Post AlKCAy4NeXiWMRefFA by guyjantic@c.im
 (DIR) More posts by guyjantic@c.im
 (DIR) Post #AlKBbYCbppTU02cEBk by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2024-08-25T11:55:41Z
       
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       Even Frank Luntz agrees that just calling Democrats "communist" and "socialist" isn't very effective. The abstract philosophical idea that it's good for everyone to suffer for the sake of the Church of the Free Market so you can have a chance to live in trickle down heaven someday is no longer coherent. People see high grocery prices and want it to stop. Biden has been doing everything right to slow the climb, but that's not enough the prices still burn.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKBw3WP6HVwvUeU08 by Htaggert@mstdn.social
       2024-08-25T11:59:23Z
       
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       @futurebird I’ve started to see the prices dip down but I’ve had to really pay attention, for some reason I always watch the Soft drink prices (a luxe item for me) and they soared but are now sloooowly coming down. But if I wasn’t paying attention, like a normal human, I probably wouldn’t notice it.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKBxIsNUxqMpwWcRU by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2024-08-25T11:59:23Z
       
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       So when Harris talks about going after price gouging it should play well. But, what is she really proposing and what will it do? Republicans and moderates are already howling about "price controls" -- everyone has forgotten the actual limits of the power of the president. The price gouging a president can address is the kind that occurs during acute natural disasters. Non-controversial and boring.  But, it's also not going fix the grocery bills.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKCAy4NeXiWMRefFA by guyjantic@c.im
       2024-08-25T12:02:04Z
       
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       @futurebird In stark contrast to Trump, Harris will have a functioning CFPB and FTC, which I hope can do some things. More generally, though, yeah, kind of ridiculous that we all forget there are two entire other branches of government, every four years.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKCDMgR6u65HKb96m by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2024-08-25T12:02:11Z
       
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       @Htaggert Much like crime prices are something people will notice when they increase, but not when they decrease.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKIOq60hAF7PUPmGe by DaveMWilburn@infosec.exchange
       2024-08-25T13:11:48Z
       
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       @futurebird There are limits, although a properly empowered FTC and DOJ might be able to make price fixing cases, a la RealPage. Not all price gouging involves price fixing through unlawful collusion among competitors, but there might be enough to put some fear into the broader market. Of course, that's assuming the courts even allow the FTC to perform its core mission after Chevron was just overturned.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKQZiWry4VUlEfy9g by llewelly@sauropods.win
       2024-08-25T14:43:25Z
       
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       @futurebird I've been amazed at what the FTC under Biden has tried. Some real accomplishments. But also, many corporate lawsuits, resulting in extremely bad SCOTUS decisions, of which the notorious reversal of the Chevron vs NRDC precedent was only one.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlKXp5XZOUaO9UHQp6 by AMS@infosec.exchange
       2024-08-25T16:04:36Z
       
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       @futurebird The biggest thing would be directing the FTC to prosecute near monopolies and regional monopolies under existing laws, especially when they brag of price fixing in financial reports.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlL5yZh638rUigQnSa by franktaber@mas.to
       2024-08-25T22:27:20Z
       
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       @futurebird I believe several US states have price gouging laws on the books for various things. I do not know how effectively they are enforced but there seems to be plenty of precedent. If anything the best approach might be to use FTC and CFPB like approaches with those or other agencies to control monopoly power and pricing.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlLeHpVerwRTiLQyYK by lufthans@mastodon.social
       2024-08-26T04:51:45Z
       
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       @futurebird What do corporations use the price gouging gains on?Stock buybacks could be illegal againExecutive,  board and stockowner compensation could be regulated and taxedAnti-trust can be used to restore a semblance of competition in the marketplaceCFPB can play whack-a-mole with corporate lawyers as they think of more ways to get around regulations