this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2024
880 points (97.7% liked)

News

23296 readers
3844 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. We have an actively updated blocklist, which you can see here: https://lemmy.world/post/2246130 if you feel like any website is missing, contact the mods. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

JD Vance was roundly mocked online over a trip to the supermarket where he bemoaned the steep price of eggs — and botched the photo opp.

The Republican vice presidential nominee stopped by a supermarket in Reading, Pennsylvania, with his sons over the weekend to illustrate how grocery prices have been impacted by “Kamala Harris’s policies” when he claimed a dozen eggs cost $4.

The problem? When footage of the visit emerged, Vance was quickly called out by viewers who spotted the price tag of a dozen eggs behind him was actually $2.99.


🗳️ Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 173 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (6 children)

I mean, I think that he's got a valid broader point that egg prices haven't been great for a couple of years.

However...that's not really due to anything that Biden has done, much less Harris.

A lot of it was due to major avian flu outbreaks:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bird-flu-outbreak-egg-prices-2024/

April 24, 2024

A multi-state outbreak of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is leading to a jump in the price of eggs around the U.S. — an unhappy reminder for consumers that a range of unforeseen developments can trigger inflation.

As of April 24, a dozen large grade A eggs cost an average of $2.99, up nearly 16% from $2.52 in January, according to federal labor data. The price increase comes as nearly 9 million chickens across Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Texas have been discovered to be infected with bird flu in recent weeks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That is crimping egg supplies, leading to higher prices.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/egg-prices-rise-bird-flu-farm/

September 9, 2024

LONG LAKE, Minn. — Minnesota shoppers may be experiencing some sticker shock as eggs again emerges as a hot commodity.

According to the USDA, the average wholesale price for a dozen large Grade A eggs reached $4.26 in the Midwest region. That's up $0.09 since last week, but up roughly 20% compared to what was recorded in last summer's consumer price index.

"I'm not surprised by the volatility," Loree Kinney, store director at the Orono Market explained. "There's volatility in milk, there's volatility in dairy products, and in meat. There's not much you can do about the supply and demand."

Indeed, economists have for months pointed to a bird flu outbreak as a key reason for dwindling supplies of eggs across the U.S. coming from major producers.

You can't really lay that much at Harris's feet, though.

I do kind of wonder how practical it would be to have some company just store powdered eggs if the prices are going to be jerking around that much. Can't do a sunny-side-up egg or anything like that, but for baking, it should be fine.

[–] TheTechnician27 87 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (13 children)

Exactly. Egg prices have gone up in large part because factory farming is unsustainable and we're starting to see that with flu outbreaks. Who'da thunk.

load more comments (12 replies)
[–] Ghostalmedia 46 points 1 month ago

Thing is, Biden has been paying farmers for their losses and ramping up inspections to detect and stop spread.

Egg prices would be even worse if Biden was sitting on his ass. We’d have even more of a supply and demand discrepancy.

But, maybe Trump wants to propose injecting chickens with bleach.

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

Not to mention the price spike on eggs specifically is also way less than he would like to make it appear. Yes, in 2020 dollars, a dozen eggs was $1.50. But adjusted for inflation to today's dollars, that 1.50 is actually about 2 dollars today (inflation being a much broader issue and highly affected by covid). So the price didn't jump from 1.50 to 4 dollars, an increase of 167%, nor even from 1.5 to 3 dollars, an increase of 100%. It only went up from 2 dollars to just under 3 dollars (given the signs), an increase of just under 50 percent. Considering all the avian flu outbreaks that is an entirely reasonable price hike on a high demand good.

load more comments (4 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] athairmor 96 points 1 month ago (14 children)

He said his three kids—7,4 and 3 years old—eat “14 eggs every single morning”. Either he’s an idiot or the toddlers are training to fight Dolph Lundgren.

[–] macarthur_park 48 points 1 month ago

Pictured: one of Vance’s kids

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I am sure the actual quote is even stupider than I can imagine but:

Three kids. Let's assume 3 sunny side up eggs for him, 7, and 4. That gets 9. Then whatever his couch eats so let's say 10-11. Then another 3 or 4 for a "big pile of scrambled eggs" for the 3 year old and for the 4 year old to actually eat because yucky runny eggs. And then whatever his servants are able to sneak off to feed themselves.

It is very reasonable for a household that doesn't care about money or food waste.

[–] chronicledmonocle 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I mean .... Vance is an idiot, but I have three boys. Between me, my wife, and my three kids, we each eat 2-3 eggs worth of scrambled eggs some mornings. 5x2 is 10, 5x3 is 15. That's right in line with his claims, if he counts himself and wife, which he probably is and just being an idiot again.

That said, I don't have eggs EVERY DAY. FFS my cholesterol would be sky high. I do buy 10-15 dozen eggs at a time, though, because the local farmer's market sells 15 dozen for $25-30 and eggs will keep for 6-10 weeks in the fridge that is consistently the same low, near freezing temp (perfect for the outdoor, secondary fridge).

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago (2 children)

FFS my cholesterol would be sky high.

Cholesterol intake is not directly correlated with blood cholesterol. Eat all the eggs you want. The bigger problem is saturated and trans fat.

Further, in the specific circumstances where eggs are the source of dietary cholesterol, an improvement in dyslipidemias is observed due to the formation of less atherogenic lipoproteins and changes in HDL associated with a more efficient reverse cholesterol transport. However, if the cholesterol sources are consumed with saturated and trans fats, as happens in the Western diet pattern, increases in plasma cholesterol may be observed.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (3 children)

One of those egg council creeps got to you too eh?

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] damnedfurry 11 points 1 month ago

That's still almost 3 dozen short of Gaston, they'll never get large at this rate.

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] NikkiDimes 70 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Why did Kamala Harris choose for there to be an avian flu epidemic that led to many bird deaths/culling? I can't believe she'd write that into policy!

The lying about the price aside, fucking morons, I swear to god.

[–] ripcord 21 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Do we know that's actually the reason the prices doubled (and is jt still a valid reason)? Or is it mostly just unchecked gouging like almost all other groceries?

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 month ago

First one, then the other, and that's why Kroger is getting their asses sued off by the FTC under Biden appointee Lina Khan. The avian flu issue was a legitimate supply/demand squeeze for a little while, until it wasn't, and Kroger didn't back down an inch, so the FTC is stepping in.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (6 children)

It's probably both. You find an excuse to raise prices, you build in some extra margin so you only have to raise the price in one big go instead of smaller increments that better reflect market prices. Your competitors do the same, and you just tell everyone there's nothing you can do, it's just inflation.

load more comments (6 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 66 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Why is this dude this bad at being a politician? I feel like if you pick a random person off the street and swapped places with Vance, they would have more charisma, and also more experience with groceries and donut shops.

[–] MojoMcJojo 28 points 1 month ago (2 children)

His only job will be to do what Pence wouldn't

[–] Jimmyeatsausage 9 points 1 month ago

Instructions unclear...JD runs toward the gallows

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yeah at the time he was picked it was purely a gesture of goodwill towards Vance's techno-capitalist sponsors (Thiel and co). I am confident trump thought they had it in the bag against sleepy Joe and his team wasn't thinking too hard about strategy at the time.

Now they're scrambling but it doesn't seem to be working. they'll probably just try another coup after the election

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago

Why is this dude this bad at being a politician?

Because he's literally an idiot.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (9 children)

Quote: "now a dozen eggs will cost you around four dollars thanks to Kamala Harris' inflationary policies".
Checks source: Average cost $4.10.

Edit: I’ve updated this post to reflect the point of it being posted in News.

The problem? When footage of the visit emerged, Vance was quickly called out by viewers who spotted the price tag of a dozen eggs behind him was actually $2.99.

– Vance is being called out for saying eggs cost around $4 while standing in front of eggs that costs $3 when in fact the average cost for eggs he is standing in front of is $4.10.

I hate that this is the bullshit we spend our time arguing over.

[–] nutsack 23 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

good post. i hate vance and I don't think inflation is bidens fault but i wish everyone would stop acting like clowns.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (8 replies)
[–] Rakonat 36 points 1 month ago

It's only one banana, what could it cost. Ten Dollars?

[–] Etterra 32 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Well I mean you can get eggs for $4. You don't have to, but you can. It depends on how well you want the chickens to be treated.

I mean don't get me wrong, Vance is still a fucking tool. But the prices of premium products do not reflect the prices of what the average working class consumer can afford.

[–] FlyingSquid 13 points 1 month ago (3 children)

You can get eggs for $10,000 if someone is willing to charge that much and you're willing to pay it.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

It depends on how well you want the chickens to be treated.

Sounds like legislative skill isssue.

[–] madcaesar 32 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Republican challenge impossible: Speak any sentance without lying.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago (5 children)

James "JD Vance" Bowman is either the dumbest man alive, or it's a 7D plan to sabotage the Trump campaign

Either is possible

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 month ago (2 children)

"Kamala Harris’s policies"? Well, I guess we don't need an election is she's already in office making these policies exist in reality.

This isn't anything new, I've seen GOP defenders in comments say the same thing. For some reason she's already doing things outside the VP job just because she's running for President. They sure forgot Biden fast, as well as things put into place by their favored Trump when he was slashing and burning in office. It's the old "look at the gas prices" ignorance.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] mineralfellow 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's one banana, Michael. How much can it cost?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Is JD Vance wearing eyeliner? He looks like a poor Tim Minchin impersonator.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago (6 children)

I remember reading somewhere that it was likely something he picked up from his wife, as it is apparently not uncommon in India?

That could have been a lie, but honestly who cares how the guy chooses to dress or present? His views and words are toxic enough that we don’t need to resort to personal attacks on his appearance; calling him and his ilk ‘weird’ is more cutting to them than anything else.

load more comments (6 replies)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago (6 children)

The conservative folks I talk to always, always, always bring up the price of eggs and the price of gas when they are talking about how bad the economy is these days.

I've heard "Groceries have doubled in price." many times. Obviously I can't prove that's not true for them, but then I ask what items that they buy regularly have doubled in price? The answer: "Eggs".

Okay, so what else, I know that eggs alone do not make up your entire grocery bill? "Everything". That's pretty much all I get.

Even if they can tell me a few more things that have doubled in price, it's basically going to be outliers or things I know for a fact they rarely/never buy. Like when it comes to the eggs, they'll make claims like "eggs are $10 a dozen", but when pressed about it, you find out they're talking about the gourmet premium brand that's always been way more expensive than the cheap ones and which they've never purchased in their entire lives.

[–] Maggoty 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Okay but groceries actually have doubled in price. Where they're wrong is the blame. They blame Biden, who actually got the trust busting stick out. While giving a pass to GOP leaders who just keep blaming the poor while grocery chains gleefully price gouge us.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] SpaceNoodle 13 points 1 month ago

Wow, not even in the Oval Office yet and Kamala is already fiddling with the "egg prices" dial on the Resolute desk.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago

Facts don't matter for the maga crowd. Only feelings. And they feel that eggs are 4 USD. Therefore eggs are 4 USD, despite evidence to the contrary.

They also don't want solutions, they only want to complain. Which is why trump and vance are still good for them.

[–] samus12345 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Thanks to Kamala Harris’s inflationary policies

She's VP. She doesn't have to power to increase egg prices even if she wanted to. They really don't know how to run against anyone but Biden, huh?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (12 children)

This story is absolutely trash. Here's a link to the video I presume this trash article is referring to https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1837581418329002260 You can see, like every grocery store I've ever been to, a number of different prices for eggs, including at least three for $4.99 and one for $3.99.

EDIT: Here's the photo op since some people prefer to comment on headlines rather than source material.
The average price of visible price tags is $4.10. Though I still argue that the literal price tag on these eggs is far from the relevant point of his words. Arguing over the average value in the background of an image is wholly irrelevant to a politician making claims about policy.

The take away from this video shouldn't be hurdur the tag says $2.99 but the discussion of his claim about "Kamala Harris' inflationary policies" and "because she cast a deciding vote on the Inflation Explosion Act". At least, that's what a reputably news organization would give a shit about discussing.

This article from PBS quotes Alex Arnon, an economic and budget analyst for the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Wharton Budget Model, “We can say with pretty strong confidence that it was mostly other factors that have brought inflation down,’’ he said. “The IRA has just not been a significant factor.’’

This bit from Wiki says "the benefits of the Act will likely not be felt before the 2024 election, but that the Act is a great long-term strategy to decouple from volatile energy markets that drive inflation and that the Act will reduce inflation over the medium to long-term."

The Inflation Reduction Act actually had very little to do with inflation or the price of eggs. The price of eggs has been mostly dictated by disease and the need to slaughter millions of birds.

Moreover, I understand the (under/misinformed) complaint people have about rising egg prices as it pertains to kitchen table economics. However, from the perspective of what we're putting into our bodies and paying people a fair wage to do honest work, we should be complaining that eggs are too cheap.

Of all things, it continues to shock me how inexpensive eggs are. I've been paying $5-$7 for a dozen eggs from local producers for about ten years. They're noticeably more delicious, it's less impactful to the environment, the chickens are far less prone to disease, I assume the chickens are healthier and have a better diet, my dollars go towards a local economy not some billion dollar corporation on the other side of the country.

load more comments (12 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›