97 Comments

Inflation - check out corporate profits for 2023. It’s greed and then more greed while paying little in taxes.

Expand full comment

Yes, we keep hearing about record profits for the oil companies, for the airlines, for pharmaceutical companies and many others. I was hopeful when Biden stated he wanted to raise taxes on the uber wealthy who pay no taxes or next to nothing and corporations that manage to skirt their fair share. This country cannot continue to function on the backs of the middle class (it’s shrinking) and the ordinary citizen trying to feed his/her family.

Expand full comment

I think this is the data Democrats need to use to combat inflation concerns. "Look who is profiting from your pain." Biden needs to strengthen his position on price gouging and excessive profits.

Corporations win with Trump. He is promising even more tax cuts to corporations (i.e. "the wealthiest" among us).

Democrats need to go back to the arguments presented by the UAW. People need to look around and see how small business is being pushed out by large conglomerates. Ordinary people DO NOT benefit from corporate tax breaks. "Trickle down" theory was debunked a long time ago.

Expand full comment

Article in January at Fortune: "'Greedflation' caused more than half of last year’s inflation surge, study finds, as corporate profits remain at all-time highs" - https://fortune.com/2024/01/20/inflation-greedflation-consumer-price-index-producer-price-index-corporate-profit/ (probably paywalled, I didn't find it in the printed magazine). It references a few studies, including one by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City:

"The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has also found corporate profits playing an outsize role in price growth. The Kansas City Fed, in a recent study, found that growth in markups accounted for more than half of consumer price inflation for 2021, a “substantially higher contribution than during the preceding decade.”"

You can certainly argue about studies and data analysis, but I do know from watching more than my fair share of CNBC, corporate profits have been and continue to be very good.

Expand full comment

General Mills (Cheerios maker) has made record profits, allowing stock buybacks and raises for executives. They increased the price of a box of Cheerios by 20% claiming "inflation". This corporate greed is over most people's heads. Everything has been tainted by corporate greed. This keeps prices high.

What has caused big business to get so greedy all of a sudden? It started with Reagan, so it wasn't a sudden change. As big companies swallowed up smaller ones and the Republicans cut taxes and regulation, the drive for profit over people steadily increased. The COVID pandemic shook up things, decreasing production while keeping demand high. They have not backed off of this stance.

It is going to take taxation so big business pays their fair share and regulation on stock buybacks and building monopolies.

Everything we buy is governed by these things. Gasoline, medicine, food, vehicles, insurance, everything.

Expand full comment

During the pandemic supply and demand went out of balance. Prices became fungible.

Corporations could profiteer (make a quick buck by taking advantage of the customers)

They loved it, wendys was set to try a variation using dynamic pricing where the price of hamburgers went up and down during the day.

GREED!!!!

Expand full comment

Trump is the most depressing, delusional, cruel and disgusting man on the planet and we’ve got a Republican governor nominee who’s his twin running in NC-it’s unbelievable to me that this is where we are in this country!

Expand full comment

It amazes me that so many fairly intelligent people can’t see that trump is a flim-flam man, nothing more than a snake oil salesman, an old, orange one at that. There’s nothing appealing either in his rhetoric (what exactly are his policies for the future of our country?) nor his demeanor (liar, liar pants on fire).

Expand full comment

Or his bullying. Why does that not turn decent people off?

Expand full comment

Remember elementary school and middle school? There were always a few bullies that went around bullying and taking advantage of anyone that they could. There were also a cadre of followers who enjoyed whatever benefits (read 'crumbs') that the bully tossed their way. Most, but not all, of those bullies and their followers eventually grew out of it - usually after someone stood up to the bully and fougt back. But not Trump. Those bully followers who never grew up have found in Trump someone new to follow, hoping to enjoy whatever 'crumbs' he throws their way. Just as in our childhood, we, the voters, must stand up and fight back by voting against him in November. Hopefully, after his 2nd straight national defeat (I pray by a landslide), he and his followers will fade into oblivion.

Expand full comment

I think it is because a lot of his supporters feel they are being mistreated and it makes them feel better about themselves to see someone else getting abused for a change.

Expand full comment

They don’t care. He’s “their guy.” Remember his prescient quote years ago about shooting people on Fifth Avenue?

Expand full comment

It does. So, then there are the rest of us.

Expand full comment

When Trump uses the terms “In decline, failing, collapsing into a cesspool of ruin, carnage, turning to shit”, he is not describing the country - he couldn’t care less about that. As always, he is talking about himself.

Expand full comment

He is a master of projection. Whatever insult he hurls, it's generally a reflection of himself.

Expand full comment

And we can recognize that, but why can’t the maga cultists see it?

Expand full comment

About the NC Republican governor nominee - Maybe I am just too thin-skinned, but I would find it impossible to pull the lever for a person who is on video proclaiming that I should should not be allowed to pull the lever at all (regarding women).

Expand full comment

Indeed, it’s a total nightmare! I’m going with the Dem nominee for sure!

Expand full comment

Oh Adam, I agree about groceries— but it’s corporate greed, ( which Trump unleashed, or at least didn’t hinder), not Biden. What a mess Trump now owns the RNC, and no one stopped him. Going forward, we need to grab every anti Trump recognizable spokes person, to pull in the real republicans, independents, democrats to vote straight blue ticket. By 2028, we can figure out, if a 2 party system works anymore. Dems have no authoritarian goals— gotta deal with that first, if we ever get to vote again, or your Presidential run, could even be possible after 24. This is so serious- too many people around us have their heads in the sand. I thought, after the Oscars, we should reach out to all late night comedians- who make a living off our plight- please give seconds of your ending monologue, to a PSA— vote blue this year. Stop the madness. We have to stop hand wringing over the choices they have given us. There is only one choice this time/ Biden, whether we like it or not. Thanks for being on the side of Democracy.

Expand full comment

See, I don't understand where this "$8" Cheerios stuff is coming from. I went online to look at the price our local grocery chain charges (and they're the over-priced chain). The Family-Size box of regular Cheerios is $4.93. If you have one of their free loyalty cards, the price drops down to $3.99.

Expand full comment

The Dobbs decision will be that single issue that will defeat the MAGA fascists this November. A line crossed, a bridge too far! Women of both parties are wicked angry. No Handmaids Tale for them!

Sure, inflation is awful. Yes, Gaza is terrible. The border...oh wait, that's now a Republican failure. Moscow Mike owns it.

But mess with 21st century women? Beware the wrath...

Expand full comment

Bill, I’ve believe Dobbs is the gift that will keep on giving to the Democratic Party until Roe is reinstated.

Expand full comment

I do agree with Adam that people vote their pocketbooks, so inflation needs to come down further. My guess is the Fed holds tight to do that then begins easing early to mid-summer, which will further help consumers. Dobbs is an extra and important bonus. Country First/Adam needs to talk with Ken Buck, Freedom Caucus member, who is quitting Congress to work for electoral reform. He is quitting because Congress is dysfuntional and this is the worst of his 9 years in office. We need these kinds of alliances/coalitions big time-reform and renew, not Darth Vader fascism!

Expand full comment

For 50 years, republicans have campaigned on Roe. They wanted abortion left up to the states, while democrats have wanted federal legislation legalizing it. Well, now democrats are campaigning on Dobbs, abortion IS up to the states (whose voters are enshrining it in their constitutions), and it’s the republicans who want federal legislation to ban it. It’s the exact opposite side of the coin now.

Anyone see the irony? The party that claims they’re for less federal government now wants MORE federal government?

Expand full comment

50 years of votes for just saying they opposed abortion. If they really cared, why didn't they champion daycare, healthcare, and prenatal care, just to name a few? They could make child support enforceable. Now deadbeat dads can move from state to state to stay out of reach. (Orders are only enforceable in the state where they were issued.) If men got pregnant, abortion would be legal.

Expand full comment

Mark, I ask “pro-lifers” how many unwanted babies they plan to adopt if abortion gets banned. And all I get are blank stares. I’m personally very anti-abortion, but don’t consider it my place to tell other people what they should do or how they live their lives. That makes me “pro-choice”.

Expand full comment

OMG! It would have to be legal... Otherwise we would be flooded with the Spawn of Donald 😱!

Expand full comment

Hey, thanks Richard. That just sent a chill down my back. His boys are more than bad enough.

Expand full comment

That's not the only thing the GOP has flipped on. They used to want government out of private decisions... not anymore.

Expand full comment

At least that’s what they *said* they wanted, Aletha.

Expand full comment

There is an old song that goes like this... "Engaland (sic) swings like a pendulum do, bobbies on bicycles two by two...". I've always felt that politics does the same thing... "Politics swings like a pendulum do..." 😉

Expand full comment

Bob ; Dobbs has been working in elections for the Democrats since the ruling. I think it will be more than a bonus. It will be the difference.

Expand full comment

Not questioning that. I just don’t necessarily believe that one issue, albeit a very strong one, resonates with everyone. I think it’s really important that you have multiple arrows in your quiver and the most important is getting out the vote because independents and Dems way outnumber Republicans.

Expand full comment

Very much in agreement with all of that.

Expand full comment

I am sick and tired about this age problem we seem to be having with those Republicans who can come up with no other reason not to vote for Biden .? They probably wouldn’t vote for George Washington if he was running and he was an old man too. What’s happened to America and Americans?

Expand full comment

Good post Adam. Glad you referenced Joe Biden’s challenge with stuttering. He has been in the public eye for decades and I’m sure it’s a frustrating thing for him. I believe the SOTU speech went a long way to dispel the issue of cognitive decline.

His opponent is showing that more and more.

Expand full comment

Only those who have nothing substantial to offer look to the past as they have no vision of what the future should look like. Trump doesn’t have the intelligence to thoughtfully conjure new ideas and pathways to guide this country through its challenges. I am shocked that he has installed his puppets at the RNC and will have their limited funds as his personal piggy bank. He’s desperate for funds to bail himself out of all the legal battles he faces. Rachel Maddow had an eye opening piece on MSNBC this morning about how trump is very vulnerable to anyone needing to buy his influence. Remember how he and the maga cult despised and called out Bud Light for partnering with a trans person? He changed his tune (3:30 pm) on Bud Light the very same day the company announced (9:00 am) a $10,000 a plate fundraiser for him per Maddow. She showed the tweets with date and time stamps verifying this. Trump can be bought. And who in their right mind would think that is presidential material?

Expand full comment

Joan; I believe Trump is already compromised and for that reason and the probability that he is still in possession of top secret documents make him an ongoing threat to national security.

Expand full comment

If Trump were an average citizen and applied for a security clearance, he would have ZERO chance of obtaining one.

Expand full comment

Well, Donald has a long history of sexual predation and business fraud. So that's a plus in Joes' column.

And it looks like Donald is fishing for a bribe/lobby payment from TikTok/China (or Russia or Hungary or Saudi or ???) to cover the $450 million he owes the State of New York. If he takes a bribe, that would be a plus in Joe's column.

And we have sub 4% unemployment so the economy is doing about as well as it can. That's a plus in Joe's column.

Did I mention that Donald is a rapist? Worth repeating.

Expand full comment

And one of the world’s greatest grifters-MAGA, Make America Grifters Again.

Expand full comment

We might consider vetoing the proposed grocery merger. Plus look at breaking up monopolies. Again. Work d for my generation.

Expand full comment

High food prices are key since even though they represent a small part of the inflation index. People buy groceries every week. Gas prices are helping. Rents rising for mobile homes (leased land) in Arizona will have an outsized impact since folks don't know what caused the steep increase and whom to blame.

Expand full comment

President Biden mentioned addressing rent increases. The rental industry may be using bots or something that results in rent “price fixing”. Also when massive funds buy huge numbers of rental properties the market is no longer competitive. Joe Biden’s economic’s are the old fashioned kind we lived under before Reaganomics. There WAS a thriving Middle Class back then. I was part of it. I was trained for my MBA at the University of Michigan under those old style economic principles. No “trickle down” 💩. Trickle down has always been 🐍 oil!! When employees/ workers do well, the company does well. When workers and the company does well, the shareholders do well - either immediately or in the future. When companies, workers and owners do well - the American economic and the American people do well. GREED IS NOT GOOD - that’s what Jesus Christ said!!! Project 2025 is a lie.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Kay! You should be President Biden's economic advisor!

Expand full comment

I’m starting to see prices going up. I’m betting that the corporations are raising the prices in hopes that the voters will blame the economy on Biden and not vote for him. The corporations are scared that if Biden and the Democrats win in November, that they will vote in that wealth tax…and they definitely should vote for that tax. The corporations have been raping our country for too long!

Expand full comment

I have one big problem with increasing taxes on corporations... They pay them and then pass that cost on to the consumer... Meaning that WE wind up paying them. I propose that corporate taxes be structured to incentivise the corporations to (1) pay their employees fairly ensuring that NO empoyee is paid below the Federal poverty level and (2) ensure that upper management compensation is fair but NOT excessive, and (3) ensure that the corporate taxes are NOT just passed on to the consumer (tie price increases to inflation?). I.E. corporate tax breaks based on higher overall employee pay, lower upper management greed through their compensation, and annual price increases that are less than the annual inflation rate. These are just my thoughts on corporate taxes. Brighter minds than mine can probably figure out the best way to tax corporations without inadvertently penalizing the consumer -as all corporate taxes up to today have done.

Expand full comment

Brilliant! You need to be on President Biden's Cabinet!!

I was fortunate to work for Disney Studios/Corporate HQ during the Walt era. I experienced how we all loved our jobs and were compensated well! The product created happy consumers!

Years later a new top executive was brought in who only cared about the bottom line because that's how he was compensated.

There were mass layoffs and the happy, creative atmosphere was gone.

This corporate philosophy vs. Walt's putting the profits back into the company. My first experience in corporate greed.

Expand full comment

I had a similar experience at Motorola in the 70s and 80s when the Galvin family still ran the business. Everyone loved what they were doing and were compensated pretty well. Bob Galvin retired in 1986 and things begin to change. In the early 90s new board members started pushing for higher profits. As a result, there were 4 employee buyouts between 1990 and 1998 (and perhaps more after that). Each time, the remaining employees were required to take on more workload with no additional pay. Working there was no longer enjoyable. My supervisor and I both took the 4th buyout and left. It's sad to see what Motorola Solutions is today compared to what it was when I worked there.

Expand full comment

Thanks for sharing this. It is so sad what greed can do and yet it continues. I'm sorry this happened to you and hope this led to an even better career! It did for me! I'm proud to be in this current battle with you to stop the evil of greed from trump on down!

Expand full comment

While I understand that MAGA is a cult, and Trump is the cult leader, I don't understand why people want to owe fealty to such a cry baby who feels sorry for himself all the time. When I was growing up you'd get a spanking so then at least you'd have a reason to feel sorry for yourself, but these days, what gives with these people?

Expand full comment

I don't think Biden gets credited for anything he's done. If the mainstream media focuses more on the dangers of trump and quits ignoring his accomplishments Biden would be more respected and not just being criticized about his age. Even my husband after listening time and time again to Trumps threat of dictatorship he still says it would "never happen ". I wish he understood the dangers

Expand full comment

I agree!My mom’s the same way!It’s scary that they aren’t listening to reason-why would you vote for someone who wants to be a dictator?!

Expand full comment

She-my mom only watches Fox News-That doesn’t help!

Expand full comment

I'm so sorry to hear that!

Expand full comment

Trump's danger within is right- because he is a psychotic, osteopathic, malignant mess.. Biden is right that the price is wrong because it's based on corporate greed, not his economic policies. And when immigrant Musk fails to pay income tax, along with Trump, Soros, etc. something gotta be done to right that wrong,

Expand full comment

Adam that message was so true and so on the point. The only suggestion is don’t use the cheerios example. At Publix supermarkets in Florida Cheerios are two boxes for $5.

Expand full comment