Middle Class May Be Subject To Food Rations, Warns UN

This whole thing would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Some people here have kind of picked up on the point I'm about to make, but only lightly.

Food prices etc are doing nothing unusual, historically speaking. The real blip on the radar here is that for the past sixty years Americans have been used to consuming obscene amounts of everything. I lived there for a few years and witnessed it first hand.

Prices over here in the UK are going up too.. but its manageble. Diesel and petrol have just hit the £5 a gallon mark (so you are talking around $8-9 per gallon in US money). And the government is about to add even more tax to it next month. Tax here is also extremely hight, with VAT, the equivelant of sales tax being a massive 17.5%. Some food here is going up a lot too, and so are all utility bills (massively in fact). Wages are not going up much at all though. Just for some of your information too - British grocery stores are not subsidised, and British farmers are hardly subsidised either (the European Union does subsidise the French farmers, but thats about it, and only because France throws a hissy fit if people suggest reform).

Anyway, what I'm saying is that we have plenty in the West. We really do. Sure, things are getting tighter, just as they have in many European countries in the past, but they will get better again at some point - we just adapt. We have more than ever before. The people who should be worrying are the poor sods in Africa and the third world. They can hardly afford to exist at current prices, let alone if things go up. I think its a bit insulting to them if we all moan about things to this point. I'd bet that no one on ATS has ever had to walk six miles each day for water, decided which child to feed and which one to let die etc..

Just a thought too - maybe if we all thought a bit more optimisticaly the world wouldn't be such a crap place!!!

This might sound unempathetic, but heck with africa and the 3rd world. They have had ample time to get off there feet. They have had ample money to do so as well. It is not the responsibility of the U.S., U.K, etc taxpayer to be forced to donate money to these people, through our governments donations, and our tax dollars. Do I agree prices are going up, absolutely, and any of you disinfo agents that disagree are just ignorant to say other wise.

As if the price of bread, milk, and gas wasn't evidence enough, www.msnbc.msn.com...

10 years ago, I could buy bread for 89 cents a loaf, that same bread now costs me $1.15. My grocery bill, which I could feed my family on before was 400 a month, now it is 550 a month, and I have cut out alot of meat.

Plain and simple, we are heading into a depression. People can't afford to pay there houses, which this is the thing that they try to pay first, and are loosing them in record numbers.

There is no longer a manufacturering industry, which used to cushion the middle class. Instead we have replaced it with a "service" industry, people who made 14-20 dollars now make 7-8. This has lead to the errosion of the middle class, and has fostered this coming depression.

My prediction: We will continue to live through this recession, and in the next 6 months - 1year, it will be declared a depression. first Homeowers will become scarce, next credit will become scarce, next jobs will become scarce, last food will become scarce(not able to afford). The only question in my mind is when and how long it will be.

en.wikipedia.org...
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An alternative, less accepted definition of recession is a downward trend in the rate of actual GDP growth as promoted by the business-cycle dating committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research.[1] That private organization defines a recession more ambiguously as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months." \\\


Cheers,

Camain

reply to post by artistoli


The world will be a better place when greed is replaced with compassion. The priorties of the human race and those that lead it are all wrong - this is obvious to anyone paying attention. Humanity should be our top priority.

What happens in third world countries is horrible. The human race should and could eliminate these problems.

What happens here in the west is we let private banks (central banks) control and manipulate our economies and money for whatever purposes they desire and agree upon in closed door meetings. Inflation - the continuing decline in our purchasing power is not something that we should be 'adapting to' there is no real reason we in the west should settle for lower standards of living - just because it is worse elsewhere

I'm sure people here will say that our standard of living is not declining - for some I'm sure it is not. But if incomes do not keep pace with the cost of living then a decline in the standard of living is inevitable.

I've been off the internet for a while (downturn in business...new job doesn't pay enough...etc...etc), so this is the first I've posted in a while.

The middle class is already under a type of food rationing:the cost. Here in central Florida, the cost of everything is through the roof. I am now buing half the groceries I was last year, and also having to buy the crappy processed foods (which are terrible for you). I don't think we'll see bread lines anytime soon, but the pantries for the poor here are actually running out of food.

Many of us here have seen the writing on the wall for a long time. Trickle-down economics doesn't work. Every time we use that model for our economy, this is what happens five or so years later. The poor are poorer, thre middle class is shrinking, and the rich are getting richer. This is a conspiracy againt the American People by the Corportists that run our government.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by artistoli


This will have a domino effect. Many people will starve to death particularly in the poorer countries. They will starve for no good reason. American family farms once fed the entire world. Corporations where given tax loop holes and family farms where driven out of bussiness. The food we buy now days at inflated prices is not tasty nor is it particularly nutritious. It also seems to be making even rigorous dieters chubbier than they should be. Something has got give or the whole will become a plantation.

Originally posted by pjsconcrete
Trickle-down economics doesn't work. Every time we use that model for our economy, this is what happens five or so years later. The poor are poorer, thre middle class is shrinking, and the rich are getting richer.

Sorry, but you are dead wrong!
Trickle-down economics works great everytime it is implemented properly. Except for the last few years, MORE people have been moving from poor to middle class and in turn middle class to rich. The problem currently is excessive government taxes, regulation and spending on both the regular citizen and businesses. Stop the excessive taxes, regulation and especially the spending and you will see this economy take off once again.

Unfortunately, things probably will not get better soon because if the Democrats get into power, you will see MORE taxes, MORE regulation and MORE spending. It's their signature. We are in this situation now because the Democrats are in control of both houses on Congress and there are to many rubber legged republicans, including the President, who have caved on their supposedly conservative principles. Watch us tumble even further if Hillary or Obama get elected.

reply to post by 4thDoctorWhoFan


You still think that there are real differences in the parties

The plan unfolds just the same - Clinton, Obama, McCain, Bush - really it makes no difference.

I used to be hard core republican I voted (R) in every election.

Now I see the R's don't care about securing the border or curbing govn't spending. When are you going to see R and D are meant to divide and conquer?

And why did the Republican party nominate McCain? How conservative is McCain?


[edit on 26-2-2008 by 2 cents]

reply to post by 4thDoctorWhoFan

I'm a Doctor who fan too! Great show! Baker was the best!(the new one's pretty good too)

What has the Congress implemented in the last couple years since the Dems have been in power to put restrictions on business? I'm a fierce independant. I believe that the two party system is destroying our country. The Republicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin, they both represent the rich and powerful. If you don't wear party blinders, if you can see both sides, you'd see what I mean.

If I look at the conditions my friends and family are living in now compared to how they lived during periods we weren't using that model, they are all doing poorly in comparison. In the 1980's we used the trickle-down model, and we started seeing more poor people, and more rich people. The middle class shrank while sure, the number of rich went up, but the number of poor went up exponentially higher. In the early 1990's we switched models, and what happened? The middle class flourished, crime went down, and the middle class prospered. Again in the 2000's we switched back to this economic model, and what has happened? Corporate welfare, a shrinking middle class, rising inflation, and higher crime.

My parents went form being independently wealthy just 10 years ago to about destitute today. Why? Rising medical costs (their insurance premium is $1800 a month with a $20,000 deductible), rising inflation, a devalued dollar, a drop in business due to the housing crunch, and soaring property taxes (in a VERY Republican run county in Florida). Many of my friends are now unemployed due to corprate cutbacks so that the CEOs can keep their giant bonus checks. The stock market is untable due to the questionable dollar and the loss of spendable income due to the sharp rise in wholesale inflation.

You can say that I'm wrong all you want. Just don't let your one-party view of the universe blind you to the truth.
What would the 4th Doctor say?

reply to post by pjsconcrete


Hey PJ glad to see your back sorry about business its been slow for me too. And Im only and hour and a half south of you

Originally posted by flice
Fear mongering? From UN through PP...
To be honest I haven't noticed any significant rise in food prices? Not 60% atleast...

I personally have seen dramatic rises in food prices. For example: In the past year and a half, I have seen milk go from $2.99 per gallon to $5.99 per gallon. That is just one example. I have a favorite store brand of diet soda that sold for 50 cents per 2-liter, now within 6 months it is 75 cents. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

How many of you are aware that when a person on a fixed income, such as social security or disability income and food stamps; each year when the individual gets a small cost of living increase, the state turns around and takes that exact amount away from their food stamps?

Of course, what we could be witnessing is basically just the end of the 'middle class.' For most of history there has been the poor and the wealthy. 'Middle Class' is a relatively new thing. Might it might just be a blip in the scheme of things due to it's inherent unsustainability?

Originally posted by 2 cents
You still think that there are real differences in the parties

Umm.....YES!
There are huge differences. Dem's want to raise taxes and increase regulation and spending. Conservatives want to lower your tax burden and reduce government regulation and spending. However, like I said, some republicans are NOT conservative and have NOT voted like a conservative which includes McCain.

Double Post, Sorry.

[edit on 26-2-2008 by 4thDoctorWhoFan]

I have not had the chance to read the entire thread, but would someone tell me how this possibly, ONLY affects the middle class? I am not middle class, but I certainly feel the effects. Read my above posts.

[edit on 26-2-2008 by sizzle]

Originally posted by pjsconcrete
I'm a Doctor who fan too! Great show! Baker was the best!(the new one's pretty good too)

I totally agree!

My parents went form being independently wealthy just 10 years ago to about destitute today. Why? Rising medical costs (their insurance premium is $1800 a month with a $20,000 deductible)

Ok, but MORE government is NOT the answer. I think you are confusing Republicans with Conservatives. They are NOT the same. There has been a continuous government intervention into the health system and look where we are now. Again, get the government out!

I really don't understand the logic of some because its obvious that the government cannot do anything correctly and yet, a lot of people are supporting Hillary and Obama which want total government control of the healthcare system. Why on Earth would you want that when they screw up everything it touches.

rising inflation, a devalued dollar, a drop in business due to the housing crunch, and soaring property taxes (in a VERY Republican run county in Florida).

Again, most of this is attributed to excessive spending and government regulation. If we stop the government spending, things would fix themselves. As far as the property taxes go, that is what happens when we the voter elect people who are not true conservatives.

What would the 4th Doctor say?

He would say throw out the Democrats and elect Conservatives.

reply to post by 4thDoctorWhoFan

Um .... No

There are differences in political ideology conservative vs liberal. But as you point out there ARE NO CONSERVATIVES IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!

So no there are no differences between the parties

Republicans for smaller gov't

Originally posted by 2 cents
Um .... No

Umm....YES!

There are differences in political ideology conservative vs liberal.

Correct, there is a huge difference.

But as you point out there ARE NO CONSERVATIVES IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!

You are reading what you believe and not what I actually wrote. I said no such thing. There are plenty of true conservatives in Congress.

Republicans for smaller gov't

You are confusing Republicans with conservatives. Not all republicans are conservative.

Regardless, we definitely know what we will get with the uber liberals like Hillary and Obama and nobody wants what they have to offer like MORE taxes, MORE government regulation and MORE government spending.

reply to post by 4thDoctorWhoFan


Like I said the Republican Party nominated McCain, which is no conservative.

True conservatives are a rare breed in the party. Admit it the republican party on the whole is not conservative and really just the same as the dems only perhaps slower at getting us to their socialist utopia.

This republican/ democrat game is a sham.

reply to post by pjsconcrete

Just wanted to agree with some of the points you made in this post. My mother died a few years ago, she had saved for years to leave something behind for her children and grandchildren. She waited a long time to officially retire, because she dreaded losing her medical benefits, but her health began to decline and she was forced to retire to SS retirement income/medicare insurance.
The last few years of her life, she had to be hospitalized several times. Then she was forced into a retirement home by Adult Protective Services. Claim being, that with her recent broken hip, it was no longer safe to live alone.

Getting to the point; she is assuming that her medical costs are being taken care of by Medicare, and she is making the co-pay. Then she died. When we began to settle her estate, we had to place an announcement in the local paper, for any persons making a claim against her estate for payment, to come forward.
Guess who came forward? The government! Medicare demanded to be paid back for my mother's health care costs. So, in the end, her survivors got virtually, nothing. Gotta luv the Guv!