You know things are getting bad when…
Consumers feel the heat from rising food prices
Rising gasoline prices have been getting all the attention, but the cost of another, more-important staple is actually rising even more: food.
In the past year, food prices have increased 3.7 percent and are on track to jump by as much as 7 percent by year’s end. The current increase is more than double the 1.8 percent jump seen the year before, according to the consumer price index.
Meanwhile, gas prices rose 2.9 percent. Only the cost of health care rose more, and then just slightly.
Guess we’ll need to switch to synthetic food.
#20, OFTLO, You seem to be saying – Capitalism with regulatory oversight Good / Unfettered free market capitalism Bad
One regulation I’d like to see is the banning of all medical advertising, especially for drug companies. Why in heck should I have to pay for that advert when I need the Rx? This, to me, is just outrageous. If the large corporate drug mfgs. need to get rid of their excess billions in profits, why not cut the cost of Rx for the people who can’t afford yet need them? Nowadays it seems like doctors are just drug dealers who are stimulated by drug salesmen to promote their company’s particular brand. And when there is no generic substitute available, the public is out of luck. Gee, should I buy that food or go pay for my heavily advertised Rx? Good Grief, Charlie Brown !!
#21 – YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
#21 – I tried to use a header tag, but John in his infinite wisdom will have none of it
BubbaRay, you seem to be saying that the advertising is a waste of time. Then why are the drug companies spending that money? Do you really think that all of these CEOs are idiots spending tens of billions of dollars when they could just keep it as profit?
20. – OFTLO
You seem to be saying – Capitalism with regulatory oversight Good / Unfettered free market capitalism Bad
While it bears saying that poor or overly restrictive regulation will be problematic, I’d still offer whole hearted support to that statement.
YES
I’ve certainly never been in favor of overly restrictive regulation because, if for no other reason, it would have fettered my business. I feel I was always overly fettered anyway.
#24, Mike N. Do you really think that all of these CEOs are idiots spending tens of billions of dollars when they could just keep it as profit?
Yes, they’re greedy SOB’s. Why not plow that money into R&D instead of bombarding the public with needless adverts?
#24 – I need to confer with my doctor over what medication I need.
I do NOT need the opinions of GlaxoSmithKline’s marketing department or the ad agency who made InsertDrugHere look so appetizing and miraculous. I do not need the help of the sales rep who left 100 sample bottles at the office. I don’t need any information that fits into a 30 second spot. Drugs are about health… They are not fashion statements. They are not Diet Coke with Lime. They are not a great gift idea. They will not be brought to you by the Schaefer Award Theatre and will not star Natalie Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia. They will not give your mouth sex appeal. They will not get rid of the nubs. They will not make you look five pounds
thinner, because the pharmaceutical company’s new miracle elixer should not be televised, Brother.
#18, #20, and #22;
In this case study we’re looking at, the price of food, government imposed regulation is directly at fault for the problem of skyrocketing food prices.. Ethanol simply cannot survive without government subsidies, it is way too inefficient. When the government decides what is right for us, such as ethanol instead of gas, it is theoretically possible for a good outcome, but in the large majority of cases this causes many more problems than letting the market go unregulated. In the case of ethanol, the government has decided that we subsidize a very inefficient alternative to gas. We are now suffering as a result by paying much higher food prices while not benefiting at all from ethanol. Lots of times government regulation can seem to be in the best interest of people, however the combined choices of millions of Americans and their dollars they spend is a whole lot smarter and accounts for tons of hidden costs that a government regulation could never imagine factoring in.
#21;
While yes you are paying for a piece of drug advertising when you buy a drug, think about that if the companies did not advertise, they would sell many fewer amounts of the drugs. we all know about economies of scale, and I am sure that you would be paying more for the drug were it not as mass produced. Also, the companies wouldn’t advertise if it did not increase their market share more than the cost of the advertising.
And one last comment on #27;
Yes, you should always ask your doctor about what medicines you need and don’t need. While it’s true that some drug ads make the product look miraculous (Cialis, anyone?), most of the drugs I see have completely random scenes like a man throwing a football or someone kayaking. The real point of all of the drug ads is to just get the drug name out there.
While yes you are paying for a piece of drug advertising when you buy a drug, think about that if the companies did not advertise, they would sell many fewer amounts of the drugs. we all know about economies of scale, and I am sure that you would be paying more for the drug were it not as mass produced
Paying more? They’re not expensive enough without the hype? Somehow, I got along just fine a few years ago without paying for drug advertising. Why on earth should demand for drugs be dictated by TV ads? Ridiculous. Drugs should not be hyped to patients by adverts, they should be prescribed by competent physicians according to a patient’s condition. If drug companies want to advertise, they should advertise directly to doctors, not patients. I stand by my position that the advert money would be better spent on R&D.
Warning — this opinion may cause irritation, drowsiness, cancer, insomnia, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, hoof and mouth disease, uncontrollable laughter, priapism, sex change, sobriety, snoring, irrationality and/or death.
#27, OFTLO, thanks!