Is capitalism working? Are goods and services getting any easier to obtain?

[decay]

The weaknesses shown by pain points exposed during the past few years are punishing most workers.

Of course, the fat cats up top continue to rake in the benefits.

[Zoidberg]

modelamac wrote:
Capitalism is working for itself, but not for society.

This.

[Z]

Zoidberg wrote:
[quote=modelamac]
Capitalism is working for itself, but not for society.

This.
I was going to say this is a bit of a weather vs climate sort of question.

[Markintosh]

My vote is no. There is no more free marketplace for many goods and services. For many, if not most, items - corporate America has figured out that it is far simpler to eliminate competition, reduce output and lay off workers, then raise prices and blame the supply chain or lack of employees.

Also....there is a growing gap between the haves and the have nots. Living in Tahoe, it's clear that there are people that have more money than I ever dreamt of having. Inflation is not a problem for them. They are willing to just pay the price, whatever it is. At the bottom end of the spectrum...people can't get by at all, so we are seeing far more homelessness, shop lifting, thefts etc.

[testcase]

“They're just concerned about the next shoe to drop.”


That’s an EXCELLENT way to put it.

[Grateful11]

I think about 90% of it is BS. Maybe I'm way off but it's what I think

This year our son's farming operation has been breakdown hell. First the round baler needed a new linear actuator, this was in stock, $1000 plus labor. Then it needed a control box $1200 but the mechanic was able to eliminate the circuit board inside and replace it with just a DPDT switch, $25 plus labor, then the Bosch injector pump on his biggest cab tractor with a 5.9L C u m m i n s (can't believe that word is on the no-no list) diesel needed a rebuild $900 plus labor but they boosted to it 121hp.

The biggest thing was the New Holland DiscBine, it's a hay mower that cuts over 9' at a time and also conditions the hay through a set of rubber roller. It was in an accident, something went through we believe whatever it was was put in the field by someone. The insurance company totaled the machine but let him keep it. We got on the phone and tried to find a complete cutter bar and New Holland said 43 weeks or late March early April of 2023. Not a single cutter bar or enough parts in the country to repair the old one. Well someone put us onto a company right outside of Lancaster, PA called The Disc Mower Doctor. They said, "we have plenty of parts and can build a complete ready to go cutter bar in one week for $8500". He decided to go that route and we met them in VA where they were picking up a machine they bought a auction to rebuild and resell. Anyway it's back up and running.

The only ag equipment company that has been able to reasonably keep parts in stock through this BS is John Deere but when you pick up parts and supplies there you might actually get parts branded with someone else's name which is unusual for them. I'm hearing horror stories of people waiting months to get critical parts for Tractors and Combines.

This is a DiscBine on his YT channel.

'John Deere 5065M mowing Abruzzi Rye for hay'
https://youtu.be/NW2kzJG8_cY

The reason I say it's BS is where are the autoworker layoffs? You can't hardly find a new car or truck except some luxury models. I spent 30 years in manufacturing and anytime there were times like this autoworkers were some of the first to be laid off left and right, you can't sweep the floor but so many times. One trend I have noticed and have been told about is companies are not replacing retirees. Where I used to work they had almost 150 people total working at a rail equipment build, rebuild and R&D facility, not there's less than 65.

We stopped in just today at one of the largest Toyota dealerships in the SE to say hello to someone we know there. He pulled it up and said they have 11 new vehicles on the lot but tons of used vehicles. They have 95 people waiting on ordered vehicles. Three years ago this place normally had 300-400 new vehicles at any given time, it wasn't unusual for them to have over 100 Camry's. It wasn't unusual for them to sell 30-40 vehicles per day. We stopped because it's been a year since the general manager died from Covid, we knew him fairly well and had done business with him at the dealership and away from there for years.

Longo Toyota, the #1 dealership in the USA since 1967 has 14 new vehicles in stock. Now something is afoot.

[wave rider]

modelamac wrote:
Capitalism is working for itself, but not for society.

:ftw: :mad2:

[Bill in NC]

door sensor failed on my town car...which also shorted out the central locking module & driver's power seat controls module.

mechanic had to buy a used central locking module on eBay since Ford told him that part wouldn't go back into production until they could get the chips, probably spring 2023.

no ETA on power seat module...right now the only way I can have the driver's seat position adjusted is to take it by the shop & have my mechanic use their $20,000 scan tool to do so.