What do you think about with current News and Opinions?

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 10, 2022

11 hours ago, Tweety said:

Okay person of that generation (don't want to violate the T.O.S).

Forget that despite knowing gas prices will go up people are willing to have that happen to support Ukraine. I've heard that over and over from my friends. We're going to whether it just fine. Might not be able to go to Starbucks every day but we can handle the high gas prices.

But also we need to acknowledge that's privilege as well.

I'm 62 and I never experienced having to wait in long gas lines, and I'd venture to say neither did about 3/4s of the country. It's not that people forgot, it's not part of our experience. (I do remember it and my father experienced it).

Even if I did experience hardship in the past worst than today, I would allow people their current pinch of having to deal with high gas prices on top of the worst inflation in 40 years, on top of coming out of a pandemic, on top of work stress, family stress and other things going on in their life.

It's not fair to blow to us off like that.

That's all I'll say about it. I'm going in to broken record routine and allow people their opinions and right to express it.

Do you think Skyler is anywhere near you in age?:):) He looks like a 30 something. Sorry if you feel as if I'm blowing you off. However you have a good job and this latest episode in the gas wars can't affect you that much. I save my sympathies for folks who have to borrow money to get back from work (been there, done that). It's a kind of stress most Americans don't have to know but when anyone has to live with that stress it's disturbing. You say that you enjoy eating good food. It just makes me think of the ditty that people who drive Volvos can't sing the blues:)

kaylee. · Mar 10, 2022

11 hours ago, Beerman said:

A concern that the wealthy won't suffer never entered my mind. Why would we want anyone, wealthy, poor, or otherwise to suffer if they don't have to?

That sentence never would have made it on to the page from most of us. That's the difference between the crazy-left and a conservative, or even a moderate liberal.

Crazy-Left Here: since this would never cross your mind naturally: inflation is the result of the decisions of 1% of the population — the business and corporate elite—and while the 99% endure the impact of rising prices, this tiny minority does not suffer from the economic realities they created.

if awareness of basic facts of economics and holding a critical view of our capitalist system makes me crazy, then awesome.

Beerman, BSN · Mar 10, 2022

17 minutes ago, kaylee. said:

Crazy-Left Here: since this would never cross your mind naturally: inflation is the result of the decisions of 1% of the population — the business and corporate elite—and while the 99% endure the impact of rising prices, this tiny minority does not suffer from the economic realities they created.

if awareness of basic facts of economics and holding a critical view of our capitalist system makes me crazy, then awesome.

Interesting. Most here, including me, are blaming inflation on supply chain disruption and pent up consumer demand becoming unleashed as the reason for today's inflation.

There are some other factors I would add in to the mix too. But, to not muddy the waters, I'll stick with what most here agree on.

So, what specific decisions that cause inflation have been made by the "business and corporate elite" ?

Beerman, BSN · Mar 10, 2022

2 hours ago, heron said:

The push for EVs resumed in the late sixties and was promptly kneecapped by - you guessed it - the oil and auto industries. As a result, we have neither the technology nor the infrastructure to make EVs affordable to anyone but the upper and upper middle classes.

It wasn't "kneecapped". Gas was cheap, and EV's could only go for 40 or 50 miles, at something around 35 to 40 mph.

They couldn't compete with gas cars.

2 hours ago, heron said:

As a result, we have neither the technology nor the infrastructure to make EVs affordable to anyone but the upper and upper middle classes.

There wasn't a market for 40mph cars that needed recharging after an hour.

kaylee. · Mar 10, 2022

7 minutes ago, Beerman said:

Interesting. Most here, including me, are blaming inflation on supply chain disruption and pent up consumer demand becoming unleashed as the reason for today's inflation.

There are some other factors I would add in to the mix too. But, to not muddy the waters, I'll stick with what most here agree on.

So, what specific decisions that cause inflation have been made by the "business and corporate elite" ?

The decisions to raise prices are made by those at the head of businesses and corporations. Sure they may blame the “supply chain”, but the reality is, the supply chain, taxes, or any other factor, caused them to incur losses, and raising prices is a way to either make profit or make up for losses.

Many losses in profit occurred during the last 2 years. After an economic downturn coupled with a pandemic, that is what happened. We now have the highest inflation rates in 40 years. I am not claiming these correlations are absolutely the only factors, but it would be naive to not consider this considering this is how capitalism works.

Beerman, BSN · Mar 10, 2022

9 minutes ago, kaylee. said:

The decisions to raise prices are made by those at the head of businesses and corporations. Sure they may blame the “supply chain”, but the reality is, the supply chain, taxes, or any other factor, caused them to incur losses, and raising prices is a way to either make profit or make up for losses.

Many losses in profit occurred during the last 2 years. After an economic downturn coupled with a pandemic, that is what happened. We now have the highest inflation rates in 40 years. I am not claiming these correlations are absolutely the only factors, but it would be naive to not consider this considering this is how capitalism works.

Count me as unimpressed with your "awareness of basic facts of economics".

Guests · Mar 10, 2022

Attorney General Merrick Garland should appoint a special counsel to investigate Trump

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/09/garland-special-counsel-trump/

It took 2 years for justice to prevail when Nixon decided that law breaking was okay if you were a good enough liar. Trump's lies and law breaking are much more dangerous for the republic and Garland needs to reassure We the People. IMV

heron, ASN, RN · Mar 10, 2022

35 minutes ago, Beerman said:

It wasn't "kneecapped". Gas was cheap, and EV's could only go for 40 or 50 miles, at something around 35 to 40 mph.

They couldn't compete with gas cars.

There wasn't a market for 40mph cars that needed recharging after an hour.

Interestingly enough, the EV that was invented 100 years ago had a range of 100 miles. EVs couldn’t compete in the sixties because automakers and petrobiz made sure of it, in my opinion.

Public transportation was cheaper than either option - and we know what happened to that.

Nope … the bed is made. Stop whining and deal with it.

Guests · Mar 10, 2022

1 hour ago, Beerman said:

Count me as unimpressed with your "awareness of basic facts of economics".

You are counted as unimpressed...

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 10, 2022

1 hour ago, heron said:

Interestingly enough, the EV that was invented 100 years ago had a range of 100 miles. EVs couldn’t compete in the sixties because automakers and petrobiz made sure of it, in my opinion.

Public transportation was cheaper than either option - and we know what happened to that.

Nope … the bed is made. Stop whining and deal with it.

Chinatown is one of the best movies ever made IMHO , because they really laid it out clearly a time in history when the oil lords made sure we were dependent on oil and the idiocy of watering a desert so people could grow almonds.

Guests · Mar 10, 2022

This should be an interesting legal discussion...

RNC sues Jan 6. committee over subpoena of data from software vendor Salesforce

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/10/rnc-sues-jan-6-committee-salesforce-vendor-republicans/

Quote

According to a copy of the complaint, the Jan. 6 committee issued a subpoena to Salesforce on Feb. 23, seeking records on performance metrics and analytics related to email campaigns by or on behalf of President Donald Trump, his presidential campaign and the RNC. In its subpoena, the Jan. 6 committee said it needed the Salesforce data to investigate whether and how Trump and the RNC used the software vendor’s platform to disseminate false statements about the 2020 election, citing evidence that many rioters were motivated by those false claims.
The RNC’s lawsuit, filed Wednesday, argues that such a request goes beyond the scope of the congressional committee’s subpoena power.

Quote

The RNC’s complaint also names House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Jan. 6 committee’s individual members. It accuses them of “attempting to kneecap the RNC for political gain while trampling on free speech and freedom of political association” by requesting the Salesforce data.

Guests · Mar 10, 2022

The online attention industry that helps Russian misinformation get traction

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/10/russia-misinformation-traction/

Quote

Immediately after making that assertion, though, he made another one: There were Pentagon-funded labs in Ukraine that “could be used” to make biological weapons. The Russian Defense Ministry released a statement alleging that labs in the country were trying to create a weaponized virus to spread into Russia via birds and animals. But, of course, the evidence of this activity was spirited away by American actors.

The first assertion (lie), that Ukraine attacked Russia was used as a precursor to russian aggression. Now they are lying about the USA.

This is so similar to the misinformation campaign of Trump and his sycophants. They are using lies about the integrity of our elections to undermine democracy in this country just like russia is using lies to destabilize democracies and justify aggressive tactics.