Price gouging as her first policy announcement? Really?

[Anonymous]

Fine with me.

Trumps plan is to create a dictatorship so my expectations are low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think she’s a communist spouting communist policies.

The new Republican talking point. It’s funny how my very Republican home state passed anti-price gouging legislation a few months ago — but I guess that’s OK for them, but not for Kamala.

Almost all state anti-price gouging laws pertain to very high price hikes put in during a declared state of emergency and do not pertain at all to periods outside that. The idea is that, for example, a gas station should not be allowed to hike its prices three times when people are fleeing a hurricane and have no alternative options to fuel their cars.

That is very different from the ban on price gouging Harris is proposing that would apply in the absence of a declared state of emergency and in the presence of a multitude of options for lower price alternatives.

That said, there are economists who believe that even the anti-price gouging laws during states of emergency actually hinder the free market from coming in and greatly increasing the supply of food and fuel available to naturally decreasing prices. (Not sure though if there has been a real life test of this).

Ok, so what is Kamala’s definition of price gouging? Why is she using an established legal term to define whatever she’s talking about?

Jesus we can’t have an intelligent conversation until you realize it’s not price gouging it’s price gauging.

Lord you people are stupid.

WTF? It's gouging.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gouging

gouging
noun
UK /ˈɡaʊ.dʒɪŋ/ US /ˈɡaʊ.dʒɪŋ/

the action of charging someone too much money for something, in a way that is dishonest or unfair:

"He has received complaints about price gouging, with some vets charging $50 per dose."

"The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee accused the banks of gouging."

Are you confused, trolling or just an idiot?

I guess you didn’t see the clip of Kamala calling it price gauging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fine with me.

Trumps plan is to create a dictatorship so my expectations are low.

Yeah. That’s totes what he wants to do. Says it right there on his platform!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually forward thinking to look at price gouging and price fixing now. Sticky prices has always been a thing in economics. For example, orange crops fail in Florida due to a weather event. Prices spike because of a shortage in supply. People blame the storm not the grocery store or farmer. Next year, crops are fine but prices do not reduce? Why? People got used to paying the higher prices. Farmers try to produce more oranges because they are profitable. Too many oranges so farmers drop prices to get grocery chains/distributors to buy their oranges. Distributors grab the lower prices but do not drop their prices. They pocket the profits. It is easier and more reliable for companies to make a higher profit margin on lower volume than lower profit on higher volume. As long as the competition doesn’t cut their prices to the consumer this model keeps working for them.

Supply/demand dynamics are broken because companies are not competing they are colluding.

This is what has been happening post COVID. It’s why many companies have been experiencing record profits. It’s unfettered capitalism at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2023, profit margins in the grocery industry hit 1.6% — the lowest level since it was 1% in 2019 — as total expenses increased, FMI found.

https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocery-industry-profit-margins-fall-to-pre-pandemic-levels-fmi/720517/#:~:text=Societal%20challenges%20like%20lack%20of,total%20expenses%20increased%2C%20FMI%20found.


Let’s get that profit margin down to zero! We don’t need greedy store owners making any profit. Groceries are a necessity.

And yet in gross dollars, they are at all time highs.

So we need to stop profits. Has Kamala told us how she is going to get food producers and grocery stores to operate without making a profit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2023, profit margins in the grocery industry hit 1.6% — the lowest level since it was 1% in 2019 — as total expenses increased, FMI found.

https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocery-industry-profit-margins-fall-to-pre-pandemic-levels-fmi/720517/#:~:text=Societal%20challenges%20like%20lack%20of,total%20expenses%20increased%2C%20FMI%20found.


Let’s get that profit margin down to zero! We don’t need greedy store owners making any profit. Groceries are a necessity.

And yet in gross dollars, they are at all time highs.

So we need to stop profits. Has Kamala told us how she is going to get food producers and grocery stores to operate without making a profit?

Just nationalize the whole thing. What could possibly go wrong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually forward thinking to look at price gouging and price fixing now. Sticky prices has always been a thing in economics. For example, orange crops fail in Florida due to a weather event. Prices spike because of a shortage in supply. People blame the storm not the grocery store or farmer. Next year, crops are fine but prices do not reduce? Why? People got used to paying the higher prices. Farmers try to produce more oranges because they are profitable. Too many oranges so farmers drop prices to get grocery chains/distributors to buy their oranges. Distributors grab the lower prices but do not drop their prices. They pocket the profits. It is easier and more reliable for companies to make a higher profit margin on lower volume than lower profit on higher volume. As long as the competition doesn’t cut their prices to the consumer this model keeps working for them.

Supply/demand dynamics are broken because companies are not competing they are colluding.

This is what has been happening post COVID. It’s why many companies have been experiencing record profits. It’s unfettered capitalism at work.

Average net profit margin in the US is approximately 7.71% across all industries. A 5% net profit margin is considered low, and 10% is considered a healthy profit margin.

How much profit do you think a company should make? Should Kamala limit profits?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think she’s a communist spouting communist policies.

The new Republican talking point. It’s funny how my very Republican home state passed anti-price gouging legislation a few months ago — but I guess that’s OK for them, but not for Kamala.

Almost all state anti-price gouging laws pertain to very high price hikes put in during a declared state of emergency and do not pertain at all to periods outside that. The idea is that, for example, a gas station should not be allowed to hike its prices three times when people are fleeing a hurricane and have no alternative options to fuel their cars.

That is very different from the ban on price gouging Harris is proposing that would apply in the absence of a declared state of emergency and in the presence of a multitude of options for lower price alternatives.

That said, there are economists who believe that even the anti-price gouging laws during states of emergency actually hinder the free market from coming in and greatly increasing the supply of food and fuel available to naturally decreasing prices. (Not sure though if there has been a real life test of this).

Ok, so what is Kamala’s definition of price gouging? Why is she using an established legal term to define whatever she’s talking about?

Jesus we can’t have an intelligent conversation until you realize it’s not price gouging it’s price gauging.

Lord you people are stupid.

WTF? It's gouging.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gouging

gouging
noun
UK /ˈɡaʊ.dʒɪŋ/ US /ˈɡaʊ.dʒɪŋ/

the action of charging someone too much money for something, in a way that is dishonest or unfair:

"He has received complaints about price gouging, with some vets charging $50 per dose."

"The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee accused the banks of gouging."

Are you confused, trolling or just an idiot?

I guess you didn’t see the clip of Kamala calling it price gauging.

How does she plan to ban price “gaging?” Any links to her policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually forward thinking to look at price gouging and price fixing now. Sticky prices has always been a thing in economics. For example, orange crops fail in Florida due to a weather event. Prices spike because of a shortage in supply. People blame the storm not the grocery store or farmer. Next year, crops are fine but prices do not reduce? Why? People got used to paying the higher prices. Farmers try to produce more oranges because they are profitable. Too many oranges so farmers drop prices to get grocery chains/distributors to buy their oranges. Distributors grab the lower prices but do not drop their prices. They pocket the profits. It is easier and more reliable for companies to make a higher profit margin on lower volume than lower profit on higher volume. As long as the competition doesn’t cut their prices to the consumer this model keeps working for them.

Supply/demand dynamics are broken because companies are not competing they are colluding.

This is what has been happening post COVID. It’s why many companies have been experiencing record profits. It’s unfettered capitalism at work.

well then consumers adjust and substitute - also capitalism. I stopped using door dash and eating out because it’s too expensive. I cook at home but opt for Amazon Fresh and TJ because they are cheaper. eventually the market will adjust to this too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually forward thinking to look at price gouging and price fixing now. Sticky prices has always been a thing in economics. For example, orange crops fail in Florida due to a weather event. Prices spike because of a shortage in supply. People blame the storm not the grocery store or farmer. Next year, crops are fine but prices do not reduce? Why? People got used to paying the higher prices. Farmers try to produce more oranges because they are profitable. Too many oranges so farmers drop prices to get grocery chains/distributors to buy their oranges. Distributors grab the lower prices but do not drop their prices. They pocket the profits. It is easier and more reliable for companies to make a higher profit margin on lower volume than lower profit on higher volume. As long as the competition doesn’t cut their prices to the consumer this model keeps working for them.

Supply/demand dynamics are broken because companies are not competing they are colluding.

This is what has been happening post COVID. It’s why many companies have been experiencing record profits. It’s unfettered capitalism at work.

Average net profit margin in the US is approximately 7.71% across all industries. A 5% net profit margin is considered low, and 10% is considered a healthy profit margin.

How much profit do you think a company should make? Should Kamala limit profits?

DP
I’m sure they’d want everything limited by her. As long as it’s her and not Trump. Me, I love me some capitalism. You couldn’t pay me to vote for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually forward thinking to look at price gouging and price fixing now. Sticky prices has always been a thing in economics. For example, orange crops fail in Florida due to a weather event. Prices spike because of a shortage in supply. People blame the storm not the grocery store or farmer. Next year, crops are fine but prices do not reduce? Why? People got used to paying the higher prices. Farmers try to produce more oranges because they are profitable. Too many oranges so farmers drop prices to get grocery chains/distributors to buy their oranges. Distributors grab the lower prices but do not drop their prices. They pocket the profits. It is easier and more reliable for companies to make a higher profit margin on lower volume than lower profit on higher volume. As long as the competition doesn’t cut their prices to the consumer this model keeps working for them.

Supply/demand dynamics are broken because companies are not competing they are colluding.

This is what has been happening post COVID. It’s why many companies have been experiencing record profits. It’s unfettered capitalism at work.

well then consumers adjust and substitute - also capitalism. I stopped using door dash and eating out because it’s too expensive. I cook at home but opt for Amazon Fresh and TJ because they are cheaper. eventually the market will adjust to this too.

This is exactly what should happen. But some of these Dems think certain products and services should be available to everyone. There is no more “don’t buy it if you can’t afford it”. It’s now “we’ll do everything to make it affordable for you.” Like housing. They think everyone is entitled to live in Bethesda or Potomac. It’s nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually forward thinking to look at price gouging and price fixing now. Sticky prices has always been a thing in economics. For example, orange crops fail in Florida due to a weather event. Prices spike because of a shortage in supply. People blame the storm not the grocery store or farmer. Next year, crops are fine but prices do not reduce? Why? People got used to paying the higher prices. Farmers try to produce more oranges because they are profitable. Too many oranges so farmers drop prices to get grocery chains/distributors to buy their oranges. Distributors grab the lower prices but do not drop their prices. They pocket the profits. It is easier and more reliable for companies to make a higher profit margin on lower volume than lower profit on higher volume. As long as the competition doesn’t cut their prices to the consumer this model keeps working for them.

Supply/demand dynamics are broken because companies are not competing they are colluding.

This is what has been happening post COVID. It’s why many companies have been experiencing record profits. It’s unfettered capitalism at work.

well then consumers adjust and substitute - also capitalism. I stopped using door dash and eating out because it’s too expensive. I cook at home but opt for Amazon Fresh and TJ because they are cheaper. eventually the market will adjust to this too.

Collusion at the processing and distribution layer is not capitalism, it’s price fixing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Language warning

Noooooo grocery stores are making a whopping 1.6% margin of profit, prosecutor Kamala needs to make profit illegal and tell the food producers and sellers to operate at a loss. The fed gov operates in the red to the tune of trillions…so can farmers and factories and food processing companies and grocery stores. Simple. Solved. Success!

Can they print their own money out of thin air like the government does?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Language warning

Noooooo grocery stores are making a whopping 1.6% margin of profit, prosecutor Kamala needs to make profit illegal and tell the food producers and sellers to operate at a loss. The fed gov operates in the red to the tune of trillions…so can farmers and factories and food processing companies and grocery stores. Simple. Solved. Success!

Can they print their own money out of thin air like the government does?

Have you heard of Schrute Bucks and Stanley Nickles?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Language warning

Noooooo grocery stores are making a whopping 1.6% margin of profit, prosecutor Kamala needs to make profit illegal and tell the food producers and sellers to operate at a loss. The fed gov operates in the red to the tune of trillions…so can farmers and factories and food processing companies and grocery stores. Simple. Solved. Success!

Can they print their own money out of thin air like the government does?

Have you heard of Schrute Bucks and Stanley Nickles?

Should make them with Trump’s face so you’re trading only with normal folks. Weirdos wouldn’t touch them.