The Biden Presidency - 2020

[JPhillips]

I'm always fascinated by timing for politicians. I think Abrams is in a difficult position. If she runs for Gov and loses again her political career might be over. She can't run for Senate for years, either.

[GrantDawg]

There is still the possibility that Abrams doesn't run. Everyone expects she will, and she has more than hinted at it. But she has become almost a mythical creature at this point. She might decide she doesn't want to take a chance on tarnishing her image.

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[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Qwikshot

Sounds like we need to go back peasantry and feudal lords.

That's already what we have economically.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Izulde

That's already what we have economically.

Not even remotely.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

If people are choosing not to work due to unemployment benefits at a level that is detrimental to the economy as a whole, we should have plenty of evidence of that. If nothing else, there should be a flood of people saying that's what they are doing.

I'm sure this is happening anecdotally, but where's the evidence it is happening in large scale?

I know anecdotally many people are choosing not to work due to unemployment benefits. This is happening at my workplace. We have had a lot of people that work for 6 weeks (the minimum time to work in Ohio between claims), stop showing up for work and then claim unemployment. Most of the time it is granted.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I know anecdotally many people are choosing not to work due to unemployment benefits. This is happening at my workplace. We have had a lot of people that work for 6 weeks (the minimum time to work in Ohio between claims), stop showing up for work and then claim unemployment. Most of the time it is granted.

What is the job? Pre-covid folks that quit their job or were fired for good reason weren't able to collect unemployment benefits, but I know that's been relaxed for covid.....ostensibly folks should have to prove they quit/fired for health/covid related reasons in order to collect benefits, but I wouldn't be surprised to heard states aren't being super vigilant about that.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I know anecdotally many people are choosing not to work due to unemployment benefits. This is happening at my workplace. We have had a lot of people that work for 6 weeks (the minimum time to work in Ohio between claims), stop showing up for work and then claim unemployment. Most of the time it is granted.

I know a couple people like this, too. Down from probably 10-15 at the peak of when things were bad. I also knew people that would do this prior to there being added benefits.

I also know 3 business owners that took SBA loans to the tune of more than $20K (one took $30K, absolutely was not in need but was able to “show” that they had one bad quarter, which is real easy to do if you are managing your own books, AND it has already been completely written off - another got more money, but I’m not sure if it has been written off, though I’d be surprised if most of it is not).

It is eye opening that folks are so bitter towards individuals gaming the system, but when companies do it in much greater quantities, we don’t bat an eye. The same politicians and business that are cool with their companies writing off tens and hundreds of thousands for hair/clothes/makeup/vehicles/personal travel/etc. like to keep the focus on the food and retail workers stealing pennies while they are stealing millions.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

It is eye opening that folks are so bitter towards individuals gaming the system, but when companies do it in much greater quantities, we don’t bat an eye. The same politicians and business that are cool with their companies writing off tens and hundreds of thousands for hair/clothes/makeup/vehicles/personal travel/etc. like to keep the focus on the food and retail workers stealing pennies while they are stealing millions.

The outrage isn't mutually exclusive.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

The outrage isn't mutually exclusive.

Exactly, I don't know why there is always sides to pick, I have no love for anyone that games the system, corporate or individual.

It's the same principal with BLM and Police, is it really unthinkable to people that you can't back both? Or that you do both the black community and police a disfavor by stereotyping both groups by the actions of those that get the most media (I.E bad) attention.

[miami_fan]

https://apnews.com/article/europe-ha...22274389b7e920

Another warning for our infrastructure and security of said infrastructure.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I know anecdotally many people are choosing not to work due to unemployment benefits. This is happening at my workplace. We have had a lot of people that work for 6 weeks (the minimum time to work in Ohio between claims), stop showing up for work and then claim unemployment. Most of the time it is granted.

That must be one shitty job.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Stimulus check 2021: Millions face tax refund delay as relief arrives

Just in case you are like me and was wondering why you have not received your tax refund as of yet.

Closing the loop on this. Filed in the middle of February. Got our refund today. Not a bad addition to the vacation fund.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Closing the loop on this. Filed in the middle of February. Got our refund today. Not a bad addition to the vacation fund.

Checked mine, should be in my account in the next few days. Cherry on top of my work bonus I got this week! Going to put it all into Dogecoin and lose it all!

[GrantDawg]

Hmmm...restaurants having a hard to filling positions because of low wages and bad working conditions....nah, got to be something else.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/10/econo...aps/index.html

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[Lathum]

Originally Posted by lungs

Checked mine, should be in my account in the next few days. Cherry on top of my work bonus I got this week! Going to put it all into Dogecoin and lose it all!

I had 11K Dogecoins at about 4 cents I sold at 8 cents a few months ago. Your post hurts.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I had 11K Dogecoins at about 4 cents I sold at 8 cents a few months ago. Your post hurts.

A co-worker of mine was mining 33,000 Dogecoins per day a few years back and now can’t find the keys to his wallet. Hope that makes you feel better!

[Edward64]

Gas shortage is real around here.

[albionmoonlight]

I think that the gas shortage is real everywhere (at least on the East coast).

Everyone panic filled their tanks on news of the pipeline hacking, which is understandable.

In a better world, this event would cause the GOP to get behind Biden's push for enhanced cybersecurity on our critical infrastructure. But Biden has a D behind his name, so they'll oppose it just to oppose it.

Here's hoping its not a baby food factory next time.

[Edward64]

Electrical grid would be pretty darn bad.

[GrantDawg]

Everybody here is just blaming Biden. It is all his fault, it would have never happened under Trump, etc. etc. I hear this crap all day.

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[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I think that the gas shortage is real everywhere (at least on the East coast).

Everyone panic filled their tanks on news of the pipeline hacking, which is understandable.

In a better world, this event would cause the GOP to get behind Biden's push for enhanced cybersecurity on our critical infrastructure. But Biden has a D behind his name, so they'll oppose it just to oppose it.

Here's hoping its not a baby food factory next time.

Speaking of, our local news has aired some "Spotlight on America" segments about the levels of heavy metals in baby food. Spotlight is of course produced by Sinclair. I have been trying to figure out exactly what their angle is. There has to be something, because I can't believe Sinclair wouldn't have some sort of angle. General concern is not believable.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Everybody here is just blaming Biden. It is all his fault, it would have never happened under Trump, etc. etc. I hear this crap all day.

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Hell, it probably happened because Trump gave some FSB agent his government phone in 2017 to show him his electoral college map.

[albionmoonlight]

dola

Short term gas shortage is like manna from heaven for local news stations.

There's one local reporter who, from what I can tell, is just going with a camera crew to each gas station to report on whether they still have gas or not.

[GrantDawg]

This was fascinating to me: I went to a QT in Decatur, which was out of all grades of gas. What it was not out of is No Ethanol gas which was also selling for $2.88, cheaper than gas is going at stations that have it. I was able to pull straight up and fill. My wife started freaking out. "Can your car use that?" I had to explain what No Ethanol meant. I imagine it was why no one was getting it. They had no idea.

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[miked]

I drove up to Blue Ridge last night after filling my tank near Brookhaven. Today when I left, all gas stations in the area were either out of gas, or had one nozzle open with lines going down the street. This was from Blue Ridge, all the way back to my house near Brookhaven. The QT and Racetrac near me were all out, and gasbuddy shows almost no gas in the perimeter. I also heard of people filling huge tanks with gas this morning.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Everybody here is just blaming Biden. It is all his fault, it would have never happened under Trump, etc. etc. I hear this crap all day.

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I thought private companies and capitalism were going to save the world?

[Brian Swartz]

Adding on to the whole 'only shitty jobs can't find workers' thread, for the first time I've ever seen it a local haircut establishment is reducing their hours because they can't find people to work there. Suffice to say they pay a lot more than fast food does for their hairdressers/stylists/whatever the right term is.

[rjolley]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Adding on to the whole 'only shitty jobs can't find workers' thread, for the first time I've ever seen it a local haircut establishment is reducing their hours because they can't find people to work there. Suffice to say they pay a lot more than fast food does for their hairdressers/stylists/whatever the right term is.

Since hairstylist/barber is a licensed profession where a good percentage of the licensed professionals had to find other work since their shops were closed, it could be that it will take time to get qualified people into the shops. Also, how many shops lost customers since people learned to do their own hair at home? I know I'm not going back anytime soon. I can cut mine and my boys hair well enough for now.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Adding on to the whole 'only shitty jobs can't find workers' thread, for the first time I've ever seen it a local haircut establishment is reducing their hours because they can't find people to work there. Suffice to say they pay a lot more than fast food does for their hairdressers/stylists/whatever the right term is.

At the risk of stereotyping, I would imagine the majority of employees there are women. The latest job numbers show overwhelmingly it was men returning back to work. If you can't send your kid to school or daycare generally the woman stays home instead of working, not factoring in single moms as well.

[albionmoonlight]

One thing I haven't seen discussed (with good reason b/c it's pretty morbid) is the extent to which 500,000+ dead people--disproportionately focused on the poor and working class--has affected the employment market.

Is part of the reason that we can't fill low wage jobs the fact that some of the people who would be filling those jobs are no longer with us?

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Adding on to the whole 'only shitty jobs can't find workers' thread, for the first time I've ever seen it a local haircut establishment is reducing their hours because they can't find people to work there. Suffice to say they pay a lot more than fast food does for their hairdressers/stylists/whatever the right term is.

I know a hairdresser that continues to refuse to work. It definitely pays better than fast food, but it also requires hours of continuous physical contact with a parade of strangers in the middle of a pandemic.

[rjolley]

Originally Posted by Lathum

At the risk of stereotyping, I would imagine the majority of employees there are women. The latest job numbers show overwhelmingly it was men returning back to work. If you can't send your kid to school or daycare generally the woman stays home instead of working, not factoring in single moms as well.

Very good point. Also, I know a few hairstylists that started to do hair exclusively in their client's home or in their own home since shops were closed. How many keep doing that?

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by rjolley

Very good point. Also, I know a few hairstylists that started to do hair exclusively in their client's home or in their own home since shops were closed. How many keep doing that?

For my entire childhood, my mom's hairdresser worked out of her home for cash.

I doubt that woman ever paid a dime of taxes :-)

[rjolley]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

For my entire childhood, my mom's hairdresser worked out of her home for cash.

I doubt that woman ever paid a dime of taxes :-)

Growing up, our neighbor across the street did the same thing.

[GrantDawg]

My dad cut hair as a side gig. Mostly for fellow firefighters, but for some friends and family as well. He was a licensed barber before becoming a firefighter.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I would imagine the majority of employees there are women. The latest job numbers show overwhelmingly it was men returning back to work. If you can't send your kid to school or daycare generally the woman stays home instead of working, not factoring in single moms as well.

This is very true, although there's no lack of women working where I live.

Originally Posted by rjolley

how many shops lost customers since people learned to do their own hair at home? I know I'm not going back anytime soon. I can cut mine and my boys hair well enough for now.

The establishment in question actually has more business than they did before. As ever, I can't speak to greater trends but they definitely didn't lose a bunch of customers.

[JPhillips]

People haven't seemed to connect that the same people that are still exceedingly cautious about masking and indoor activities are also a part of the labor pool. I think COVID fear is still a big issue for a lot of people.

[thesloppy]

It also took like all of 2 weeks of the pandemic before thee most suspect people in the country were yelling particularly about not being able to get their hair done. Personally, I can understand why folks might be hesitant to jump back into a gig that literally requires getting as close a physically possible to folks that are seeking out a non-essential service.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by rjolley

Since hairstylist/barber is a licensed profession where a good percentage of the licensed professionals had to find other work since their shops were closed, it could be that it will take time to get qualified people into the shops. Also, how many shops lost customers since people learned to do their own hair at home? I know I'm not going back anytime soon. I can cut mine and my boys hair well enough for now.

It's weird that people think professionals just sat on their hands waiting patiently for people to tell them they were allowed to go back to their profession. If your profession was eliminated during the pandemic, you went and found another one to pay the bills. I am friends with a theater lighting expert (she went to school and everything for it). But with those closed down, she switched career paths and likely won't go back.

I haven't heard about this shortage anywhere though. Delays in appointments are likely due to so many people who held out till they were vaccinated flooding the market. Sounds more like a class of people who feel entitled to others skills whenever they want it and whatever price they want to pay.

[RainMaker]

Also hairdressers rely heavily on word-of-mouth and repeat business. Every day they aren't working is another day that a competitor takes their customers. To think that people in that hyper-competitive profession are sitting home over some measly unemployment benefits is comical.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Also hairdressers rely heavily on word-of-mouth and repeat business. Every day they aren't working is another day that a competitor takes their customers. To think that people in that hyper-competitive profession are sitting home over some measly unemployment benefits is comical.

I would wager a not insignificant number are doing in home cash only while collecting unemployment.

[Edward64]

So far it seems Biden is somewhat hands off the Israeli-Gaza situation. I'm sure there are some level of talks behind the scenes. One article said Israel passed on a mutual ceasefire offer and likely going to invade Gaza (haven't read that in US MSM but can easily believe this).

Haven't read about the West Bank getting involved. Don't know what it would take but if I was a Palestinian in Gaza, I'd "immigrate" to the West Bank. What a miserable place to live in.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

So what you're saying is that the middle class probably doesn't have the resources to support everybody below them...so we need to look somewhere else?

Just coming back to this thread after a few days away.

I would say that we don't really have a true middle class anymore - at least, not in the numbers we used to have. And things like doubling/tripling the minimum wage and UBI are only going to cause prices to go up, which are going to have the effect of bringing more people on the edges of lower/middle class down, not lifting more people in poverty up. Or, to put it a different way, we're just going to increase the number of struggling people - kinda like taking 100 10s and 100 50s and creating a pool of 200 30s.

There's a disconnect between the value of many available jobs, the wages they are paid, and the standard of living expected in our society today. I understand that everyone wants to make enough to buy Starbucks every day, eat $12 lunches 2-3 times a week, have a brand new car, pay for Netflix and a smartphone, etc., but there's a limit to the value in some of these jobs that people seem to think should be paid at a wage where they can make a long-term job out of it.

There's certainly a management path in things like grocery stores and fast food chains - great. But jobs like bagging groceries and flipping burgers are what high school/college kids did to make some money before they got on a more sustainable path to higher-paying jobs. They are not valuable jobs that someone should be able to make a comfortable living at as a career.

I don't really have an answer for that disconnect, but I would like to see more of a true middle class rebuilt. I just don't know that artificially inflating the value of minimum wage jobs is the answer. Well, it's AN answer, but it seems like the easiest, less thoughtful response to a complex problem.

I'm actually in favor of raising taxes - although mostly because of the debt load. What we do with that money is another discussion altogether, but I think I saw that Biden's proposed income tax hike on people making $400K+ a year would cost someone who makes $800K about an extra $5K a year. That's not much, all things considered.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

There's certainly a management path in things like grocery stores and fast food chains - great. But jobs like bagging groceries and flipping burgers are what high school/college kids did to make some money before they got on a more sustainable path to higher-paying jobs. They are not valuable jobs that someone should be able to make a comfortable living at as a career.

To get a sense of how much things have changed, Ramona and Her Father was published in 1977, and the major plot tension (Ramona's father having lost his job) was resolved when he got a job as a grocery store checker, with which he was then able to support his family.

[Qwikshot]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

To get a sense of how much things have changed, Ramona and Her Father was published in 1977, and the major plot tension (Ramona's father having lost his job) was resolved when he got a job as a grocery store checker, with which he was then able to support his family.

This is still true today. Only you work two more jobs too.

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by Edward64

So far it seems Biden is somewhat hands off the Israeli-Gaza situation. I'm sure there are some level of talks behind the scenes. One article said Israel passed on a mutual ceasefire offer and likely going to invade Gaza (haven't read that in US MSM but can easily believe this).

Haven't read about the West Bank getting involved. Don't know what it would take but if I was a Palestinian in Gaza, I'd "immigrate" to the West Bank. What a miserable place to live in.

I was just saying to myself that it's frustrating as a Jewish guy with a ton of Arabic friends that I can't support both sides in a vein of can't we work this out finally to make everyone happy (or mutually unhappy)? If I say anything at all to one side about it and it isn't totally falling in line with their most extreme positions then much like, the Right v Left issues in our country, I'm an extremist of the other side. That sucks.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

To get a sense of how much things have changed, Ramona and Her Father was published in 1977, and the major plot tension (Ramona's father having lost his job) was resolved when he got a job as a grocery store checker, with which he was then able to support his family.

1977 was 44 years ago. If this were 1980, this would be the equivalent of saying "economic conditions sure have changed since 1936!" The conditions change over time continually. We have to adapt both as a society and as individuals. Part of changing as individuals is adjusting to the new reality that those jobs no longer can support a family. Part of changing as a society is helping create conditions where people can flourish. It's not as simply as raising the wage floor, nor is it as simple as telling people to get a better job. As someone has said here, we don't do complexity and nuance well.

[Ksyrup]

I don't know what the trickle down would be to lower wage earners, but the pay structure of executives in public companies has gotten out of control. It's one thing to compensate people for creating value (this is good and should be encouraged and highly compensated!), but it seems like CEO positions (and the people/friends they then hire for supporting positions in their companies) are more often just getting passed around to friends for the express purpose of giving them golden parachutes regardless of how well they do. It's the corporate CEO equivalent to the NBA/NFL retread hiring of the Kevin Loughery's/Jeff Fisher's of the world to tread water, get fired, and collect the best unemployment insurance in the world.

The issue is, of course, that we have no ability to do anything about it given our political/economic structure. And I'm not sure exactly what it would accomplish for the people at the bottom - that money would likely go elsewhere before it made it all the way to them.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

There's a disconnect between the value of many available jobs, the wages they are paid, and the standard of living expected in our society today. I understand that everyone wants to make enough to buy Starbucks every day, eat $12 lunches 2-3 times a week, have a brand new car, pay for Netflix and a smartphone, etc., but there's a limit to the value in some of these jobs that people seem to think should be paid at a wage where they can make a long-term job out of it.

There's certainly a management path in things like grocery stores and fast food chains - great. But jobs like bagging groceries and flipping burgers are what high school/college kids did to make some money before they got on a more sustainable path to higher-paying jobs. They are not valuable jobs that someone should be able to make a comfortable living at as a career.

What about retail jobs? Is everyone working at Walmart at 10AM on a Tuesday in high school? Are they all managers? Maid services were another example from Nickel and Dimed. Yes, that's an upper-middle class thing, but it's more common than it used to be (/waves at Ben). Now that the real upper-middle doesn't have servants living with them, anyway. That job was starting at just above minimum wage too. There was one "manager" for that outfit. These jobs were making the same as flipping burgers. (Burgers aren't really a "treat" as far as lunches go either. How many people pack their lunches these days? How many high schoolers are available in March for a 12PM rush?)

(Aside: does any place have kids bagging groceries anymore? At any store I go to the person running the register also does the bagging. If there IS a person running the register, that is.)

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Part of changing as a society is helping create conditions where people can flourish.

What percentage of society actually wants this?