It’s unAmerican. American capitalism is heavily built on the Randian idea of the economy being fueled by ultrawealthy geniuses who are responsible for all innovation, and everyone else being fundamentally parasites. “Makers and Takers”. Admitting that the economy is largely consumer driven is taboo, as is admitting that the profession class are anything other than easily replaced cogs in the machine. And helping people is outright immoral, “the sin of empathy”; the poor are poor because they are evil, and deserve to suffer.
It’s the same logic as “trickle down economics”; you give money to the already wealthy companies because - supposedly - they are what generate prosperity. You don’t give money to the common people because they are just parasites, and deserve to suffer. “But who will buy the products created by those companies if nobody has the money” is a question that goes unasked because it is taboo. It’s socialism, the worst of evils; literally against the Will of God to imply that non-wealthy people are important to the economy.
Just a quick hijacker’s to clarify current recommendations on pneumonia vaccines for adults.
First of all, pneumovax 23 is not the newest but the oldest one recommended for adults.
Initially people at high risk ( heart disease, lung disease, diabetes) or those over 65 were recommended to have Pnemovax 23.
They then found that a combination of Pneumovax 23 and Prevnar 13 given a year apart provided better protection so that became the standard.
Then Prevnar 20 was developed and shown to be as effective as the two vaccines so one dose of Prevnar 20 became the standard of care.
Most recently, the age was reduced to 50 and Pneumovax 21 was introduced. Although they cover slightly different strains, Prevnar 20 and Pneumovax 21 are both considered effective one shot regimens except in Alaska where the Pneumovax 21 is preferred.
So this leaves us with the current recommendation:
Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23 are no longer recommended for adults.
People over 50 or those at high risk should receive either Prevnar 20 or Pneumovax 21..
Those that received the 23/13 shots should have either 20 or 21 if they are high risk at least 5 years after the last shot. Those not at high risk who received the 23/13 combination should discuss with their doctors the option of receiving either 20 or 21 at least five years after their last shot.
High risk people who were vaccinated before the age of 50 should receive another shot after five years or at age (0, whichever is later.
Just wanted to correct some misinformation posted above. Current recommendations are still available on the CDC website for now. / end hijjack
Just to add that there is also a 15 vaccine but I have never actually seen it.Also I mistakenly wrote the Alaska recommendation. Prevnar 20 is recommended in Alaska.Also I note that they have now removed a second shot for those at high risk except in specific cases such as cochlear implants.
Currently if you have received either 20 or 21 you are considered fully vaccinated for life.
Somehow I get the impression that “Sell your products at a loss or else” was not what the “Trump is good for business!” crowd thought they were buying an election for.
Tell me again how we were at risk of command-economy socialists and government bureaucrats picking winners and losers, instead of the market…
This crew’s goal is to break not just the political but ALSO the business/industrial “establishment” to their will, or else just break them. Please the regime, at your cost. Does that bankrupt you? Bargain buy for our crypto bros, and less competition for those we favor!
…
(TBF OTOH don’t tell me the corporations were not ready to just cash in on raising price beyond the cost increase and blame it all on the tariffs… he knows his kind)
It will be interesting to see how the automakers handle this. I can’t imagine them selling vehicles at a loss. I can’t imagine investors not dumping shares if they do.
Cars do not enjoy 25% margins (well, maybe some at the really high end, but the vast majority do not).
You’d also think that with all the auto factories in southern states there’d be an awful lot of GOP Senators dealing with some really unhappy and really important employers.
I looked into that a while ago. It’s hard to figure out, but the consensus was, the luxury brands had about a 20% profit. Most regular cars were in the 5 to 10% range. Eating a 25% tariff will kill just about every manufacturer we could name.
I don’t think we have the line items to be sure about that. It’s going to come down to a weighted average – what % of the costs are hit by these tariffs – and will have to contemplate any parts and assemblies that traverse borders more than once.
It ain’t good … whatever it is. Luckily, I believe Trump is promising drone strikes on any company that tries to pass these costs along to the consumer.
Which is a nice sentiment.
ETA: when you think about this, it’s all, always just Sharpiegate revisited. His dumbass decisions Will Be Accommodated In Every Conceivable Way – law, norms, ethics, and the markets be damned. He will NOT be wrong!
At times like this I can only thank the Lord Above that we have a dishonest, juvenile, petulant, petty, vindictive, incompetent, impulse control challenged, insecure, narcissistic, sociopathic reality TV show host in the White House.
Yes, this not only because of his selfishness, but because it’s part of his definition of a “good deal” that everyone else is screwed. “Mutually beneficial” is a concept he finds unacceptable; there are only winners and losers, and if the other guy isn’t losing that means you are a loser.
Well, it wouldn’t be fascism without an artificial system of interwoven hierarchies calculated to concentrate ever increasing amounts of power into an ever shrinking elite, tending towards one man.
