Tag: Consumer prices

Surging cost of living in US drives class tensions to the breaking point

Ms. Cat

The latest inflation data published Tuesday shows that the working class confronts months of immense hardships as wages lose their value in the face of rising living costs. The ruling class’s attempt to make the working class pay for the crisis of capitalism is driving workers into struggle across the world, including in the United States, where teachers, nurses, and possibly railroad workers are launching powerful strikes.

Surging cost of living in US drives class tensions to the breaking point

Book publishers just spent 3 weeks in court arguing they have no idea what they’re doing

Ms. Cat

On August 22, oral arguments ended in the Justice Department’s antitrust trial to block the book publisher Penguin Random House from merging with rival Simon & Schuster. The result of the trial, which is expected to be decided later this fall, will have a massive impact on both the multibillion-dollar book publishing industry and on how the government handles corporate consolidation going forward. Perhaps fittingly for a case with such high stakes, the trial was characterized by obfuscation and downright disinformation nearly the whole way through.

Book publishers just spent 3 weeks in court arguing they have no idea what they’re doing

Biden: July Inflation Was 0%. Actual July Inflation: 8.5%. Media: Eh, Close Enough.

Ms. Cat1 Comment

In July, the price of eggs and milk went up. The price of fruits and vegetables went up. The price of new cars went up. Electricity cost more. Medical costs rose. Alcohol became more expensive. Rent went up.

Biden: July Inflation Was 0%. Actual July Inflation: 8.5%. Media: Eh, Close Enough.

Biden just signed a law to lower shipping costs. Will it work?

Ms. Cat1 Comment

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act allows for more enforcement of rising fees. But shippers say the law isn’t a “silver bullet.”

President Joe Biden signed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 into law on Thursday, promising sweeping changes to the ocean shipping industry after more than two years of port congestion, delays and rising costs.

Biden just signed a law to lower shipping costs. Will it work?

Short-staffed and underfunded.

Head To Your Local Gas Station or Supermarket To End the US Proxy War in Ukraine

Ms. Cat

Head To Your Local Gas Station or Supermarket To End the US Proxy War in Ukraine

To be clear the extraordinary 7.9% inflation increase predates the crisis in Ukraine although Joe Biden has attempted to blame it all on the thoroughly demonized Putin. But unless cause can come after effect, Joe has a tough argument to make there. However, it is clear that the war and the sanctions that go with it are accelerating inflation. (Today as this is written, the March figures for inflation were released showing consumer prices jumping to 8.5%, a 40 year high.)

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It is clear that the public is very likely to oppose US sanctions on Russia and US involvement in Ukraine IF either proves to drive up gas prices, food prices and other items in an accelerated inflationary spiral.

Our strategy should be to link the inflation with prolonging a war in a faraway land which has little to do with US security and risks a nuclear confrontation with Russia.

We should have rallies opposing ALL US involvement in Ukraine by tying them to gas prices, food prices, rents and other items.

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No weapons to Ukraine. No sanctions on the world. End the war and stop the inflation.

Nice idea, but good luck with it! The largest antiwar protests couldn’t even stop the Iraq War! 🤷🏼‍♀️