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More Americans are shoplifting food

washingtonpost.com

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Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#61

Post by nouveaux »

xyzzyz wrote: post #42

At the same time, personal savings rate is through the roof: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PSAVERT and household debt service costs are lowest in recent history: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TDSP People have received thousands of dollars in stimulus checks. Thanks to extra $600/$300 that the feds have added to federal unemployment, those that lost their jobs received in many cases significantly more that t…

So you're saying that even though people have a ton of money in the bank, they are going to grocery stores to steal food?

If they were stealing clothes or laptops, your argument makes sense. People with money in the bank do not steal food.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#62

Post by Proven »

sanguy wrote: post #23

When we have politicians endorsing to defund the police, riot, and use violence and terror to get their way what do we expect? Stealing is now perfectly acceptable as it's just distribution of wealth.

And whereas people used to get help from wider family or community organizations, socialists first helped destroy those structures and now teach to steal what you need or ask state to do that on your behalf.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#63

Post by lightgreen »

FnControlOption wrote: post #30
sjg007 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s the pandemic that is tripping the scale and Congress refusing to do anything.

It’s scary that civil unrest might be exactly what the Republican party wants.

I’m not sure how you attributed it to GOP. It makes zero sense.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#65

Post by sanguy »

damnyou wrote: post #37
sanguy wrote: post #23

When we have politicians endorsing to defund the police, riot, and use violence and terror to get their way what do we expect? Stealing is now perfectly acceptable as it's just distribution of wealth.

If you are starving, stealing food is at the very least perfectly acceptable, and many would say just. I'm not aware of any ethical frameworks, even the most hardcore libertarian ones, which would claim otherwise.

The point is you don't need to steal food to survive. You just need to go to one of food banks or shelters that will help. I volunteer at one of them. Lots of really good down on their luck people; and they are busier that in the past due to COVID job losses.

Those stealing are ones with something to prove. We recently had a situation here at the Giant where two adults were stealing ice cream and when the staff tried to stop them they were seriously beat up. When has ice cream become a necessity to survive and something worth beating another human over?

The issue we have lost our moral compass in this country and it will not solve itself.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#66

Post by lumost »

lightgreen wrote: post #47
slfnflctd wrote: post #39

This is both heartbreaking and terrifying. Mass food insecurity can be a precursor to increased violence. Where is the leadership?? I have an idea: everyone with over $20 million liquid splits the cost between them of expanding food banks and keeping them stocked. Call it a temporary COVID-19 tax and let them deduct it from their next IRS bill. [I know, I'm dreaming.]

The US can just print money, with much better effect. It actually does that.

The US is starting to lack a credible means of delivering printed money to actual consumers.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#67

Post by twblalock »

xyzzyz wrote: post #42

At the same time, personal savings rate is through the roof: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PSAVERT and household debt service costs are lowest in recent history: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TDSP People have received thousands of dollars in stimulus checks. Thanks to extra $600/$300 that the feds have added to federal unemployment, those that lost their jobs received in many cases significantly more that t…

The stimulus stopped, and a lot of unemployed people have blown through their savings by now.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#68

Post by [deleted] »

RIMR wrote: post #55
lightgreen wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody is starving to death in the US. Food stamps and food bank help with that. The situation may be bad, but not as dramatic as you paint it.

The problem is food insecurity. People might not be dying, but children are growing up malnourished. That has serious long term effects. Food stamps and charity don't solve the root problem. And food insecurity could quickly turn into deadly famine if we ever have an interruption in the food supply, especially with our "just in time" supply chain mentality.

[deleted]

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#69

Post by nostromo »

Spooky23 wrote: post #16
underseacables wrote: post #3

Many people are starving because they are locked down and not able to work, but I think that the grocery self scan that so many stores are moving towards, enables food theft; or at the very least it makes it easier. It would be interesting to see exactly how much shrinkage occurs due to the self scan.

Agreed. Self check is such an obviously dumb approach, especially with high value stuff like meat. People do stuff like swap tags or enter invalid PLUs all of the time. Was that a cherry (11/lb) or a potato (0.69/lb)?

I've wondered if it'd even be possible for them to differentiate between organic and non-organic produce.

They're probably banking on people being honest in most cases, which thankfully seems to be a correct assumption.

Re: More Americans are shoplifting food

#70

Post by staplers »

lightgreen wrote: post #41
givehimagun wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People steal food because they have to survive* Fixed that for you.

Perhaps, our definitions of survival are very different. One might say people steal playstations to survive.

When was the last time you were unable to eat because of an income deficiency?

Funny you mention "food banks" and "food stamps" during a time of unprecedented services shortage due to a pandemic. Some people are still waiting on unemployment checks from 6 months ago. Stomachs can't wait that long.

An inability to use reasoning while also remaining heavily opinionated indicates you have never faced a severe economic hardship like homelessness and feel the need to shift the blame to others to avoid confronting systemic issues.

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