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nivek

As Above So Below
Wouldn't matter who is in office. This is just the time and circumstances we live in.
Government doesn't control these things. (Not debating any political stance here, just pointing that out.)

Government policies do affect these things, the border, the stock markets, inflation, unemployment, it's all on the Biden administration this time, can't blame Trump any longer...

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Sheltie

Fratty and out of touch.
It was the current administration's decision to pay enhanced unemployment benefits, to open our southern border, and to kill the Keystone pipeline. It will be the current administration's decision to decide how to react to Iranian gunboats currently challenging US Navy vessels.
 

Kchoo

At Peace.
Government policies do affect these things, the border, the stock markets, inflation, unemployment, it's all on the Biden administration this time, can't blame Trump any longer...

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I dont blame any president or party... I will disagree, it is not on any administration.
It is just a pendelum swing of circumstance for which I see no administration to blame.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
I dont blame any president or party... I will disagree, it is not on any administration.
It is just a pendelum swing of circumstance for which I see no administration to blame.

A perfect example is the southern border which was closed, then Biden took office and opened the border, his administration is directly to blame for the problems we now have on the southern border because those problems were non-existent until his policies were enacted...That is not because of circumstance but because of direct intervention...

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Kchoo

At Peace.
A perfect example is the southern border which was closed, then Biden took office and opened the border, his administration is directly to blame for the problems we now have on the southern border because those problems were non-existent until his policies were enacted...That is not because of circumstance but because of direct intervention...

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The border issue is a strange fight to me. Seems like there is no good answer.
Rather than it be a bipartisan thing, it seems it should be a one vote thing... Offer up a real solution, get a vote.... let the true majority of America decide.
Then we can stop pointing fingers. I am tired of the blame game. It isn't helping.
 

JahaRa

Noble
Today I paid $3.34 a gallon for mid-grade 89 octane gasoline, compared to 6 days ago I paid $3.36 a gallon for premium 93 octane gas...I noticed the 93 octane was $3.67 a gallon earlier today when I stopped for fuel...I had over a half a tank of gas in my car but filled it up just in case there's shortages around here, by the end of the day today when I drove back into town there were lines of cars waiting to fuel up...Never saw that before in this small town, never paid this much for fuel before either...

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Colonial Pipeline gas shortages widen: State-by-State breakdown

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In the 70's it was like that all over the country, in some places gas prices were over 4.00 a gallon. I have not noticed any shortages here but I only fill up once a month and I forgot to look as I passed gas stations on the way to the vet today. I don't think we are having a shortage here because we are not dependent on any pipeline.
 

JahaRa

Noble
A perfect example is the southern border which was closed, then Biden took office and opened the border, his administration is directly to blame for the problems we now have on the southern border because those problems were non-existent until his policies were enacted...That is not because of circumstance but because of direct intervention...

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Who ever told you that was lying. The problems at the southern border have been for decades. Trump's closing the border did not fix anything, in fact made some things worse. Go down to Arizona or California and actually look for yourself at what is going on. Ask the actual border patrol what the problems are and how long they have been going on.
 

Sheltie

Fratty and out of touch.
In the 70's it was like that all over the country, in some places gas prices were over 4.00 a gallon. I have not noticed any shortages here but I only fill up once a month and I forgot to look as I passed gas stations on the way to the vet today. I don't think we are having a shortage here because we are not dependent on any pipeline.
 

Sheltie

Fratty and out of touch.
There are a number of gas stations where I live that have run out of gas.

Now that the Democrats control the White House and Congress with an iron fist, a lot of folks have decided it's finally time to start calling for "reconciliation" and "bipartisan cooperation". It's funny how that works.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
The border issue is a strange fight to me. Seems like there is no good answer.
Rather than it be a bipartisan thing, it seems it should be a one vote thing... Offer up a real solution, get a vote.... let the true majority of America decide.
Then we can stop pointing fingers. I am tired of the blame game. It isn't helping.

We have immigration laws in place, it's not about voting for anything it's about following the laws of the land...Border jumping is illegal and those trespassing must be arrested and deported...99% of every other country has at least that much of a policy in place, some are much much harsher...

Jump across the border illegally into Mexico and see what happens, arrest and prosecution are immediate upon being caught and if not deported immediately then the individual serves prison time...

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JahaRa

Noble
There are a number of gas stations where I live that have run out of gas.

Now that the Democrats control the White House and Congress with an iron fist, a lot of folks have decided it's finally time to start calling for "reconciliation" and "bipartisan cooperation". It's funny how that works.
People have not just started calling for that, funny how you never noticed it until the Democrats were in office. It should be expected of our representatives to forget about their party affiliations once they get elected and remember that they have been chosen to represent, not lead, nor have they been voted in by the VOTERS to represent their party first, the corporations second and the people last. It doesn't matter what position it is, it is a community service and we have been treated as if we don't matter for way too long.
 

JahaRa

Noble
We have immigration laws in place, it's not about voting for anything it's about following the laws of the land...Border jumping is illegal and those trespassing must be arrested and deported...99% of every other country has at least that much of a policy in place, some are much much harsher...

Jump across the border illegally into Mexico and see what happens, arrest and prosecution are immediate upon being caught and if not deported immediately then the individual serves prison time...

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Yes it is illegal however companies who hire illegal alien workers are not punished, the workers are treated badly and then when the company owners are finished with them they call border patrol to take them back across the border. They do this because the don't have to pay fica or benefits and they get away with it. Most of the "border jumpers" have someone in this country helping them get here. But that is only part of the problem. If someone asks for asylum it is a whole different system and that is a very broken system as well.

And again, Biden nor Trump had anything to do with the problems except for making them worse on Trump's part (puppet doing bidding of his puppet masters, which seems to have been the goal of causing more division and hate in this country)
 

nivek

As Above So Below
puppet doing bidding of his puppet masters

That also covers Biden's actions too, a puppet following the will of his masters...The last free thinking President we had was Ronald Reagan IMO and to a lesser degree Bill Clinton...Obama was a puppet as well...

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nivek

As Above So Below

So many shortages in the US! Here’s a list of major consumer goods that are hard to get, why and for how long


Shortages are popping up across the supply chain as the pandemic messes with shipping, demand, supply and all the other levers of the global economy.

Here’s what’s hard to get, why and for how long.

Chicken
The fried chicken wars are putting a strain on the poultry population. Major chains, including KFC, Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop, are “paying steep prices” for chicken and suppliers are having trouble keeping up demand because of difficulties attracting workers.

That’s proving to be a problem for KFC: Its revamped chicken sandwich is selling twice as well as its predecessor and becoming too popular to meet demand. Interest in the product, along with tight chicken supply, has made keeping pace with customers’ orders the “main challenge” for KFC as it enters the second quarter.

Some restaurants removed chicken tenders and Nashville Hot flavored chicken items from menus at some restaurants because of limited supply.

Chlorine
Swimming pool owners scramble for supplies as nationwide chlorine shortage looks to dry up their plans for the summer.

Summer is around the corner, but anyone looking forward to a refreshing dip in the pool to cool off may be in for a big “shock.” A chlorine shortage may make it more difficult for pool owners to buy the sanitizing tabs.

Chlorine supplies are running low due to a fire at a chemical plant in Louisiana last August that was damaged by Hurricane Laura. As a result, prices for tabs have skyrocketed.

The extent of the chlorine shortage is still unknown.

What’s clear is that pool owners should consider stocking up sooner rather than later. “With regard to retail pricing, it is a fact that we are seeing increases across the industry,” said Michael Egeck, CEO of pool supplies company Leslie’s, during a February earnings conference call.

Computer chips
In the market for a new car, smartphone or washing machine this year? A global shortage of computer chips could mean you have to wait a while – and pay more.

A growing number of manufacturers around the world are having trouble securing supplies of semiconductors, delaying the production and delivery of goods and threatening to push up the prices paid by consumers.

Several factors are driving the crunch, which was initially concentrated in the auto industry. The first is the pandemic, which plunged the global economy into recession last year, upending supply chains and changing consumer shopping patterns. Car makers cut back orders for chips while tech companies, whose products were boosted by lockdown living, snapped up as many as they could.

The shortage is going from bad to worse, spreading from cars to consumer electronics. With the bulk of chip production concentrated in a handful of suppliers, analysts warn that the crunch is likely to last through 2021.

Gas
According to National Tank Truck Carriers, up to a quarter of all tank trucks in the country that carry gas are parked because they don’t have drivers.

Millions of people stuck at home for more than a year are expected to hit the road for much-needed post-pandemic vacations this summer. But good luck finding gas.

It’s not that there’s a looming shortage of crude oil or gasoline. Rather, it’s the tanker truck drivers needed to deliver the gas to stations who are in short supply.

Between 20% to 25% of tank trucks in the fleet are parked heading into this summer due to a paucity of qualified drivers.

“We’ve been dealing with a driver shortage for a while, but the pandemic took that issue and metastasized it,” said Ryan Streblow, the executive vice president of the NTTC. “It certainly has grown exponentially.”

Gas prices, which typically rise at the start of the summer as seasonal regulations take effect – requiring the more expensive “summer blend” of gasoline needed to combat smog – are also rising.

The national average price of regular gas already stands at an average of $2.94 a gallon, up more than 60% from a year ago when prices and demand were bottoming out. The national average could surpass $3 a gallon this summer, and even get higher if any hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast or if there are any other disruptions to supply, such as a refinery fire.

Now add the hacker attack and you have a real big mess…

Ketchup
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shortage of one of America’s favorite condiments: ketchup.

Shortages of ketchup – specifically in packets that often come with your to-go order – started popping up around the country last summer, and the plot has thickened.

How did this happen? It started with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discouraging traditional, dine-in service at restaurants and suggesting more pandemic-friendly options like delivery and takeout instead.

Suddenly, restaurants coast to coast were packing up entrees, side dishes and cold beverages for a steady string of people working from home swirling past in their cars. Those customers expected condiments. So those traditional restaurants jumped into direct competition with fast food places, which had also shut down their dining rooms and upped their orders for ketchup packets.

Demand and prices went up, and supply went down. Heinz, the biggest ketchup producer in the country, is at the epicenter of the problem and taking steps to address it. The company recently announced “a 25% increase in production, totaling 12 billion ketchup packets…a year.“

Lumber
Rising wood prices are making your toilet paper more expensive.

As the pandemic crushed the US economy last spring, sawmills shut down lumber production to brace for a housing slump. The slump never arrived and now there isn’t enough lumber to feed the red-hot housing market.

The shortage is delaying construction of badly needed new homes, complicating renovations of existing ones and causing sticker shock for buyers in what was already a scorching market.

Random-length lumber futures hit a record high of $1,615 on Tuesday, a staggering sevenfold gain from the low in early April 2020. That’s a big deal because lumber is the most substantial product that home builders buy.

The good news is that industry executives expect lumber production to catch up with demand – eventually. Samuel Burman, an assistant commodities economist, predicted in a recent note to clients that there will be a “sharp fall” in lumber prices over the next 18 months.

Metals
A worldwide shortage of aluminum has forced the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles to indefinitely suspend a program that replaces license plates older than six years.

As countries switch to green energy, demand for copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements is soaring.

But they are all vulnerable to price volatility and shortages, the International Energy Agency warned in a report published this week, because their supply chains are opaque, the quality of available deposits is declining and mining companies face stricter environmental and social standards.

Limited access to known mineral deposits is another risk factor. Three countries together control more than 75% of the global output of lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements.

The Democratic Republic of Congo was responsible for 70% of cobalt production in 2019, and China produced 60% of rare earth elements while refining 50% to 70% of lithium and cobalt, and nearly 90% of rare earth elements. Australia is the other power player.

In the past, mining companies have responded to higher demand by increasing their investment in new projects. But it takes on average 16 years from the discovery of a deposit for a mine to start production, according to the IEA. Current supply and investment plans are geared to “gradual, insufficient action on climate change,” it warned.

Steel
Steel is just the latest shortage to hit the US economy as it recovers from a pandemic that scrambled supply chains and set off sharp shifts in demand.

Much like lumber, the steel industry was caught off guard by the rapid recovery in demand that began last summer – especially in the auto industry. “All of a sudden people were buying lots of cars,” said Tanners, the Bank of America analyst.

And it took time for America’s aging steel mills to resume the production they had sharply cut at the onset of the pandemic. Steel inventories shrank rapidly and shipments were delayed, just as steel buyers began ordering more than usual.

The good news, for steel buyers at least, is that analysts say all of the US steel production capacity that was idled during the pandemic has returned. [ABC 11]

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JahaRa

Noble
That also covers Biden's actions too, a puppet following the will of his masters...The last free thinking President we had was Ronald Reagan IMO and to a lesser degree Bill Clinton...Obama was a puppet as well...

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We haven't had a president who thought for hinself since Nixon. They are all puppets. There is an agenda to keep us divided and it is working quite well with the first big lie being that democrats and republicans are different, and that we only have two parties so we must choose a side. BIG LIE. Our system was orignially designed to keep that lie from happening because look how "well" it has been working for the UK.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
We haven't had a president who thought for hinself since Nixon. They are all puppets. There is an agenda to keep us divided and it is working quite well with the first big lie being that democrats and republicans are different, and that we only have two parties so we must choose a side. BIG LIE. Our system was orignially designed to keep that lie from happening because look how "well" it has been working for the UK.

Absolutely, I agree with most of that, the left and right are two ends of the same stick and I wish the majority of Americans would wake up and realize there are more than two parties...I'm an independent voter and the past few election cycles I've voted Libertarian...The last Democrat I voted for President was Bill Clinton first term and the last Republican I voted for was Ronald Reagan both terms...Wished Ron Paul would have done something, and was rooting for Perot at one point too...We have many options when it comes to choosing a President but the American people have to put the Republicans and Democrats in their place and not voting for either of their representatives is a start...Those parties sure aren't going to change on their own and both do serve the same masters...I hate to see what this country is going to be like 50 years from now given the direction things have been going across the board, it's up to the younger generations to get it right, the older folk typically will not change...I have an Aunt who's always voted Democrat no matter what and my mother who votes Republican no matter what...Boy the scolding I got from my mom when I slipped it out that I voted for Jo Jorgensen in the last election lol...

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nivek

As Above So Below
There are a number of gas stations where I live that have run out of gas.

I heard from local sources that over 70 percent of the gas stations in Charlotte NC have run out of gasoline and Raleigh NC was in a similar situation...I think those are the two biggest cities in North Carolina...I haven't driven into town today, it's cold and rainy today, so I haven't seen the situation locally...

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JahaRa

Noble
Absolutely, I agree with most of that, the left and right are two ends of the same stick and I wish the majority of Americans would wake up and realize there are more than two parties...I'm an independent voter and the past few election cycles I've voted Libertarian...The last Democrat I voted for President was Bill Clinton first term and the last Republican I voted for was Ronald Reagan both terms...Wished Ron Paul would have done something, and was rooting for Perot at one point too...We have many options when it comes to choosing a President but the American people have to put the Republicans and Democrats in their place and not voting for either of their representatives is a start...Those parties sure aren't going to change on their own and both do serve the same masters...I hate to see what this country is going to be like 50 years from now given the direction things have been going across the board, it's up to the younger generations to get it right, the older folk typically will not change...I have an Aunt who's always voted Democrat no matter what and my mother who votes Republican no matter what...Boy the scolding I got from my mom when I slipped it out that I voted for Jo Jorgensen in the last election lol...

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My mother and most of her family always voted straight ticket republican and the first thing my dad did when they divorced was to not only change his registration to democrat but to volunteer for the democratic party. He was retired by then so he had to have some hobby. I never understood my relatives voting straight ticket except that they felt they were too busy with reality to ever give politics any thought so they voted straight ticket in the party their grand parents belonged to. (not even realizing how things have changed in the last 70 years).

I have been told I am throwing my vote away because I always vote for the 3rd choice when there is one and against the incumbent when there isn't no matter what election it is. I voted for Jo Jorgensen because she was the only 3rd choice on the ballot in all 50 states. I registered libertarian in 2015 so that the libertarians could get enough people so that New Mexico would allow them on the ballot for federal positions. I don't agree with most of their philosophy but they are a 3rd choice and I think that is important. They are not a strong party in these parts but have more involvement than the green party which isn't even cohesive enough to get on the ballot in all 50 states. I have been voting this way since the 80's. I agree that the only way things will change is to start shutting out the two parties that control everything. It is really hard to get people to actually think about why our country has problems instead of just buying what ever their favorite network is selling. I think the best we could do is to get ranked choice voting on all elections, especially in the primaries. That would give the people in most states a vote that they don't currently get. The primaries are where the decisions are made and almost half the people don't get to vote in them. 47% is too many voters being shut out.
 
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