Blaming our gov for our high prices?

[blackeagle007]

I have a crazy thought, why can’t we turn eyes on the merchants? They are the ones that set prices. They didn’t have to raise them but did it anyway. Same with rent. Apartment companies excuses is they are doing it cause everyone else it

[Effably]

While you are not exactly incorrect one is simply easier and more effective.

We could for example blame every X person so they slim down their profits, but remain profitable. The problem is they have little incentive unless you make other people also providing X do the same. You might need to convince hundreds of thousands to just be good people, against their own personal interest.

With a government you only need to convince one organisation and it is one that exists to safeguard you and your interests. So in essence you need only convince one to do their own job.

It is simply a lot easier to, as an example, pass a legislation that rentals are only allowed to exceed mortgage by Y than it is to convince every person trying to earn money by renting things out to earn less.

So, do blame your government. Just blame them more. If what you are asking for is unreasonable it is their job to communicate that. If it is reasonable, it is your job to demand it. Being loud is sadly a key skill in our society.

[OneViewpoint]

You'll apparently blame anyone but President Pedophile and the Oligarchs behind Project 2025 for the rampant inflation we are living with at the moment. Totally artificial inflation triggered by a centrally planned economy (aka Communism) run by a corrupt Orange Moron using tariffs (taxes) imposed on the idiots who voted for him.

No it's not the merchant's fault they are paying more for imported goods or components out of the blue. They have exactly zero control over tariffs or the trading relationships that tRump has destroyed on behalf of the people behind Project 2025.

[blackeagle007]

I’m no Trump fan, definitely the opposite! Tariffs don’t help at all. He just wants to show the world that he’s a badass, that’s it. But somebody out there is charging high processes which makes everyone else charge high. It’s ridiculous 😡

[blackeagle007]

Prices

[Anonymous]

Too bad America voted for Trump, who has not lowered prices, lowered inflation or increased wages. I think there was a candidate named Kamala who was going to take on corporate price gouging. Oh well.
In case Republican excuses/hypocrisy on the topic of price gouging isn't evident enough in how they still desperately blame Biden, you can find many examples of them claiming corporations should eat the cost of Trump's tariffs rather than pass the cost on to consumers. In short: "Corporations should give up their profits for Trump so he looks good" and zero examples of how many times they should have eaten the costs of inflation instead of passing it in to consumers, because that would prevent them from blaming Biden when they run out of ways to defend Trump's inaction on inflation and prices.

[midnightmoon05]

What would you do if you are the merchant?
Or

you own 2 properties… both rented out… good tenants… thank goodness… you still have 40% mortgages… each month you have to pay some because the rent is just enough to cover the expenses.

would you raise their rent?

they are already below market..

(they pay $2K). Other nearby apt. charge $2500. -$3k

[SeekerOfTruth007]

The government raised minimum wage, which means the cost of doing business goes up at every stage of production, shipping, warehousing, and point of sale.

Now you have to pay everyone that $20 minimum wage when you buy a gallon of milk.

Blame the government, because it is the GOVERNMENT's fault, especially liberal dummycrats who think raising minimum wage is the secret to wealth.

Money =/= Wealth.

Money is a medium of exchange of goods and services. Minimum Wage earners are paid minimum wage because they are not worth enough WEALTH to support themselves. Raising Minimum Wage therefore inflates the dollar to be worthless every time the dummycrats raise minimum wage.

[Syntosi]

The government has instituted Capitalism as the economic model of the country. Blaming capitalists for behaving like capitalists is pointless when they are just working as intended by the government. Businesses who jacks up prices at higher demand or lower supply is literally doing their job and it is up to the government to redefine the rules that they have to follow such as price caps or changes in supply/demand.

[exitseven]

We do not have high prices, we have low wages. If you want to see who is to blame , look in the mirror. Any time you buy foreign made goods you make American jobs disappear. Good paying jobs enable people to buy homes and furnishings , giving , more people good paying jobs. When the American economy does better all American benefit.
When the money gets shipped overseas, it is just lost.

[loveslongnails]

Welcome to other side of Capitalism, 007. You can "blame" whomever you choose, but the bottom line is there's no regulating private industry in a capitalist society --- until there is. But the GOP is strictly against that, and the Dems aren't wild about it either. You can point the finger at corporate greed all you want, but you can only either cap their pricing by law, or stop buying their product, if you want to affect their bottom line.

[Ariesman81]

You can blame the merchants, but if you partake in the market you're also to blame for enabling the corrupt market you're fighting against.

I can tell you from experience, the Federal Reserve has more to do with manipulating markets than the government does. During COVID's stimulus, we increased pricing because the market allowed us to do so. "Free money" is the problem. Sure, it might be a government authorized policy, but it's facilitated by the fed.

[Snakeyes7]

The government is to blame to a decent extent. Dodge v. Ford forces corporations to kiss the ass of stockholders at the expense of employees and customers. Abolish it (or reverse it), and many many other government tentacles and I think a lot of these issues would be solved.

[Anonymous]

Merchants have to pay for the stuff they sell. If their costs go up, they can't make a profit if they don't raise prices. If they can't make a profit, there's no reason for them to be in business.

[jshm2]

Because it's not the business setting tariffs, dumbass.

[888theGreat]

Because Tariffs raise costs and they raise prices to make up the difference or lay people off.

[Pterodon]

What caused prices to increase was bidens inflation

[blackeagle007]

That’s not much of an answer. It’s merchants that raise prices

[Anonymous]

Government sets excessively high taxation so it all comes back to them

[Chazmatazz269]

That is the nature of supply side economics.