Wife just arrived from the grocery store in tears. Not particularly unusual, but what she said when she walked in gave me pause. She said, "I know now why these young people are voting for socialists. Ground beef is fifteen bucks a pound and chicken isn't much better". Her words hit a chord with me. Now fact is, I have personally reaped the benefits of a capitalist way of life simply because I worked myself hard to earn it. I also played a big role in the Army defeating the Soviet empire. I know what true socialism means and the only people that stand to reap the rewards are those at the top. Socialism is the ultimate pyramid scam. I know that. Capitalism is the only way the everyday man can make something of himself... If he wants it. Now I also know that my youngest son earns $18.00 an hour and I have to financially prop up his family every other week or so. I also know that when I started my life's journey that I could feed a family on less than thirty bucks a week. My wife just spent $600.00 to feed my family of four this week. And we all know that it isn't just groceries. I could go on but I am not telling anyone anything that they don't know. Fact is, if we cannot figure out how to make life affordable for young families to make their way, then you can bet these young Americans will be looking hard at socialists promises of prosperity for all. And I can understand why. Fact is, young voters now outnumber us baby boomers. That is a fact that needs to sink in. Folks we can preach all we want about the benefits of capitalism. And fact is, that was the engine that has run this proud nation for 250 years. But if we cannot figure out how to make life affordable for these young folks, you can bet they will turn to the empty promises of socialists. And that paints a dark future for America.
Wow, Randy. I feel like there are only 3 conclusions I can draw from that fact. Either, I am completely out of touch with current reality, There was something special about this week’s shopping list, or You are living higher on the hog than you did on the old days. Is it really that bad out there, or is this an exceptional week?
1) I too am out of touch with current reality. If I was doing the shopping and cooking, this family would have Mac & cheese four nights a week. 2) In fairness last week was missed because we were at the island. The kids are going back to school so school lunches were added to the list…. And my wife feels the need to accommodate our girls fancy diet. She can’t stand seeing that child not eat dinner so she effectively makes two meals a night. One for us and one for her. It’s nuts, but I just live here. 3) Not high on the hog but far better than I did the first fifty years of my life!
Thanks for explaining, Randy. I know what it’s like to let the wife placate the young one’s. Happy wife, happy life. Missing the shopping trip also explains a lot. I feel a little better in that I probably don’t need as radical a recalibration as I thought I might.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. Many of us have only lived through capitalism as market crash after crash, corporate bailout on our dime, and impossible costs of living. I recently saw this piece about financial dependence on parents, and was quite shocked to see over 50% of millennials had some financial dependence and even 1/3 of gen x adults (currently aged 45-61) depend on their parents to some degree financially. https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...lennials-money-help-from-parents/90511736007/ I don't think we can look at those massive and disturbing numbers and say "it's just lazy people." Something is fundamentally broken with the U.S. economy in its current state, and it's not about who's in charge, it goes much deeper than that.
What a load of crap. Capitalism isn't perfect, but it is the best economic system in existence. I'd like to know what sort of economic system you would replace it with that works any better. And please don't tell me "socialism", "communism" or anything along those lines because history has proven they don't work.
15 bucks a lb. for ground beef? I just bought Ribeye steaks this weekend for $17.95 a lb. (USDA Prime Grade @ that). I think somebody's wife needs to shop around.
Careful sayin' steak round Randy . . . Makes his mouth water. He just might take yer arm off . . . Jaws like.
The reason this is happening started in 1934. Lefttist President FDR, seized all private gold, then revaluated it to $35 @ oz, after US Govt. ripoff. Before that the POTUS melted down all the 1933 Double Eagles, save two for Smithsonian, plus 15-? that were exchanged by melter for common dates. Maybe 20+ 1933s are known, making it the most expensive rather common date Double Eagle. In 1933 under Hoover a person could take a $1000 bill into his bank, get 50 Double Eagles! And back then they made 10,000, 5000, 1000, 500 Dollar banknotes! Today a hundred has buying power of 1934 Half Dolllar coin (50 cents) All this was result of printing TOO MUCH MONEY= debt=inflation....now out of control, as is the DEBT. I collect gold coins, so I know its the only real $$$$. Case closed. For some strange reason the Confederate States of America never struck gold, silver coinage, just banknotes! One reason they lost the War, they had the best soldiers and Generals by far.
I think it's kind of funny but mostly sad that you start a thread genuinely trying to get to the bottom of the affordability crisis facing the U.S. (especially young people, but it's moved beyond them), and you just get stonewalled with "ooh look at richie rich over here with the premium ground beef. Too good for the sawdust are ya?"
The "affordability" crisis is just as bad here in Canada. Myself/ I never play the violin. poor me. Instead, I work a menial labour job, doing lawn & garden maintenance. I work 90+ hrs a week/ more in June/July/ August. I can afford the best food, have a 1.5M house fully paid off, have a 58 restomod vette, have gold coin collection, postage stamp coll. Also, I get the Winter Dec.-March off. During my 8 month full tilt work, I made 400K C$. So.......everyone should get off their butt and work for a living. Conservatives think that we should not depend on the Govt. to coddle us.
Actually, you’re wrong. Randy did admit that, given his druthers, the family would be eating mac’n’cheese 4 nights a week. That sort of sacrifice is exactly what I remember from my earlier days. Nowadays, no one seems to employ such conservative measures proactively. Today, most everyone buys whatever they want whenever they want, and won’t spend modestly until their lack of savings leaves them no other option. I’m convinced most of the complainers could have taken a less indulgent path to a more comfortable destination.
Have no idea what mac& cheese is..... One thing I do know, the grossest concotion is "Kraft Dinner" just as bad as Gunness Beer.
Yeah… I tend to get silly when I try to make a point. Fact is, I think the world needs it. And yes, I do enjoy a “premium beef” meal from time to time. But what you have done here is highlighted the very basic difference between conservative and liberal thinking. I believe that if a man works the soil, tends the crop and honestly rewards those that helped along the way then he should enjoy the benefits of his harvest. He should be celebrated and used as an example to the rest of us that want to elevate our families. Hard work and success should be celebrated and not punished. It is basic human nature to want to succeed and has been that way since time began. So yes. I will enjoy my premium beef occasionally and not feel one iota of shame for doing so.
Not premium ground beef - Prime Grade Ribeye. I'd invite you over on September 26 for a steak. The date I have scheduled to remove the primal from the hanger but I take it you're a vegetarian.
I don't know about everyone else on this forum, but I'm a proud capitalist. If I can afford a filet mignon at a high-end steakhouse, I'll damned well get it and won't even give a thought on the opinions of the socialist sheeple who are looking down on me. - Edited - them!
