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On Harris’s Price-Gouging Ban, Allies and Foes May Have the Wrong Idea
The New York Times ^ | Aug. 21, 2024, 1:19 p.m. ET | Jim Tankersley

Posted on 08/21/2024 2:44:03 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Vice President Kamala Harris threw her support behind a federal ban on price-gouging in the food and grocery industries last week. It was the first official economic policy proposal of her presidential campaign, and it was pitched as a direct response to the high price of putting food on the table in America today.

“To combat high grocery costs, VP Harris to call for first-ever federal ban on corporate price-gouging,” the Harris campaign proclaimed in the subject line of a news release last week, ahead of a speech laying out the first planks of her economic agenda.

It is still impossible to say, from publicly available details, what exactly the ban would do. Republicans have denounced the proposal as “communist,” warning that it would lead to the federal government setting prices in the marketplace. Former President Donald J. Trump has mocked the plan on social media as “SOVIET Style Price Controls.”

Progressives have cheered the announcement as a crucial check on corporate greed, saying it could immediately benefit shoppers who have been stunned by a 20 percent rise in food costs since President Biden took office.

But people familiar with Ms. Harris’s thinking on the ban now say it might not resemble either of those characterizations. The ban, they also suggest, might actually not do anything to bring down grocery prices right now. Those who spoke about the strategy behind the emerging policy did so on the condition of anonymity.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: jimtankersley
...It is still impossible to say, from publicly available details, what exactly the ban would do...

..Those who spoke about the strategy behind the emerging policy did so on the condition of anonymity...

These people are simultaneously hilarious and terrifying.

1 posted on 08/21/2024 2:44:03 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

We’re too stupid to comprehend her massive plan.


2 posted on 08/21/2024 2:47:01 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Trying to tinker with prices by command results in shortages. Who is going to make something where they have to sell it at a loss?


3 posted on 08/21/2024 2:49:36 PM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
What I see is a pack of liberal retards that also provide news to the masses attempting to characterize the food prices issues we currently have as a corporate greed issue which, for the most part, couldn't be further from the truth.

When this dumb HO states this nonsense, all I can think of is how many idiots will buy this BS when everyone saw prices start going up as soon as these retards killed Keystone and limited our energy extraction/distribution.

The left keeps trying to weasel out of reality, but everyone needs to keep reminding these lying sacks of shiite that they are the ones directly responsible for inflation, not corporate “Price Gouging”.

This entire bout of nonsense is nothing but the leftards attempting to rewrite history in their favor.

4 posted on 08/21/2024 2:49:48 PM PDT by Pox (Eff You China. Buy American!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Isn’t she part of the current administration? Why wait until January? She COULD have been working on this for the past 3 1/2 years.


5 posted on 08/21/2024 2:53:18 PM PDT by PrincessB
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To: Pox

“This entire bout of nonsense is nothing but the leftards attempting to rewrite history in their favor.”

Why wouldn’t they? They run the history departments now.


6 posted on 08/21/2024 2:56:08 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

What corporate price gouging?


7 posted on 08/21/2024 3:04:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: Boogieman

If we had an honest media, they wouldn’t even try.

Having the press cover for your lies is a significant issue.

Fortunately, we’ve arrived at a time in history where the press can be bypassed for accurate (enough) information.

They may run the history departments, but they may not always, and what transpires now due to their lies may end our history as we know it anyways. Doesn’t matter to me too much what future slaves have to say about our current dilemma.

Only thing that matters is getting as many rational and sane people to comprehend right here and now what the true issue with our economy is. Too many just don’t pay attention, but when they do, most usually reject the absurd propaganda.


8 posted on 08/21/2024 3:13:25 PM PDT by Pox (Eff You China. Buy American!)
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To: BenLurkin
When corporations raise prices in response to market conditions, it is price gouging...

When governments raise capital gains taxes, corporate taxes, income taxes, property taxes, taxes on unrealized capital gains....it is called fairness...

9 posted on 08/21/2024 3:16:44 PM PDT by fhayek
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If Post could sell cereal for substantially less than General Mills they would. It is not like all these companies collude to keep prices high. They want to crush the competition. Same goes for all private businesses.


10 posted on 08/21/2024 3:18:56 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: BenLurkin

How about “Big Education” gouging?
After all, schools get more and more tax dollars and Higher Ed get higher tuition costs but the results is a dumber electorate!
Oh, they’re on the “right side”!


11 posted on 08/21/2024 3:31:59 PM PDT by RedMonqey (This is no longer America but "Amerika"!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

it just sounds full commie

but its not

trust us


12 posted on 08/21/2024 3:52:32 PM PDT by joshua c
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

” If prices do not rise in response to strong demand, new companies may not have as much inclination to jump into the market to ramp up supply.”

First, you have, in many cases, the doubling of wages or at least, large increases. When wages go up, commodities from housing to food go up. Property taxes, insurance and store lease fees increase, making it difficult to size-up operations. For prices to go down either there needs to be more suppliers entering the market who have less overhead costs, or the entire downline needs to go lower. Maybe Harris can order counties to lower their property taxes and utilities to half their rates???.....
and Second, when the US population increases by 10% in less than 5 years because of illegal migration, there’s more demand.

As Trump correctly said, bacon has increased in price 4 or 5 times. Everybody wants bacon for breakfast or for their burgers but there are only about 4 companies producing it and everyone from meat packers to truck drivers to grocery workers now have higher wages. Demand at the store is higher because people are passing on fast food which is crazy expensive, and cooking those bacon burgers at home. Toilet paper and other paper products, also are crazy expensive but the enviroweenies won’t let paper producers cut trees.

Harris doesn’t like chip bags filled with air but that air helps keep chips from being crushed into itty-bitty pieces. I don’t like my chocolate chip cookies shrinking to elf size either but the weight is on the front of the package. No big surprise just a question of can I afford store bought or do I go home and make my own bigger cookies? Do I buy trucked in produce, do I go to a farmer’s market, or do I grow what I can at home?


13 posted on 08/21/2024 3:56:56 PM PDT by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017) )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
"Former President Donald J. Trump has MOCKED the plan on social media as 'SOVIET Style Price Controls.'”

He did no such thing. He merely pointed out the TRUTH of the matter. The truth is poison to NYT and all libs and progs.

14 posted on 08/21/2024 3:57:56 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: BenLurkin

Well, Pfizer’s net profit was something like 140% during the pandemic. (I think it is negative something now.)

Banks and credit cards are typically around 30%. Oil and gas is 10 to 15%. Krogers was less than 2% for 2023.


15 posted on 08/21/2024 4:05:58 PM PDT by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant - Never Fearful)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If the Vice Prostitute wants to see Price Gouging, look at GOVERNMENTS NATIONWIDE and BUILDING DEPARTMENTS.


16 posted on 08/21/2024 5:32:26 PM PDT by eyeamok
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I just figured it was a stupid publicity stunt with no substance and no basis in reality.


17 posted on 08/21/2024 6:43:08 PM PDT by Roadrunner383
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
This has been a paid political advertisement brought to you by the creative writers at the NYT where there is nothing unfit to print.

I'm Carlos Slim and I approve this fabrication.

18 posted on 08/21/2024 10:36:57 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (More important than why there was nobody protecting the AGR roof, how did Crooks know that?)
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To: Pox

“Only thing that matters is getting as many rational and sane people to comprehend right here and now what the true issue with our economy is.”

I think that’s doomed. The masses don’t and won’t ever understand economics. It’s just beyond them, even though the basic rules are very simple, I think applying those rules and taking into account all the variables and endless ripples is too much for most to wrap their heads around. Then throw in the fiat money stage magic and you can forget about it.

Better to just have people who do understand economics gain the public trust and tell them they are being screwed. People can understand that much at least.


19 posted on 08/22/2024 7:28:00 AM PDT by Boogieman
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