of Americans thought the economy was worsening.

Despite modest improvements in Americans’ views of the national economic situation, there has been little change in the percentage who characterize recent price increases as a personal hardship.

Data from a nationally representative Jan. 2-16 web survey using Gallup's probability-based panel show 63% of U.S. adults say recent price increases have caused financial hardship for their family. This includes 17% who say it is a severe hardship affecting their ability to maintain their standard of living and 46% who report it is a moderate hardship but does not jeopardize their standard of living. Another 37% of Americans say inflation is not a hardship at all.

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/22/12458...their-politics

Four 'American Indicators' share their view of the U.S. economy — and their politics

Lee Camp is a housing attorney in St. Louis. In his city, he says, rents keep increasing and the availability of housing is decreasing.

"I'm certainly not hearing anyone in the renter space, particularly the low-income renter space, excited about the direction of the economy," he says.

Things have improved since the summer of 2021, when he first spoke with NPR. At the time, his office's phones were being inundated with people asking for housing assistance, as a pandemic moratorium on evictions ended. In 2024, he says it's still a tumultuous time.

"What is extremely unfortunate at this point is that the eviction filings themselves are as high as I've ever seen them in my career."

According to the Eviction Lab, which tracks eviction filings, there were 1,288 eviction filings in the past month, 124% of average filings for the same month before the pandemic.

"It certainly worries me that still our most vulnerable individuals — that's renters that are low-income individuals — are experiencing homelessness, that they're really still having a tough time and that systems like the courts and evictions are still dominating their narrative and their experience of the economy right now."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-b...ges-inflation/

Voters remember Trump's economy as being better than Biden's. Here's what the data shows.

In fact, almost 6 in 10 voters polled by CBS News described the U.S. economy under Biden as bad, even as economists' views are much more upbeat due to the nation's stronger-than-expected GDP and low unemployment. Instead of entering a recession, as many economists had predicted last year, the economy appears to be on track to generate continued growth and more jobs while inflation recedes.

[achilles]

Apparently they now know the exact location, but it is both night now and still extremely foggy.

I for one won't cry over "The Butcher of Tehran".

[shooshoomanjoe]

You believe what people say on social media? ON SOCIAL MEDIA? Seriously?

Well, the only social media I like is youtube and some forums. But the news also mentions how American are struggling more now than in the past. What do you all do that you're coasting fine with this record inflation?

[Wildling]

Well, the only social media I like is youtube and some forums. But the news also mentions how American are struggling more now than in the past. What do you all do that you're coasting fine with this record inflation?

Ohhh the scary news. Care to name the outlets to see if they have a bad legacy media record, recently or historically?

And I go daily to Shitter, I mean Xitter, Youtube and this forum, mostly for entertainment, and I already know to have a critical thinking shield up at all times against anything that isn't what I already know is a responsible, reliable, resourceful entity. Won't name anybody here.

[CaptainEurope]

I for one won't cry over "The Butcher of Tehran".

Oh he's dead as a door nail.

[CaptainEurope]

ICC seeks arrest warrants against Sinwar and Netanyahu for war crimes over October 7 attack and Gaza war

The warrants against the Israeli politicians mark the first time the ICC has targeted the top leader of a close ally of the United States. The decision puts Netanyahu in the company of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, for who the ICC issued an arrest warrant over Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

A panel of ICC judges will now consider Khan’s application for the arrest warrants.

Khan said the charges against Sinwar, Haniyeh and al-Masri include “extermination, murder, taking of hostages, rape and sexual assault in detention.”

“The world was shocked on the 7th of October when people were ripped from their bedrooms, from their homes, from the different kibbutzim in Israel,” Khan told Amanpour, adding that “people have suffered enormously.”

The charges against Netanyahu and Gallant include “causing extermination, causing starvation as a method of war, including the denial of humanitarian relief supplies, deliberately targeting civilians in conflict,” Khan told Amanpour.

[Tami]

Oh he's dead as a door nail.

Live Updates: Raisi Dies in Crash, Iranian State Media Report

[Dalak]

You got a study, I got a study.

Corporate profits have contributed disproportionately to inflation.

It is not universal and not with all things. But clearly when some prices outpace inflation by 2 or 3 times, and corporations' profits surge, it is clear that they are taking advantage of inflation to raise prices far beyond their cost increases.

It is apparent in the grocery store when we see some products, like dairy or corn chips (both completely domesticate products) double in price that it is not just inflation. I think people could have dealt with prices that rose just with inflation, but many corporations saw that as an opportunity to raise them more.

Both articles cite the same study.

The first article in particular referenced other studies that showed somewhat different results.

Based on that, Greedflation can't be termed a progressive myth. At all.

I, and I don't think anyone, is blaming inflation on greed alone. What we are saying is corporations used inflation to raise prices much more than their costs would deem necessary. The increase in profits alone is proof of that. They didn't just passed costs on to consumers, they increased profits on the backs of buyers.

I agree.

The area of contention is the mark-ups by the producers and why or if they should have come down post pandemic.

There's obviously price gouging going on and it's a driver of inflation but how much its driving overall inflation is the question.

Most prices do go up yearly.
Generally around September.

In my case-my insurance goes up at the start of September.
Some like to jack up prices around February like Direct Tv.

Generally it's a SMALL amount. However we have seen case where it has gone up way too much and the shield being used is inflation.

The new HV/AC Unit system I just got would have cost me about $7K before Inflation. I lucked out and got it for 11K.


Stuff like AC units & cars have tripled the price since Covid. That is where folks are pointing out about companies being greedy.

Why do you think McDonalds is trying a $5 meal?
Because like others their prices have gotten to be the same as Chili's.

Oldtimer with cheese and fries and a drink is the same as a Whataburger or Quarterpounder with Cheese meal.
Heck it's CHEAPER in my city to go to Chili's and wait and get a bigger burger and fries.

Yet it's Biden's fault???

NO that is companies being greedy and its a matter of time before they have to lower prices because folks will stop paying them.

Thanks to you all for providing important context! That this is coming from a poster who often attacks liberal/progressive ideas ("Woke" & Trans in Sports to the point of defending Chess Trans Bans), falls for conservative tricks (Biden's not withholding any weapons), and has a few other ticks that seem to indicate they aren't wholly honest is more useful context.

Trump at NRA convention floats a 3-term presidency

If Trump gets a second presidency, I don't think the electoral system will be capable of electing Obama to a third term after Project 2025 style thinking is done with it.

Attachment 139604

Godspeed, WBE. I'm glad he stopped before his liver saw this.

I hope he'll be back soon, but only time will tell.

Oh he's dead as a door nail.

Live Updates: Raisi Dies in Crash, Iranian State Media Report

I doubt this will affect Iranian foreign policy overmuch, but it could shake things up a bit one way or another.

In the middle of widely publicized college protests, President Biden continues to hide in his basement.

Just kidding. He went to one of those colleges today and delivered the commencement address at Morehouse.



He touched on the protests, as well as the situation in Gaza.

CNN was REALLY hoping for major protests during the speech. You could feel their disappointment when their on-the-ground reporter told them that all that happened as about half a dozen students sitting with their backs turned to Biden, out of about 500 in the audience.

A President acting Presidential, how'd this become something unusual?

A LOOMING DISASTER AT THE ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

This is horrifying, and I don't think Putin will care a whit even if Russians get caught in the fallout.

[Dalak]

Maybe on your next visit to the US, go to Detroit. I hear the Motown museum is fun. Plus, you could ask autoworkers about their raises.

Reminder: Joe Biden actually joined the picket line. I could not see my supposed "Social Democrat" chancellor do that.

First result on Google, take that as you will:

Difference between the inflation rate and growth of wages in the United States from March 2020 to March 2024

Attachment 139607

Thanks for providing some important context!

So you don't believe the Government statistics? Do you also think they are lying about the Unemployment rate and the decrease in inflation.
How about the DOW doubling under Biden? Is that a hoax as well.

I think we should just see what the 8 people who post on this thread get and consider that the answer to wages in America. Right?

No I didn't. I see a lot of folks on social media stating their paycheck doesn't stretch as far as it used to. Outside of the great recession, I've never seen that before.

In no way is the bolded a reply to the post they are replying to. This is a worrying habit.

In my best (or worst) Casey Kasem impersonation: "And now, here's a song that's rocketing up the Top 40 charts:

https://x.com/i/status/1791982077489156322

My new leader for "Song of the Year".

This was hilarious, and a bit of an ear worm.

Internet Research Agency (not to be confused with the other IRA terrorists)

Pretty much the best way to sum up how pervasive Russian internet trolls have become. I suspect there are some on these boards as we sporadically get 'new' posters posting like they've been reading/posting here and stirring up trouble only to get quickly banned. I have no idea who they could be and I'm making no accusations.

Ohhh the scary news. Care to name the outlets to see if they have a bad legacy media record, recently or historically?

And I go daily to Shitter, I mean Xitter, Youtube and this forum, mostly for entertainment, and I already know to have a critical thinking shield up at all times against anything that isn't what I already know is a responsible, reliable, resourceful entity. Won't name anybody here.

This would be a good idea. It would help to show if it's just "Googles for stories that crap on Biden" or not.

ICC seeks arrest warrants against Sinwar and Netanyahu for war crimes over October 7 attack and Gaza war

This is about the best way to do this to avoid the attacks of Antisemitism or favoring Hamas while attacking Israel. Not that it'll work, but you can see the attempt.

[Username taken]

ICC seeks arrest warrants against Sinwar and Netanyahu for war crimes over October 7 attack and Gaza war

This is good.

It might not amount to anything but this is an important step towards justice.