On the inflation front ...

[Camelfilter]

We can't, really.

Unless we drastically change from an import produced consumer driven economy, towards a domestic produced. Jobs. American jobs. As in American citizen jobs, or folks on pathways towards citizenship (legal immigrants).

Combine with no housing, employment or benefits for illegal immigrants. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.

Will take significantly longer than one presidential term.

IIRC Oregon's unemployment under Trump term 1 was the lowest it had been in decades...

 

[TTSX]

MAAA doesn't have the same ring to it

 

[oremike]

Import nothing but raw materials and export nothing but finished goods. Making things is where the major money is made so lets make everything here. If you want into this country walk thru the gate with your head held high. Bring a saleable skill set and have a sponsor to get you started. Learn English. No hand outs only hand ups.

 

[Cavedweller]

Bring down the cost of energy (Drill baby, drill!). Cheap, abundant energy is the key to prosperity. It is a component cost of EVERYTHING.

 

[Kruel J]

We also need lower interest rates and auto manufacturers need a reality check. No, that 2024 Jeep is NOT worth $60k. The automotive industry is in shambles right now and its effects on the working class cannot be ignored. Thousands of jobs are on the line, manufacturers are on the verge of another .gov bailout (looking at you Stellantis) and the increased costs to consumers are causing people to stop buying. Next time you drive past a car lot look at all the $100k trucks and SUVs rotting away on the lots. Wages have not kept up with costs, whether cars or fuel or groceries or housing. As much as people want it or are delusional towards it, most of us are not destined to be wealthy. Too many have ignored the facts and tried to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[arakboss]

We also need lower interest rates and auto manufacturers need a reality check. No, that 2024 Jeep is NOT worth $60k. The automotive industry is in shambles right now and its effects on the working class cannot be ignored. Thousands of jobs are on the line, manufacturers are on the verge of another .gov bailout (looking at you Stellantis) and the increased costs to consumers are causing people to stop buying. Next time you drive past a car lot look at all the $100k trucks and SUVs rotting away on the lots. Wages have not kept up with costs, whether cars or fuel or groceries or housing. As much as people want it or are delusional towards it, most of us are not destined to be wealthy. Too many have ignored the facts and tried to keep up with the Jones'.

"Wages have not kept up with costs..."

This is especially true with housing cost. I have to believe that housing cost are the highest expense for the working man.

 

[Stomper]

MAAA doesn't have the same ring to it

MAAA always liked you best!

 

[Alexx1401]

We can stop printing money to flush down the crapper and give away to people who do not want to work. Believe it or not this is what it looks like to NOT have enough pain. A LOT of people just asked for more of this. As long as a mass amount of people keep asking for more? They will get it.

 

[Alexx1401]

"Wages have not kept up with costs..."

This is especially true with housing cost. I have to believe that housing cost are the highest expense for the working man.

When people really will no longer pay you will see price drop. Amazingly simple how it works. Wife and I were just out to store. As we drove past a couple of those places that sell you a cup of coffee at insane prices I was laughing at the LONG lines at each of them.

 

[arakboss]

We can stop printing money to flush down the crapper and give away to people who do not want to work. Believe it or not this is what it looks like to NOT have enough pain. A LOT of people just asked for more of this. As long as a mass amount of people keep asking for more? They will get it.

I do think government housing assistance creates problems for the working poor who don't qualify or don't want government assistance. Imagine a world where housing assistance was eliminated. All those section 8 type freeloaders would be on the street and that would free up lots of rental units. That would likely cause rental prices to go down. Probably not going to happen though.

 

[Kruel J]

We could also stop funding the war in Ukraine.

 

[ORhutner]

Stop consuming above our means and going into debt. Debt is one of the major points of leverage that gives the wealthy control over the masses. American's are obsessed with buying what they want over what they need. Yeah, only buying what you need sucks in the short term but once you emerge out the other side debt free you begin to regain your freedom. We all have control over our spending but not all have developed the proper will power to get out of the consumer mind set.

 

[nwslopoke]

Bring down the cost of energy (Drill baby, drill!). Cheap, abundant energy is the key to prosperity. It is a component cost of EVERYTHING.

Reducing the cost of energy should definitely free up spending money to the individual family. The question is, how soon will the related saving drop food and goods prices? Also, if congress follows through with the tax savings on tips and overtime. I may never see my wife again.

 

[Koda]

If only we had a program that would clean up worthless government spending and inefficiencies....

 

[Richo877]

As far as housing costs, there's gotta be an end. Rent can increase year over year indefinitely. Commercial housing companies don't have checks and balances, and they're allowed to raise rents x amount over CPI, so it's designed to be elevated over inflation and wages. There is no keeping up with it. Last year, rent went up $160, this year it went up $176, next year it goes up $194. There's gotta be a way to fix housing rates. Owner's mortgages are fixed, but rent is out of control.

 

[nwslopoke]

As far as housing costs, there's gotta be an end. Rent can increase year over year indefinitely. Commercial housing companies don't have checks and balances, and they're allowed to raise rents x amount over CPI, so it's designed to be elevated over inflation and wages. There is no keeping up with it. Last year, rent went up $160, this year it went up $176, next year it goes up $194. There's gotta be a way to fix housing rates. Owner's mortgages are fixed, but rent is out of control.

I don't own properties so it's just my opinion. As housing prices rise, so will government subsidies...which will increase housing prices. My under $200k house in early 2000s shows a current value $550k-600k. My neighbor rents his 4bedroom house for around $2200mo which is cheap considering apartment prices.

I think the new renter is a nurse with a few kids but what if it were another scenario. Would a low wage worker qualify for more assistance therefore be able to pay a higher rent? I don't begrudge any party here because if someone is willing to pay, who's to blame?

@Rich0877, are you saying rent went up $530 from last year to next year?

 

[Richo877]

I don't own properties so it's just my opinion. As housing prices rise, so will government subsidies...which will increase housing prices. My under $200k house in early 2000s shows a current value $550k-600k. My neighbor rents his 4bedroom house for around $2200mo which is cheap considering apartment prices.

I think the new renter is a nurse with a few kids but what if it were another scenario. Would a low wage worker qualify for more assistance therefore be able to pay a higher rent? I don't begrudge any party here because if some one is willing to pay, who's to blame?

I'm not familiar with housing assistance, but I have 4 kids and I may qualify or have qualified in the past, but there are loads of stipulations to become qualified and the waiting lists for assistance, I hear, are many years long. After utilities my apartment is pushing towards that $2200 already, and that's a "steal" in the current market because our unit is "classic" and everything is 35 years old. As far as being 'willing' to pay... I'm not sure what another option would be. The options in this market are "pay what we charge or be homeless". I tell you, if I didn't have a family to house, I'd be living in my car.

 

[Loc]

Bring down the cost of energy (Drill baby, drill!). Cheap, abundant energy is the key to prosperity. It is a component cost of EVERYTHING.

Unfortunately, and has been discussed in other threads, the vast majority of the oil extracted in the US cannot be refined in the US as our refineries are built for thicker crude oil sourced outside the country. What we CAN do by extracting and exporting more oil is impact the price of oil internationally, thus hopefully reducing the cost for the end consumer here in the US.

 

[arakboss]

I'm not familiar with housing assistance, but I have 4 kids and I may qualify or have qualified in the past, but there are loads of stipulations to become qualified and the waiting lists for assistance, I hear, are many years long. After utilities my apartment is pushing towards that $2200 already, and that's a "steal" in the current market because our unit is "classic" and everything is 35 years old. As far as being 'willing' to pay... I'm not sure what another option would be. The options in this market are "pay what we charge or be homeless". I tell you, if I didn't have a family to house, I'd be living in my car.

Exactly it's not like you are deciding on whether you can afford a $6 latte or not. Working people need a roof over their head. If we want to have working poor labor available, we should be working to make housing affordable for the working poor. Subsidies for the freeloaders, drive up the cost of housing. It takes out the free market setting of prices people will pay. Then prices rise to what the government will pay.

 

[arakboss]

Unfortunately, and has been discussed in other threads, the vast majority of the oil extracted in the US cannot be refined in the US as our refineries are built for thicker crude oil sourced outside the country. What we CAN do by extracting and exporting more oil is impact the price of oil internationally, thus hopefully reducing the cost for the end consumer here in the US.

Regardless of whether we can refine it here or not, the oil prices are set on global markets. We would have to dump a lot of oil on the market to make even a small difference in price.