What if I told you that the 3-4 corporations that control our food supply increased prices to punish voters for not voting for a Republican in 2020? It's been in the playbook for well over 30 years. Some musicians have even written songs with lyrics that discuss this technique.

[–] ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Do you have any sources for this? Also the songs that mention it? I'd like to read more about this

[–] frog_brawler@lemmy.world 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Sources for my claim?

That's asking for a lot of sources and a compilation of research as to how I came to my inference on an internet comment. I don't have the time to accommodate all of that, but this article touches on the corporate greed aspect somewhat concisely: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/price-of-food

https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/COST/costco/revenue - is a good way to look at profits at a high level for the 4 major grocers (Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Albertsons) - https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IB_2111_FoodMonoSeries1-SUPERMARKETS-V2FINAL.pdf. This touches more on the aspect of food monopolies specifically: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/jul/14/food-monopoly-meals-profits-data-investigation - the monopolies go beyond just food.

Songs regarding what I'm talking about... off the top of my head the one I think of first is Propaghandi - "A People’s History of the World." The last lyrics:

*"Yeah, you can vote however the fuck you want But power still calls all the shots And believe it or not

Even if democracy broke loose They'll just make the economy scream Until we vote responsibly"*

I also think of Fugazi - "Merchandise" * "Merchandise, it keeps us in line Common sense says it's by design What could a businessman ever want more Than to have us sucking in his store"*

[–] Yggnar@lemmy.world 0 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

So I agree that food in the US is 100% run by monopolies. Just look at Tyson. What I'd like a source for though personally, is your claim that these monopolies have "had it in the playbook for thirty years" to punish voters for not voting Republican. That specific part is the aspect that I think you actually need to source. It's quite a claim.

[–] frog_brawler@lemmy.world 0 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Well you're a different person than who I initially replied to, but that's ok. I don't have a source for my claim that this has been in the playbook for 30 years (really I meant since Reagan, so 40 would have been more accurate), similar to how I don't have a source for the claim that media paid for and created by and for capitalistic interest is not likely to accurately or fairly paint truly leftist viewpoints. Things will always be painted to say "see, look how great capitalism is; and look how bad socialism is!" It's one of those logical conclusions one should arrive at when considering an oligarchy bordering on feudalism. Just like the media propaganda of "see how great capitalism is" refuses to acknowledge any counter-point, the same tactic has been used over and over again on questions of the economy and executive branch with who's in power at the time of the question being asked.

One can easily arrive at the conclusion that companies standing to earn higher profits by cutting regulations, busting unions, and squeezing people for basic necessities (all things the Republicans love doing), would make decisions that try to sway or influence voters based on swings in the left or right wing of our right-wing government. You want people to vote for the candidate that will de-regulate and make things easier for your business four years from now... blame the rising cost of goods on the party that's trying to regulate you and make things more difficult for your business interests; bonus if you can collect more money while doing so.

Capitalism is fucking disgusting.

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today -2 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

At first my brain started assuming you were just memeing a monologue from Deus Ex, then I realized this was ~~an original comment~~ all original text. How sad is that? Lol

...just without the neat cyberpunk stuff.

And this was the game written on the unbelievable, edgy premise "...where every conspiracy theory is real." Lol

Edit: lol weird ratio. Okay maybe I was a clumsy communicator there, I meant "How sad is it that my first thought was a Deus Ex monologue perfectly fitting with our current times, but we don't even have sweet nanotech".

Also, that game's premise was trying to be just a little bit dystopianly-ridiculous, and it's now considered prophetic.

[–] frog_brawler@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

[–] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 1 points 8 hours ago

Ah, you got me. 😂

Okay my turn, since I mentioned it. Hahaha