I agree that it's more complicated. I am biased as I fear that if there was no minimum wage, big businesses &/or monopolies, especially in smaller communities, would take advantage of the common worker. I'm not convinced that we ever got rid of all the robber barons.

boognish_bear said:

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Look for cheaper cars ppl

Car buyers are stretching loans to seven years or more just to afford the monthly payment, per CNBC

And payments are still hitting records.

Average new-car payment: $787 a month
Average amount financed: a record $44,664
Average interest rate: 7%

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 19, 2026

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Yes, but for there to be used cars, someone must be buying new ones.

Realitybites said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Look for cheaper cars ppl

Car buyers are stretching loans to seven years or more just to afford the monthly payment, per CNBC

And payments are still hitting records.

Average new-car payment: $787 a month
Average amount financed: a record $44,664
Average interest rate: 7%

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 19, 2026

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Yes, but for there to be used cars, someone must be buying new ones.

---

You can buy a new car for half of what that "average financed" figure.

D. C. Bear said:

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Realitybites said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Look for cheaper cars ppl

Car buyers are stretching loans to seven years or more just to afford the monthly payment, per CNBC

And payments are still hitting records.

Average new-car payment: $787 a month
Average amount financed: a record $44,664
Average interest rate: 7%

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 19, 2026

---

Yes, but for there to be used cars, someone must be buying new ones.

---

You can buy a new car for half of what that "average financed" figure.

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The cheapest Toyota Corollas I looked up are around $25k.

To actually get down to half that average financed figure is you'd have to get a Hyundai/Kai, but then you're probably going to end up needing two.

boognish_bear said:

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Barf

Since 2000, hospital prices have risen 295% — triple the rate of overall inflation. pic.twitter.com/sHBVKLeHxi

— Steve Rattner (@SteveRattner) October 19, 2026

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But we don't need a better Health care system.

Until we demand better and do something ourselves to change it, perhaps we are getting what we settle for. Knowing more about why the top 3-5 countries with better health systems operate and how might be a start. I think South Korea and Australia would be among the top five or so.

BUDOS said:

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Until we demand better and do something ourselves to change it, perhaps we are getting what we settle for. Knowing more about why the top 3-5 countries with better health systems operate and how might be a start. I think South Korea and Australia would be among the top five or so.

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I agree. Something has to be done. Meanwhile they would rather argue about how bad the one thing someone actually did to try and bridge the gap is.

And many people who believe we are a Christian nation, are quick to strongly tout pure capitalism and that we are headed straight for socialism because we have social security and Medicare. Having said that we both know that both have issues and that sections in both need tweaking.
It's hard to believe that we are putting America First when so few areas are even improving, much less ones where we are first.
Correct me if I am wrong.

BUDOS said:

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And many people who believe we are a Christian nation, are quick to strongly tout pure capitalism and that we are headed straight for socialism because we have social security and Medicare. Having said that we both know that both have issues and that sections in both need tweaking.
It's hard to believe that we are putting America First when so few areas are even improving, much less ones where we are first.
Correct me if I am wrong.

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Well, you did ask. A good bit more than 90 percent of American adults view social security as a valuable and important program. Given that data, there are not "many people" who believe what you said about heading to socialism because of social security.

BUDOS said:

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Until we demand better and do something ourselves to change it, perhaps we are getting what we settle for. Knowing more about why the top 3-5 countries with better health systems operate and how might be a start. I think South Korea and Australia would be among the top five or so.

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Certainly the US is different, but the HC in Thailand where I live is much, much, better and much more affordable. We have public and private hospitals, clinics ect. If you have HC Insurance, you can go to the private hospital of which all docs are trained in the US, Canada, Switzerland, German, UK , Singapore ect. Many times it is the same docs in the public hospitals as private. Everyone has access, just different tiers and you have to pay something, but not much a the public hospitals. Hence, Insurance and procedures are much, much less than the US for better care. The US is the only industialized country where business supports HC. That came from WW2 as a benefit in factories for the war machine. something has to be done.

Yes, and we need to do the same for our retirement system, which, when compared with other countries, is also on life support. I don't see where our government has done anything significant to improve either for quite awhile.

What an analogy

The Titanic, famously the ship that turned around https://t.co/L8HAhl01yW

— Tim Hogan (@timjhogan) October 21, 2026

BREAKING 🚨: Housing Market

Pending Home Sales plunge to lowest level in history 📉 📉 pic.twitter.com/1bnT7Il6aB

— Barchart (@Barchart) October 21, 2026

There appear to be increased warning signs the economy is not heading in the right direction. These include rising reliance on "buy now, pay later" services for basic living expenses, increased consumer price hikes on entertainment and essentials, and escalating tariff pressures on household goods. I also heard today that airlines will be significantly increased by this time next year. And of course, we continue to fail to address the federal deficit.

Doc Holliday said:

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BREAKING 🚨: Housing Market

Pending Home Sales plunge to lowest level in history 📉 📉 pic.twitter.com/1bnT7Il6aB

— Barchart (@Barchart) October 21, 2026

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Trump, Trump, Trump ..

As i said, whatever he touches ultimately turns into a disaster. Starts well, will end up in a nightmare. He is Atlantic City-ing the US economy

Bet, Besssnt shorted and made a fortune...

BREAKING: "Speculative data center debt is being repackaged and sold to pension and retirement funds, university endowments, and other institutional investors in a manner eerily reminiscent of the subprime bubble," per AFR

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 21, 2026

boognish_bear said:

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BREAKING: "Speculative data center debt is being repackaged and sold to pension and retirement funds, university endowments, and other institutional investors in a manner eerily reminiscent of the subprime bubble," per AFR

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 21, 2026

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Elon (nickname for wealthy elite) won't lose money on this. They are selling it to Pension Funds, they will take it on the chin. You and me, we will take it on the chin, while the C-level get bonuses... Watch.

Average US family health insurance premium...
1999: $6k
2002: $8k
2005: $11k
2008: $13k
2011: $15k
2014: $17k
2017: $19k
2020: $21k
2023: $24k
2026: $28k

That's a 387% increase since 1999 (6.0% per year).

(Note: US CPI inflation has increased 2.6%/year) pic.twitter.com/SlvIpKR1HL

— Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) October 22, 2026

How is this bad recession going?

OffshoreBear said:

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How is this bad recession going?

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Why do you ask? "We are the hottest country in the world. Nobody has ever seen anything like it!!!"

54% US workers regularly skip lunch on the job due to high food costs, increasing job pressure, per CNBC

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 23, 2026

boognish_bear said:

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54% US workers regularly skip lunch on the job due to high food costs, increasing job pressure, per CNBC

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 23, 2026

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I thought it was 57%. I skip lunch as well….bc I don't eat lunch.

OffshoreBear said:

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boognish_bear said:

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54% US workers regularly skip lunch on the job due to high food costs, increasing job pressure, per CNBC

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 23, 2026

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I thought it was 57%. I skip lunch as well….bc I don't eat lunch.

---

I skip breakfast...the most important meal of the day

Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

boognish_bear said:

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Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

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so is Iran and Russia, Fat Boy Orange . art of the deal and master of the Universe.

boognish_bear said:

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Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

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Horrible when American businesses do well, right?

J.R. said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

---

so is Iran and Russia, Fat Boy Orange . art of the deal and master of the Universe.

---

actually, they are not.


No for Iran. Partially for Russia, but with major limits.
Oil prices are elevated right now (Brent roughly $111117/bbl, WTI around $103). This is driven largely by Middle East conflict disruptions, including issues around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran
Iranian oil and gas companies (primarily state-linked entities like NIOC) are not making a lot of money from high prices. Their exports have been largely shut down by a U.S. naval blockade.
Crude loadings through Hormuz dropped to near zero after the blockade tightened (effectively no meaningful new crude exports since around late August/September).
Production has been cut sharply to mostly domestic needs (reports put it under 2 million bpd recently, down from higher pre-conflict levels).
Remaining floating storage outside the blockade has been drawn down, and analysts (including Kpler) have projected oil revenues could fall to near zero by mid-December as the last cargoes clear.
High global prices do not help if they cannot export the barrels. The blockade has choked their main revenue source.
Russia
Russian oil and gas companies (Rosneft, Gazprom, etc.) and the federal budget are seeing some benefit from the higher prices, but it is not a free-market windfall.
October federal oil and gas tax revenue is projected around $12 billion, up about 10% year-over-year. Recent quarterly results for major firms have shown gains tied to higher prices in some periods.
However, year-to-date oil and gas revenues are still lower than the prior year (around 14% down through October in some calculations). Gazprom's first-half profit was down, partly due to currency effects and lost European volumes.
Russian Urals crude continues to sell at large discounts to Brent (often $2030/bbl or more at FOB points, depending on the route and timing), and freight/insurance costs on the "shadow fleet" are high. Ukrainian drone strikes have also hit infrastructure and refining capacity.
Sanctions, the need for discounts to find buyers (mainly China/India), production constraints, and war-related costs all reduce the net take.
In short: high prices help Russia's energy sector and budget relative to lower-price periods, but sanctions, discounts, logistics, and operational damage mean they are not simply "making a ton" the way an unsanctioned major would. Iran is currently on the opposite side of that equationexports are blocked, so the high prices are not translating into revenue.

boognish_bear said:

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OffshoreBear said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

---

Horrible when American businesses do well, right?

---

At the ever increasing expense of the consumers

---

has is 3.71. That is pretty cheap for the investment to get the oil to point of sell. You pay more for beer. It would be even cheaper if is wasn't for all the taxes and green policies than canceled pipelines and such.

OffshoreBear said:

---

boognish_bear said:

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Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

---

Horrible when American businesses do well, right?

---

Yeah because they are doing well on the back of every other American... this is how you end up with communists running the government and nationalizing the O&G industry bud.

OffshoreBear said:

---

J.R. said:

---

boognish_bear said:

---

Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

---

so is Iran and Russia, Fat Boy Orange . art of the deal and master of the Universe.

---

actually, they are not.


No for Iran. Partially for Russia, but with major limits.
Oil prices are elevated right now (Brent roughly $111117/bbl, WTI around $103). This is driven largely by Middle East conflict disruptions, including issues around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran
Iranian oil and gas companies (primarily state-linked entities like NIOC) are not making a lot of money from high prices. Their exports have been largely shut down by a U.S. naval blockade.
Crude loadings through Hormuz dropped to near zero after the blockade tightened (effectively no meaningful new crude exports since around late August/September).
Production has been cut sharply to mostly domestic needs (reports put it under 2 million bpd recently, down from higher pre-conflict levels).
Remaining floating storage outside the blockade has been drawn down, and analysts (including Kpler) have projected oil revenues could fall to near zero by mid-December as the last cargoes clear.
High global prices do not help if they cannot export the barrels. The blockade has choked their main revenue source.
Russia
Russian oil and gas companies (Rosneft, Gazprom, etc.) and the federal budget are seeing some benefit from the higher prices, but it is not a free-market windfall.
October federal oil and gas tax revenue is projected around $12 billion, up about 10% year-over-year. Recent quarterly results for major firms have shown gains tied to higher prices in some periods.
However, year-to-date oil and gas revenues are still lower than the prior year (around 14% down through October in some calculations). Gazprom's first-half profit was down, partly due to currency effects and lost European volumes.
Russian Urals crude continues to sell at large discounts to Brent (often $2030/bbl or more at FOB points, depending on the route and timing), and freight/insurance costs on the "shadow fleet" are high. Ukrainian drone strikes have also hit infrastructure and refining capacity.
Sanctions, the need for discounts to find buyers (mainly China/India), production constraints, and war-related costs all reduce the net take.
In short: high prices help Russia's energy sector and budget relative to lower-price periods, but sanctions, discounts, logistics, and operational damage mean they are not simply "making a ton" the way an unsanctioned major would. Iran is currently on the opposite side of that equationexports are blocked, so the high prices are not translating into revenue.

---

Iranian oil is flowing freely in the Strait. Iran and Russia are selling oil at the spot price which is about $130/barrell. Many of us are selling on the spot market at spot prices, not market prices. I fully understand how all this works as it is what I do for a living. Love ya, sweet Donnie. you just paid for my new grandson's private school and University! Viva la Art of the Deal!

Dumb

Trump on affordability: It’s a con job. Costs are way down.

Ingraham: So you are saying voters are misperceiving how they feel? pic.twitter.com/Cs8s4UBoqM

— Acyn (@Acyn) November 11, 2025

The_barBEARian said:

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OffshoreBear said:

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boognish_bear said:

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Finally some good news for CEOs… About time

Trump: "While oil prices are temporarily high ... the United States oil and gas business is making hundreds of billions of dollars" pic.twitter.com/Qj6whcDBJF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 25, 2026

---

Horrible when American businesses do well, right?

---

Yeah because they are doing well on the back of every other American... this is how you end up with communists running the government and nationalizing the O&G industry bud.

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who do you think works for oil companies? lol. Americans are making a ton of money.

Roughly 2 million people work directly in the U.S. oil and gas industry, and the broader economic footprint supports on the order of 1019 million jobs when you include indirect and induced employment.