3 ms·

Store closings are nearly always the result of them not being profitable.

ceejayoz 7mo ago
Sure. Lots of things governments need to do are unprofitable, like delivering the mail or repairing the roads. I can go to my local public library, borrow the free books, use the free computers, sit in the free chairs, ask the librarian for free guidance, enjoy the free air conditioning, and even book a free meeting room to meet up with some friends to work on a project. Profitable? Fuck no. Great to have in my city? Fuck yes.
- WalterBright 7mo ago
  Privately run grocery stores have been profitable for 250 years in the US. What has changed recently? Could it be the decriminalization of shoplifting? Or maybe excessive taxes? Or mandates on wages? Vandalism? I forgot to add homeless camping around them, which discourages shoppers.
  - ceejayoz 7mo ago
    > Could it be the decriminalization of shoplifting? Or maybe excessive taxes? Or mandates on wages? Could it be the K-shaped economy? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-08/top-1-earners-hold-more-wealth-than-the-u-s-middle-class https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-08/top-1-ear... "After years of declines, America’s middle class now holds a smaller share of U.S. wealth than the top 1%." "Over the past 30 years, 10 percentage points of American wealth has shifted to the top 20% of earners, who now hold 70% of the total, Fed data show."
    - WalterBright 7mo ago
      "Share" of the wealth says nothing about what the amount is. For example, if you create $10 of wealth, my share of the total wealth goes down, but my wealth is unaffected.
      - ceejayoz 7mo ago
        https://www.marketplace.org/story/2023/01/16/how-the-worlds-richest-people-became-much-richer-during-the-pandemic https://www.marketplace.org/story/2023/01/16/how-the-worlds-... "About $42 trillion in new wealth was created in the first two years of the pandemic. Two-thirds of that has gone to the richest 1% of the world’s people, according to a report out Monday from the nonprofit organization Oxfam. In the United States, billionaires are a third richer now than they were before the pandemic." > For example, if you create $10 of wealth, my share of the total wealth goes down, but my wealth is unaffected. Sure. Inflation doesn't exist. Isn't that lovely?
        WalterBright 7mo ago
        > Two-thirds of that has gone to the richest 1% of the world’s people Their wealth was not transferred to them, they created the wealth. > billionaires are a third richer now than they were before the pandemic That gives zero information about the non-billionaires. 66% of the federal budget goes to entitlements (welfare, medicare, social security, etc.). Not to rich people. > Sure. Inflation doesn't exist. Isn't that lovely? Inflation is the result of government deficit spending, not rich people.
        ModernMech 7mo ago
        What exactly did the 1% do to "create the wealth"?
        nickpp 7mo ago
        I know a few categories falling under this "richest 1% of the world’s people": entrepreneurs, highly paid professionals and politicians. The entrepreneurs invested in or built from scratch organizations able to deliver an incredible amount of value to our society in the form of products, services and jobs. These organizations, called businesses, are the unsung heroes that differentiate our lands of plenty from the hunger and cold of countries suffering under communism. The professionals (doctors, lawyers, programmers) worked in such organizations and added significant value ensuring their success in the market place. Finally, politicians managed to convince a sufficient number people that only they can solve their problems and thus got themselves elected into positions where they control significant flows of money and/or influence.

Sure. Lots of things governments need to do are unprofitable, like delivering the mail or repairing the roads. I can go to my local public library, borrow the free books, use the free computers, sit in the free chairs, ask the librarian for free guidance, enjoy the free air conditioning, and even book a free meeting room to meet up with some friends to work on a project. Profitable? Fuck no. Great to have in my city? Fuck yes.

WalterBright 7mo ago
Privately run grocery stores have been profitable for 250 years in the US. What has changed recently? Could it be the decriminalization of shoplifting? Or maybe excessive taxes? Or mandates on wages? Vandalism? I forgot to add homeless camping around them, which discourages shoppers.
- ceejayoz 7mo ago
  > Could it be the decriminalization of shoplifting? Or maybe excessive taxes? Or mandates on wages? Could it be the K-shaped economy? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-08/top-1-earners-hold-more-wealth-than-the-u-s-middle-class https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-08/top-1-ear... "After years of declines, America’s middle class now holds a smaller share of U.S. wealth than the top 1%." "Over the past 30 years, 10 percentage points of American wealth has shifted to the top 20% of earners, who now hold 70% of the total, Fed data show."
  - WalterBright 7mo ago
    "Share" of the wealth says nothing about what the amount is. For example, if you create $10 of wealth, my share of the total wealth goes down, but my wealth is unaffected.
    - ceejayoz 7mo ago
      https://www.marketplace.org/story/2023/01/16/how-the-worlds-richest-people-became-much-richer-during-the-pandemic https://www.marketplace.org/story/2023/01/16/how-the-worlds-... "About $42 trillion in new wealth was created in the first two years of the pandemic. Two-thirds of that has gone to the richest 1% of the world’s people, according to a report out Monday from the nonprofit organization Oxfam. In the United States, billionaires are a third richer now than they were before the pandemic." > For example, if you create $10 of wealth, my share of the total wealth goes down, but my wealth is unaffected. Sure. Inflation doesn't exist. Isn't that lovely?
      - WalterBright 7mo ago
        > Two-thirds of that has gone to the richest 1% of the world’s people Their wealth was not transferred to them, they created the wealth. > billionaires are a third richer now than they were before the pandemic That gives zero information about the non-billionaires. 66% of the federal budget goes to entitlements (welfare, medicare, social security, etc.). Not to rich people. > Sure. Inflation doesn't exist. Isn't that lovely? Inflation is the result of government deficit spending, not rich people.
        ModernMech 7mo ago
        What exactly did the 1% do to "create the wealth"?
        nickpp 7mo ago
        I know a few categories falling under this "richest 1% of the world’s people": entrepreneurs, highly paid professionals and politicians. The entrepreneurs invested in or built from scratch organizations able to deliver an incredible amount of value to our society in the form of products, services and jobs. These organizations, called businesses, are the unsung heroes that differentiate our lands of plenty from the hunger and cold of countries suffering under communism. The professionals (doctors, lawyers, programmers) worked in such organizations and added significant value ensuring their success in the market place. Finally, politicians managed to convince a sufficient number people that only they can solve their problems and thus got themselves elected into positions where they control significant flows of money and/or influence.