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Just speculation: The houses got expensive because homeowners wanted housing to be an investment, so they voted for laws that make it harder to build or densif
by 01HNNWZ0MV43FF 5mo ago
Just speculation:
The houses got expensive because homeowners wanted housing to be an investment, so they voted for laws that make it harder to build or densify housing.
Cars are expensive because the government puts tariffs on perfectly good imports to protect the American car companies. The American car companies produce garbage, and even the electric car companies like Tesla and Rivian are producing super-high-tech luxury land yachts. The government incentives are also captured to produce huge trucks, and many states don't have regular inspections, so lifted trucks are common. The companies don't want to build and sell small cars because the perception is that a small car is going to get pancaked in a crash with a bigger, heavier car. Gas prices don't matter because the government artificially suppresses them, sometimes with war.
Corn and dairy are cheap because the government subsidizes them at the behest of the corn and dairy lobbies, which use small good ol' boy farmers who don't even exist as their marketing. A lot of the corn goes to ethanol for fuel, even though it's a crappy fuel and an acre of solar panels results in many more miles of EV driving than the same acre of corn ethanol. So you can also get a cheap soda and a cheap cheese pizza, but a lot of the food pipeline is captured by seed monopolies and middle-men. Somehow milk became a bit of a right-wing meme, and it's basically a naturally-occurring dessert, so people love milk even though it's not good for you and not a good way to get nutrients.
> Even food where normally you could walk in a shop
You aren't supposed to walk in America. You're supposed to drive. Don't get me started lol
- seniorThrowaway 5mo agoHousing being expensive because of laws and zoning that constrain it's supply is often touted, but there is good academic research that that isn't the case. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zfsw4iotsn3nqs8vhu8kb/LMW-FAQ2025.pdf?rlkey=2v4mo7cuey4qz4wg031tw4eoc&e=6&dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zfsw4iotsn3nqs8vhu8kb/LMW-FAQ...
- verteu 5mo agoThat's not the academic consensus. It's a non-peer-reviewed working paper that contradicts the academic consensus. The authors are clear about this: "The standard view of housing markets holds that differences in the flexibility of local housing supply - shaped by factors like geography and regulation - explain differences in how house price and quantity growth respond to rising demand across U.S. cities... Our conclusions challenge the prevailing view of local housing and labor markets" https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w33576/w33576.pdf https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w33576/w335... edit: I do think it's a good paper!
- snikeris 5mo agoHouses got expensive because of usury (loans made for unproductive purposes). It destroys civilizations over time. That is why it was encoded into ancient religious traditions. Housing, education, and cars, all typically financed via loans, all exorbitantly expensive.
- cpursley 5mo agoUS interest rates have been historically some of the lowest anywhere. And there's nations with very high interest rates that don't have the same housing cost problems...
- triceratops 5mo agoYou're both saying the same thing...
- mitthrowaway2 5mo agoWhen I hear "usury" I usually think of high interest rates, like payday loans and credit cards, not a 2.5% 30-year term.
- snikeris 5mo agoYeah it was redefined to that at some point. See Belloc’s essay on usury if you’re interested.
- marcusverus 5mo agoThe definition of usury hasn't changed in 200 years. From Webster's 1828 Edition: U'SURY, noun s as z. [Latin usura, from utor, to use.] 1. Formerly, interest; or a premium paid or stipulated to be paid for the use of money. [Usury formerly denoted any legal interest, but in this sense, the word is no longer in use.] 2. In present usage, illegal interest; a premium or compensation paid or stipulated to be paid for the use of money borrowed or retained, beyond the rate of interest established by law. 3. The practice of taking interest. (obsolete)
- HoldOnAMinute 5mo agoSorry, a Tesla is neither luxurious nor a yacht.