Political parties have always fought for the hearts and minds of the voters. They spend huge resources to sway people to their side by a variety of means. Even in Canada.
I’m willing to bet people talk about it. Even in Canada.
And, if you don’t, maybe you should (within reason…keep the holiday table happy and free of politics).
Remind you friend about Charlottesville and “those good people on both sides” that Trump noticed.
Me? I am not sure I follow you on this.
I don’t think we have enough details to know. The anti-gouging laws I know about (i.e., in California) relate to emergencies. So far, I haven’t seen that language from Harris. It seems to be something broader.
Grocery stores have razor-thin margins and aren’t gouging people on average. If they are in some particular case, it’s likely because there’s a shortage–toilet paper and flour being two obvious examples in the early COVID days.
But raising the price is beneficial for most. It means that people who don’t need the thing stop buying it, and the rest use as little as possible. A high price is better than having nothing available at all. You can always just not buy the thing and it’s no worse than an empty shelf.
Actually, I wonder if California’s anti-gouging laws are the reason toilet paper was almost completely out of stock here for months. They could have quadrupled the price and maybe left some for the non-hoarders.
I agree that it’s a populist move. Maybe the thresholds will be set so that they never actually kick in in a realistic situation. But that’s not likely to be very convincing to a libertarian.
Sure, but always careful not to go too far. “You’re voting for Smith?” is okay. “Here’s why you should vote for Jones” is questionable at best. That’s not a part of our daily discourse, and it’s just plain unusual in Canada. Hell, I’ll call a spade a goddam shovel: it’s downright impolite.
Occasional deadnaming is forgiveable, especially when you’ve had literally a lifetime of that name. None of my trans friends would fault anyone for occasional deadnaming.
Ongoing deadnaming and misgendering, though, is different Even if the target puts up with it because of family bonds, I’m not going to expose myself to it.
Beneficial? I think there are many who would disagree. This is not about going from three steaks a week to two. This is about people who are on the margin and all of a sudden their basic basket of goods has doubled in price. Toilet paper, rice, beans, diapers, milk, bread, etc.
I do not think it is better if people are pushed to eat instant ramen (which I admit I still like but only on occasion, not as a staple).
Yes, because the alternative in the case of shortages is nothing. High prices are always superior to nothing, because you still have the option of not buying anything. When the shelves were literally empty of TP for weeks/months, it would not have mattered if one shelf had a $1000 roll. It’s the same as not buying it.
If there are true shortages, then some people will go without. That’s just basic reality. If the problem is hoarding, then it’s hard to do much without raising prices.
One of the primary goals in any economy is directing resources to where they’re most valuable. Aside from direct government intervention, price is the only means of doing that. People who really need the thing pay the high price, while those that are hoarding or being wasteful don’t. Price caps break that relationship and low-value users aren’t discouraged.
Command economies are incredibly wasteful because they send resources to people who don’t need them, leaving less for people who do.
I think price gouging is less about efficient allocation of resources and more about, “I can charge more than is necessary for efficient allocation so I will cuz more money!” E.G. A hurricane is coming so I quadrupled my gasoline prices for the next two days.
I’d appeal to his intellect. How could he possibly vote for someone so dumb ?
I would argue that someone voting for someone that dumb, isn’t all that bright himself.
I know you don’t want to drop him over politics, but that is likely the most effective tool. A lot of Trumpists are alienated from friends and family (ask my sister) and it chafes. It might be the nudge to get him out of the cult.
I’ve never understood people who don’t talk politics with “friends.” Politics is about ethics, morality, and fundamental questions about who we are as people. If you can’t discuss that, then are you really good friends? What do you talk about, TV?
Your ‘friend’ has turned his back on his family and his country, and frankly on the god he claims to believe in. He’ll turn his back on you when you stop amusing him.
Loads of “smart people” can be dumb.
Former republican candidate for president, Ben Carson, was a very well respected neurosurgeon. Also, a creationist and anti-vaxxer.
Ben Stein, presidential speech writer, lawyer, actor, commentator, game show host of “Win Ben Stein’s Money” where contestants had to outsmart him. He went to Columbia and Yale. Made a movie…a whole movie…about Intelligent Design (creationism).
Point is, smart people can be dumb too.
Children in cages. Decreased access to abortion. Using law enforcement to clear peaceful protesters in order to gain a photo op. Fraud. January 6.
Trump is not a libertarian. He is an authoritarian. That is the exact opposite of classical libertarianism.
But don’t take my word for it.
https://www.cato.org/commentary/trump-hardly-libertarian-neither-todays-libertarian-party
With some people, you can be friends or you can talk politics. You can’t do both. He may be one of those. If you think it’s a risk to your friendship to try to persuade him, then I wouldn’t.
If he has libertarian tendencies, you might ask if banning abortion is in line with his beliefs. Ask if immigration is a net plus or minus. Appeal to logic and discuss policies, not personalities.
It’s a good point; would you be friends with a member of Al Queda? If the answer is no, then maybe it’s time to ask why you would be friends with a Trumpist.
Abuse of women, abortion rights, Project 2025 – that’s what I’d focus on, if I felt compelled to change the mind of someone as described in the OP.
Sorry, didn’t read the whole thread, but your OP reminded me of a situation I encountered back in 04.
People always talk about having conversations w/ people with different viewpoints, and I thought it very important that W get defeated, so I decided I’d bring it up to a golf buddy. Tho we had known each other for years and played golf regularly, we never had really discussed politics. So I brought it up, figuring he might be apolitical. Well, turned out he had enough R leanings that the discussion came closer to harming our friendship than to encouraging him to vote Kerry. I learned a lesson from that.
Which do you value more highly - this person’s friendship, or the possibility of converting 1 more Dem vote?
First, I would mention that actual Nazis and white supremacists (good people, according to Trump) will be voting for Trump alongside this president of the conservative temple.
Then, make sure he knows about Project 2025, which is looking to impose a Christian theocracy on the US.
Then, remind him that Trump literally tried to overthrow the American democracy, and is threatening to do so again.
It’s not really a matter of policy differences, it’s whether you want to live in a multi-cultural democracy or an authoritarian Christian theocracy. As a conservative Jew, he will likely thrive much more in the former than the latter.
The Cato Institute note on how Trump is not a libertarian might be useful as well.
To @Czarcasm, @MrDibble, etc., just trust the OP that the person is fairly decent and worth engaging with. Jeez.
Yes, every parent of a trans child that I’ve ever spoken to at any length has occasionally messed up pronouns, even those who are wholeheartedly and actively supportive.
This is more than that, but also, i believe he will get past the “denial” phase of the relationship and move on. If I’m wrong, I’ll give up on him. My inclination is to give him as much leeway as his child.
Heck, maybe I’ll give up on him after the upcoming visit. Which, coincidentally, is near
that Charlottesville.