4 ms·

This article is a summary of a different article: https://capitolism.thedispatch.com/p/americas-infant-formula-crisis-and https://capitolism.thedispatch.com/p/a

by rilezg 4y ago

This article is a summary of a different article: https://capitolism.thedispatch.com/p/americas-infant-formula-crisis-and https://capitolism.thedispatch.com/p/americas-infant-formula... It seems odd that the posted article ignores how WIC contracts are distorting the market and encouraging a monopoly and instead jumps on over-regulation being the problem. It sure seems like those contracts should either not be exclusive or should require suppliers to demonstrate supply resiliency in the face of a single factory failure.

999900000999 4y ago
I was frankly alarmed something like half of kids qualify for WIC. Don't get me wrong, feed em, but why is child poverty so bad in the US ?
- User23 4y ago
  You have to be poor or very affluent to afford children in many American cities. And many of the affluent aren’t procreating.
  - jMyles 4y ago
    > And many of the affluent aren’t procreating. Source? Has the relative, inflation-adjusted average wealth of new parents changed substantially?
    - User23 4y ago
      > Source? Do your own googles instead of implying that I'm ignorant or dishonest. It's easy to find birth rates broken out by income. What I said is true and readily verifiable.
      - jMyles 4y ago
        I implied no such thing. You, be contrast ("do your own googles") implied that I lack the work ethic or skill to determine this. But I did give it a quick go, and searching phrases like (birth trends by income decades) didn't yield anything to support this assertion. I doubt you are dishonest; I just don't know the facts myself.
        User23 4y ago
        “Source?” comes off as obnoxious, lazy, and disrespectful to me and I intentionally communicated that, yes. However, I’ll gladly take you at your word that you didn’t intend such. I’m surprised that you’re having trouble finding this, but assuming good faith here is the top result for [birth rate by income] on Google search for me[1]. I’m located in the USA so if you’re not perhaps this result don’t appear for you. As you can see birth rates are considerably higher among the poorest Americans. Further searching will confirm that the trend holds within and between other countries too. [1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/241530/birth-rate-by-family-income-in-the-us/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/241530/birth-rate-by-fam...
- mlom 4y ago
  edit, probably being touchy about a misunderstanding, nvm
  - Blahah 4y ago
    Pretty sure the gp was saying that it's surprising/appaling so many people in the US are living in poverty. Not that relying on welfare is bad, or that buying food any particular way is bad.
- Doubtme 4y ago
  - dang 4y ago
    Can you please stop posting unsubstantive and/or flamebait comments to HN? It's not what this site is for, and it destroys what it is for. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd be grateful.
- supertrope 4y ago
  Part of it is the exact federal poverty line depends on the family size. An income that's just over the poverty line for two adults would be under the line once it's two adults and one kid. Something like a third of adults in poverty would not be if they were childless. And then of course their kid(s) are a statistic. https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/federal-poverty-level-FPL/ https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/federal-poverty-level-FP...
  - 999900000999 4y ago
    I'd argue the poverty line in America is very low compared to what it really takes to live. Most people can't significantly save money, so when you have a bad month it's hard to catch up.
- rilezg 4y ago
  WIC eligibility can vary by state, but is between 100% and 185% of the federal poverty level (I spot-checked a few states, and all I saw was 185%). 185% comes to ~$50k per year for a family of 4. And most people have children relatively young, which usually means they aren't earning a ton of money. This is the sort of program that I'd rather 'too many' people be eligible for than exclude anyone who might be helped (it is not just about adequate nutrition, but also providing information on healthy eating and referrals to health care).
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- rhexs 4y ago
- usrn 4y ago
  My understanding is that it mostly goes to immigrants.
cmrdporcupine 4y ago
It only seems odd that the article ignores X and emphasises Y until you look at where the article is from. 'Reason' has an ideological hammer, and goshdarnit they'll go find some terrible government nails for it, whether that's the actual problem or not.
jonahhorowitz 4y ago
Two things to know as well. WIC only pays for certain sizes for formula[0] purchased at retail because they're afraid that poor women will stock up on formula or resell it. Also women have to pay part of the cost of the formula for the same reason. > Many others have simply switched to Enfamil. Increasingly, they reach for the 12.4-ounce cans, the only size paid for by WIC. > “I’ve gone to stores in Long Beach, I’ve gone to Rolling Hills, Carson — I’ve gone to Inglewood just to see if I could get lucky,” said Landers. “If they do have it, it’s the larger size; it’s not the size that’s approved.” [0]- https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-13/baby-formula-shortage-worsens-families-take-desperate-steps https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-13/baby-for...

by rilezg 4y ago

999900000999 4y ago

I was frankly alarmed something like half of kids qualify for WIC. Don't get me wrong, feed em, but why is child poverty so bad in the US ?

User23 4y ago
You have to be poor or very affluent to afford children in many American cities. And many of the affluent aren’t procreating.
- jMyles 4y ago
  > And many of the affluent aren’t procreating. Source? Has the relative, inflation-adjusted average wealth of new parents changed substantially?
  - User23 4y ago
    > Source? Do your own googles instead of implying that I'm ignorant or dishonest. It's easy to find birth rates broken out by income. What I said is true and readily verifiable.
    - jMyles 4y ago
      I implied no such thing. You, be contrast ("do your own googles") implied that I lack the work ethic or skill to determine this. But I did give it a quick go, and searching phrases like (birth trends by income decades) didn't yield anything to support this assertion. I doubt you are dishonest; I just don't know the facts myself.
      - User23 4y ago
        “Source?” comes off as obnoxious, lazy, and disrespectful to me and I intentionally communicated that, yes. However, I’ll gladly take you at your word that you didn’t intend such. I’m surprised that you’re having trouble finding this, but assuming good faith here is the top result for [birth rate by income] on Google search for me[1]. I’m located in the USA so if you’re not perhaps this result don’t appear for you. As you can see birth rates are considerably higher among the poorest Americans. Further searching will confirm that the trend holds within and between other countries too. [1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/241530/birth-rate-by-family-income-in-the-us/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/241530/birth-rate-by-fam...
mlom 4y ago
edit, probably being touchy about a misunderstanding, nvm
- Blahah 4y ago
  Pretty sure the gp was saying that it's surprising/appaling so many people in the US are living in poverty. Not that relying on welfare is bad, or that buying food any particular way is bad.
Doubtme 4y ago
- dang 4y ago
  Can you please stop posting unsubstantive and/or flamebait comments to HN? It's not what this site is for, and it destroys what it is for. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd be grateful.
supertrope 4y ago
Part of it is the exact federal poverty line depends on the family size. An income that's just over the poverty line for two adults would be under the line once it's two adults and one kid. Something like a third of adults in poverty would not be if they were childless. And then of course their kid(s) are a statistic. https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/federal-poverty-level-FPL/ https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/federal-poverty-level-FP...
- 999900000999 4y ago
  I'd argue the poverty line in America is very low compared to what it really takes to live. Most people can't significantly save money, so when you have a bad month it's hard to catch up.
rilezg 4y ago
WIC eligibility can vary by state, but is between 100% and 185% of the federal poverty level (I spot-checked a few states, and all I saw was 185%). 185% comes to ~$50k per year for a family of 4. And most people have children relatively young, which usually means they aren't earning a ton of money. This is the sort of program that I'd rather 'too many' people be eligible for than exclude anyone who might be helped (it is not just about adequate nutrition, but also providing information on healthy eating and referrals to health care).
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
rhexs 4y ago
usrn 4y ago
My understanding is that it mostly goes to immigrants.

cmrdporcupine 4y ago

It only seems odd that the article ignores X and emphasises Y until you look at where the article is from. 'Reason' has an ideological hammer, and goshdarnit they'll go find some terrible government nails for it, whether that's the actual problem or not.

jonahhorowitz 4y ago

Two things to know as well. WIC only pays for certain sizes for formula[0] purchased at retail because they're afraid that poor women will stock up on formula or resell it. Also women have to pay part of the cost of the formula for the same reason. > Many others have simply switched to Enfamil. Increasingly, they reach for the 12.4-ounce cans, the only size paid for by WIC. > “I’ve gone to stores in Long Beach, I’ve gone to Rolling Hills, Carson — I’ve gone to Inglewood just to see if I could get lucky,” said Landers. “If they do have it, it’s the larger size; it’s not the size that’s approved.” [0]- https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-13/baby-formula-shortage-worsens-families-take-desperate-steps https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-13/baby-for...