The economy
- Thread starter Rastafarian
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its almost like common sense and critical thinking could have predicted this. What say you MAGA?
This is not good. The economy is moving in the wrong direction and anybody defending it must have different information than what is being distributed to the rest of us.
While it's clear that tariffs add to inflation, I wonder where the FED got the number 1-3%. For months private sector and government sector economists has estimated the rate as closer to 1%. The good news is that now that tariffs are gone the next report should reflect and inflation reduction mirroring that 1-3% rate.
It's still a little disconcerting why the FED doesn't act more aggressively on the labor front. For a few months now the FED has commented on the slowing jobs market, yet hasn't taken any meaningful actions..even what inflation dropped to 2.4%.
Before I go out on the ledge, I've learned that one outlying report doesn't make a trend. We'll see what happens next month, although since wars are almost always somewhat inflationary, and we know already oil prices will drive up the rate, I doubt next month will be much better....may even be worse
well let's see....housing market is down - low supply, high interest rates, and higher median home prices:
job market is slowing and has been for months:
manufacturing numbers are down:
inflation was coming close to target, but look a step back today:
deficits are still high, even though at level lower than Biden budget projected...but that's in the noise IMO:
credit card debt is at record level:
I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can up with right off the top of my head.
I can take the chaos...that's Trump. It was this way during the first administration and I expected it again this time. I have posted before, trump keeps too many balls in the air at the same time and it's hard to see where the end game is..I look now and, again just off the top of my head, we've got Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, new DHS secretary, inflation, election reform, immigration, housing, jobs, energy ...oooh too much. I'd like to see him concentrate on a couple, get them done and then move to the next and the next. But, that's how trump works. He's all over the place.
The bad thing is that trump has thrown international trade and global alliances - trading partners - into a state of chaos.
these people need to change grocery stores...Aldi or Lidl...much cheaper...and why are people buying candy bars, chocolate pretzels anyway?
There is no question that prices are higher. So Trump's fault, let's all agree. Let's elect democrats...what's their plan to reduce prices? Remember, prices increase during high inflation and they don't come down when the inflation rate decreases. They just go up at a lower rate.
It's easy to complain about prices..republicans did it during the Biden years and democrats had multiple rationalizations. So now prices continue higher during trump and republicans have similar rationalizations. But through all the weeping and gnashing and finger pointing, prices continue to go up
When Biden left office the economy was roaring and inflation was going down and if Democrats had been re-elected we wouldn't have had a chaotic tariff policy or a war in Iran. There's your answer
Prices are always going to go up. Deflation is a bad thing. A coke is never going to cost $.05 again.
Prices are definitely going up at a slower rate than during the Biden admin thus far. However, if oil does not come back down to at least the mid 70's then all the work that Trump has done on inflation will be out the door.
Can’t believe how much of a cluster everything is. I guess we are not winning
well, in honor of dpic's post (and the fact that my pantry and frig were about empty) my wife and I made our weekly trip to Aldi's. While I don't eat much red meat, I made a special trip to the meat section just to see how bad beef prices really are. Low and behold I found a 3 steak package, similar (obviously not exact) to what the gentleman in the video was holding up, the price was $19.76. So, I come back to the video and my original post. This person needs to shop around. Down here in Florida our "Giant" is "Publix", and, while I didn't go to Publix today to compare, I'd wager that beef prices would be closer to what was held up in the video as opposed to the Aldi price.
They were rib eye, didn't look to see if they were Angus, to be honest. But, as I said, similar not exact.
I really don't understand this argument. When inflation was through the roof (as alot of pubs talk about) during Biden's term, was the party line "shop around and find better prices?" "Go to less quality grocery stores and get less quality stuff?" No, the line was "Biden has ruined the economy."
Yes, people can go to less quality places and find cheaper food. But those prices will rise too, if things stay the same. It just seems like mental gymnastics to defend the state of the economy by encouraging people to shop at worse places when they shouldn't HAVE to.
If you're responding to me, I'm not defending the state of the economy. I personally think we're in trouble economically.
My point was simply that using one example - grocery prices - as the result of our economic decisions under one president is somewhat misguided. Biden didn't destroy the economy. He made some questionable decisions - according to nationally recognized economists - but hey, trump may have made some even worse decisions.
Insofar as shopping at "worse" places, and I'm sure you'll disagree with me, but a box of raisin bran is a box of raisin bran, a head of lettuce is a head of lettuce and so forth. If you want to pay 10-20% more to shop at a "better" grocery store, go do it. But, IMO, if you want to pay a higher price for your groceries you're free to that also.
Insofar as your prediction that prices will rise at the "lesser" store also, you're absolutely correct...that's what inflation does.
Yes I understand, and I also understand that you know Politicians have talking points. But I'd quibble with you on a few things, like produce absolutely isn't the same quality wise from grocery store to grocery store, and meat certainly isn't.
We are going backwards as a society economically, and the answer is not "lower your standards." How far do we have to keep lowering them until something is done? Take this to its furthest logical extent, and you may understand why those of us on the left have said that we're turning into a 3rd world country and this administration is fine with it; the rich will get richer and their standards will stay the same, and the rest will have to keep lowering their standards until they get the bare minimum.
But they shouldn't complain, just take what they're given.
According to the admin, you can still eat well.
Again, you know I'm very against hyperbole but I honestly couldn't believe they tried this as a talking point. Truly insane
we're not that far off in our thinking about where we are and where we're heading. The only point I would take issue with is that BOTH parties are taking us in this direction. We could debate degrees, but neither the $39 trillion in debt, nor the wealth inequality, for a couple of examples, were products of only republicans or democrats. IMO, if we're going to solve the problems, members of both parties have to accept that where we are is not just the other guy's fault.
According to the admin, you can still eat well.
in my opinion, these are not good suggestions. Sort of reminds me of Jimmy Carter's suggestion that Americans simply wear sweaters when they couldn't afford to heat their houses.
I don't disagree. However, there is a party in power who owns the senate, house, and White House, who ran on fixing these issues. Instead, they've taken a nose dive.
Literally everything economically is significantly worse for American's since 2024 ended, and despite the talking points from MAGA, the average American was in a much better place from 2020-2024 in just about every regard than they have in the past 15 months.
That doesn't sound right at all. Anyway, I asked grok for more detail.
- If each steak weighs about 1–1.2 pounds (a common size for thick-cut ribeyes in viral complaint videos), three would total roughly 3–3.6 pounds.
- At $20–$25 per pound, the math lands right around $75 (e.g., 3 lbs at $25/lb = $75; or 3.3 lbs at ~$22.70/lb ≈ $75).
- National averages for all uncooked beef steaks hover around $12.74/lb (BLS data as of February 2026), but ribeye specifically runs higher—often $18–$27/lb for boneless Choice/Prime cuts at regular retail (not bulk/wholesale or sale prices at places like Costco or Sam's Club).
- Budget spots like Walmart or basic grocers might sell ribeye closer to $16–$20/lb (or lower on sale), making three steaks more like $50–$70.
- Mid-range chains (e.g., Kroger, Publix) often hit $19–$22/lb.
- Premium locations (Whole Foods, local butchers, or urban/high-cost-area stores) frequently charge $24–$27+/lb for quality boneless ribeye, easily pushing three standard steaks to $75 or more—especially if they're thick-cut, grass-fed, or Prime-graded.
- Food prices have risen 3.1% year-over-year as of February 2026, with specific increases like 13.7% for ground beef and 28% for orange juice since January 2025, per BLS data, fueling consumer frustration in viral videos.
- Contributing factors include Trump's tariffs acting as a regressive tax and the U.S.-Iran military escalation since early March, which has spiked oil to $115 per barrel and disrupted global supply chains, per Reuters and Washington Post reports.
if you're trying to make the case that food prices are higher under the trump admin, I doubt you'd get anyone to disagree. And for all the reasons you listed. You didn't but could also make the case that food prices are higher now than they were back in 2008 or 2020. Inflation does that...and I'll wager (figuratively) that prices will be even higher when trump leaves office and when the next president leaves office Prices today reflect the cumulative rates of inflation, but, I'm sure you know that.
Ned, I was responding to your claim that you found three ribeyes for under $20.00. Can you check the package and see what the cost per lb. was?
well, I can next week. the store is a little ways from where I live. I didn't buy it, We don't eat much red meat in our house. Wife has a condition...
no, sorry if I gave that impression. Probably when I go back next week they either wont have them or they'll cost $100
You don't get to change your story, lol. Anywho, I was just pointing out that according to grok $18–$27/lb for boneless Choice/Prime cuts at regular retail, means his claim could absolutely be true. ;-)no, sorry if I gave that impression. Probably when I go back next week they either wont have them or they'll cost $100
I don't really think it's that farfetched. I saw a pack of those rancher cut thin-sliced ribeyes (3 in a package) for around $25 or so last week when shopping at Harris Teeter. It's probably a little under 1.5 lbs for the whole pack, so I could see it making sense at the price ned saw.
Well here's some good news: There's a disabled Russian tanker adrift in the Mediterranean, apparently near Malta, and it's loaded with liquified natural gas. Apparently very explosive, and it the ship runs aground or sinks, it will be an environmental disaster. I understand that a Ukrainian drone may have hit it. Here's a map showing where Malta is, and below it a link to a news article on this mess.
Italy warns Russian tanker Arctic Metagaz could explode in Mediterranean
Italy is one of nine EU countries urging the European Commission to act over the Arctic Metagaz, drifting out of control in the Mediterranean Sea.
www.bbc.com
Ned's steaks "still had marks from where the jockey was hitting it." (There's a Caddyshack quote for almost any situation!)