• the post of tom joad
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      2 months ago

      Right! and now, amazing news! Our expenses are only growing at a rate of only 2.4%!! Hooray?!?

      • Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        2% is actually pretty good and about what you want. Maintaining flat spending power sounds great on paper, but also puts an economy at increased risk of recession and citizens at increased risk of ballooning debt.

        • basmati@lemmus.org
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          2 months ago

          That’s nice and all, but wages do not increase year over year for most people, so most people would prefer those risks and be able to continue living, instead of helping to balloon the suicide statistic.

          • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Most people are not economists. Most people would like everyone to be given $100,000 and a pony (or just white people, if you’re a republican).

            2% inflation is good. But an inflation number doesn’t tell us where the gains are accruing. Ensuring gains go to workers and not capital is an entirely separate goal of the government.

          • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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            2 months ago

            We’re over a year straight of wage growth outpacing inflation. In jan if this year, 57% of workers had seen wage growth outpacing inflation (I can’t find more current numbers, but I assume it’s pretty similar). So you’re wrong, most people are seeing increases that beat out inflation.

            We have a long way to go due to how much was lost because of the pandemic and price gouging, but please stop spreading misinformation, you’re just helping get trump elected.

            • basmati@lemmus.org
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              2 months ago

              It’s not misinformation, it’s actual lived experience. It’s nice some people in some rich states somewhere are getting raises. That’s not the case for many Americans, and when you people repeat government lines that go against what people are actually experiencing, you help get Trump elected as no one trusts anything you say anymore.

              The economy is in full recession for most Americans. It’s not doing great, people are struggling. Without acknowledging this basic fact, there is no path for Dems to win the Whitehouse.

              • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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                2 months ago

                It’s nice some people in some rich states somewhere are getting raises.

                Low wage workers have actually seen the largest increase. You’re confusing your personal experience with the economy as a whole.

                The economy is in full recession for most Americans.

                I’m not saying people aren’t struggling, I completely understand that there are lots of people who are. But this is just absolutely detached from reality.

                • basmati@lemmus.org
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                  2 months ago

                  Again, I’m sure cherry picked government released stats back up your very specific claim. It will and has fallen on deaf ears to the majority of Americans who have massively increased credit card spending while massively decreasing all recreational spending.

                  Your claim is in the same category as claiming increased GDP means a better economy. Yeah, kinda right, if you ignore actual conditions for real people.

                  • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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                    2 months ago

                    Your claim is in the same category as claiming increased GDP means a better economy.

                    You made a statement of fact that the actual facts contradict. All I did was point out what the actual facts say. This is nothing even remotely like some subjective analysis of what makes a good economy. Although I guess I did give my subjective analysis that it’s “the right direction” when wage growth, especially for low wage workers, has been outpacing inflation for over a year. But I figure that would be pretty universally agreed upon.

                    But you appear to just want to believe what you believe, the facts be damned. Just like a good little trump supporter.

        • the post of tom joad
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          2 months ago

          We’re taking about the consumer price index here. Inflation regarding the cost of living only. This is, as i hinted previously, heavily caused not by “inflation” (as youd consider it in econ 101) but corporate price-gouging.

          Corporate price-gouging is i feel i must add capital N Not inflation in the traditional sense… But in the scope of this article and our conversation, it is.

          So again, fucking-A yes I want price gouging to stop, right now… So like, if you wish to continue wit me we need to agree on terms. Let me know you agree this cpi definition and inflation in this case is “price gouging” otherwise we may as well just part ways

          • Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Agreed. I’m talking about deflation though. The debts you acquire balloon in size, even without interest, during deflation.

            • explodicle
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              2 months ago

              I don’t think we do agree. As you can see in the chart, our debts have been ballooning under inflation.

              • drphungky@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                That’s total debt, he’s talking about individual debt. Deflation is bad. This is not really up for debate. 2% inflation is a fine target and worked well for decades.

                • explodicle
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                  2 months ago

                  As you can see in the chart, I’m talking about per person too.

                  I don’t think 2008 did work well.

                  If you don’t want to debate about this, then don’t.