What if I told you that the 3-4 corporations that control our food supply increased prices to punish voters for not voting for a Republican in 2020? It’s been in the playbook for well over 30 years. Some musicians have even written songs with lyrics that discuss this technique.
That’s asking for a lot of sources and a compilation of research as to how I came to my inference on an internet comment. I don’t have the time to accommodate all of that, but this article touches on the corporate greed aspect somewhat concisely: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/price-of-food
Songs regarding what I’m talking about… off the top of my head the one I think of first is Propaghandi - “A People’s History of the World.” The last lyrics:
*"Yeah, you can vote however the fuck you want
But power still calls all the shots
And believe it or not
Even if democracy broke loose
They’ll just make the economy scream
Until we vote responsibly"*
I also think of Fugazi - “Merchandise”
*
“Merchandise, it keeps us in line
Common sense says it’s by design
What could a businessman ever want more
Than to have us sucking in his store”*
So I agree that food in the US is 100% run by monopolies. Just look at Tyson. What I’d like a source for though personally, is your claim that these monopolies have “had it in the playbook for thirty years” to punish voters for not voting Republican. That specific part is the aspect that I think you actually need to source. It’s quite a claim.
Well you’re a different person than who I initially replied to, but that’s ok. I don’t have a source for my claim that this has been in the playbook for 30 years (really I meant since Reagan, so 40 would have been more accurate), similar to how I don’t have a source for the claim that media paid for and created by and for capitalistic interest is not likely to accurately or fairly paint truly leftist viewpoints. Things will always be painted to say “see, look how great capitalism is; and look how bad socialism is!” It’s one of those logical conclusions one should arrive at when considering an oligarchy bordering on feudalism. Just like the media propaganda of “see how great capitalism is” refuses to acknowledge any counter-point, the same tactic has been used over and over again on questions of the economy and executive branch with who’s in power at the time of the question being asked.
One can easily arrive at the conclusion that companies standing to earn higher profits by cutting regulations, busting unions, and squeezing people for basic necessities (all things the Republicans love doing), would make decisions that try to sway or influence voters based on swings in the left or right wing of our right-wing government. You want people to vote for the candidate that will de-regulate and make things easier for your business four years from now… blame the rising cost of goods on the party that’s trying to regulate you and make things more difficult for your business interests; bonus if you can collect more money while doing so.
At first my brain started assuming you were just memeing a monologue from Deus Ex, then I realized this was an original comment. How sad is that? It must be here.
…just without the neat cyberpunk stuff.
And this was the game written on the premise “…where every conspiracy theory is real.” Lol
I don’t think corporate greed is a poor excuse though.
All prices in the UK have gone up by substantial amounts over the last 5 years. While at the same time these massive corporations have recorded record profits.
If the price increases were purely inflation then it would stand to reason that profits wouldn’t have gone up so much. Clearly they’ve used inflation as an excuse to squeeze consumers as much as possible.
I am talking generally here and not specifically about eggs.
Is it truly your belief that corporations were not greedy over the last 15 years, but somehow got really greedy at the same time that there were major supply chain shocks across the planet? Or is it more likely that “corporate greed” is a more enticing answer to a complex economic problem?
If the price increases were purely inflation then it would stand to reason that profits wouldn’t have gone up so much
During inflation, the value of EVERYTHING goes up. Companies pull in more money because money is not worth as much as it was
Definitely some greed. One grocery store here charges 50% more than the other just because (imagine: it’s a Kroger owned store). Neither store is a discount or lower-end store either. Ridiculous.
And coincidentally (or no really coincidentally at all), OP’s pic looks like a Kroger owned store too based on the price tag and the inconvenience sticker. Shocker that they’d charge that price 🙄
Actual inflation or inflation mixed with greedy price increases?
Yes.
What if I told you that the 3-4 corporations that control our food supply increased prices to punish voters for not voting for a Republican in 2020? It’s been in the playbook for well over 30 years. Some musicians have even written songs with lyrics that discuss this technique.
Do you have any sources for this? Also the songs that mention it? I’d like to read more about this
Sources for my claim?
That’s asking for a lot of sources and a compilation of research as to how I came to my inference on an internet comment. I don’t have the time to accommodate all of that, but this article touches on the corporate greed aspect somewhat concisely: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/price-of-food
https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/COST/costco/revenue - is a good way to look at profits at a high level for the 4 major grocers (Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Albertsons) - https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IB_2111_FoodMonoSeries1-SUPERMARKETS-V2FINAL.pdf. This touches more on the aspect of food monopolies specifically: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/jul/14/food-monopoly-meals-profits-data-investigation - the monopolies go beyond just food.
Songs regarding what I’m talking about… off the top of my head the one I think of first is Propaghandi - “A People’s History of the World.” The last lyrics:
*"Yeah, you can vote however the fuck you want But power still calls all the shots And believe it or not
Even if democracy broke loose They’ll just make the economy scream Until we vote responsibly"*
I also think of Fugazi - “Merchandise” * “Merchandise, it keeps us in line Common sense says it’s by design What could a businessman ever want more Than to have us sucking in his store”*
So I agree that food in the US is 100% run by monopolies. Just look at Tyson. What I’d like a source for though personally, is your claim that these monopolies have “had it in the playbook for thirty years” to punish voters for not voting Republican. That specific part is the aspect that I think you actually need to source. It’s quite a claim.
Well you’re a different person than who I initially replied to, but that’s ok. I don’t have a source for my claim that this has been in the playbook for 30 years (really I meant since Reagan, so 40 would have been more accurate), similar to how I don’t have a source for the claim that media paid for and created by and for capitalistic interest is not likely to accurately or fairly paint truly leftist viewpoints. Things will always be painted to say “see, look how great capitalism is; and look how bad socialism is!” It’s one of those logical conclusions one should arrive at when considering an oligarchy bordering on feudalism. Just like the media propaganda of “see how great capitalism is” refuses to acknowledge any counter-point, the same tactic has been used over and over again on questions of the economy and executive branch with who’s in power at the time of the question being asked.
One can easily arrive at the conclusion that companies standing to earn higher profits by cutting regulations, busting unions, and squeezing people for basic necessities (all things the Republicans love doing), would make decisions that try to sway or influence voters based on swings in the left or right wing of our right-wing government. You want people to vote for the candidate that will de-regulate and make things easier for your business four years from now… blame the rising cost of goods on the party that’s trying to regulate you and make things more difficult for your business interests; bonus if you can collect more money while doing so.
Capitalism is fucking disgusting.
At first my brain started assuming you were just memeing a monologue from Deus Ex, then I realized this was an original comment. How sad is that? It must be here.
…just without the neat cyberpunk stuff.
And this was the game written on the premise “…where every conspiracy theory is real.” Lol
It’s just inflation. Corporate greed is a poor excuse for price increases
It’s actually just corporate greed. The “inflation” is the excuse.
So it’s your opinion that corporations were not greedy before 2020?
Ok thanks.
I don’t think corporate greed is a poor excuse though.
All prices in the UK have gone up by substantial amounts over the last 5 years. While at the same time these massive corporations have recorded record profits.
If the price increases were purely inflation then it would stand to reason that profits wouldn’t have gone up so much. Clearly they’ve used inflation as an excuse to squeeze consumers as much as possible.
I am talking generally here and not specifically about eggs.
Is it truly your belief that corporations were not greedy over the last 15 years, but somehow got really greedy at the same time that there were major supply chain shocks across the planet? Or is it more likely that “corporate greed” is a more enticing answer to a complex economic problem?
During inflation, the value of EVERYTHING goes up. Companies pull in more money because money is not worth as much as it was
Definitely some greed. One grocery store here charges 50% more than the other just because (imagine: it’s a Kroger owned store). Neither store is a discount or lower-end store either. Ridiculous.
And coincidentally (or no really coincidentally at all), OP’s pic looks like a Kroger owned store too based on the price tag and the inconvenience sticker. Shocker that they’d charge that price 🙄
Why not both?