(The Center Square) – A Costco executive warned consumers that potential price hikes in stores could be a result of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs.

A Costco executive warned consumers that potential price hikes in stores could be a result of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs.

  • Hathaway@lemmy.zipEnglish
    7·
    6 days ago

    Not that I’m defending them, however, they do not have an obligation to educate the American electorate. Trust me, I understand the outrage, however, in this case I think it’s misplaced. It’s not entirely the fault of Walmart and Costco CEO’s that everything is built from the ground up to be against the average person. In this specific case, especially when it comes to politics, I point to the absolute failure of the American education system to have massive amounts of the voting populous’ understanding of how the US government functions end in the 6th grade.

    Now we can go back and fourth on the causes of the lack of education. In which, there’s still blame to put on CEO’s, but it’s a feature, not a bug that it is the way it is.

    • kn0wmad1c@programming.devEnglish
      6·
      6 days ago

      You’re not wrong. There are a lot of factors in play. But I don’t think the outrage is misplaced. In fact, I think I’m being pretty calm considering that the only reason why these corporate monsters chose to be silent until now is because they want to raise prices while pointing the finger at someone else. They know that if they raise prices “because they had to”, they likely won’t have to lower them again even if the tariffs go away.

      • Drusas@fedia.io
        1·
        6 days ago

        They also know that they can raise them higher than they actually need to, thus increasing profits.

      • Hathaway@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        6 days ago

        I see your perspective for sure, and maybe I’m being way too optimistic/naive,(especially cause I’m going to reference capitalism and it’s the reason we’re having the conversation to begin with) but, isn’t the idea of “free markets” that if that were to happen, it opens the door for a competitor to undercut and take the market share?

        Which the counter to that is, they’re in cahoots, but my counter to that would be, the little guy doesn’t care if the big guys set prices. Idk. It’s circular and the world is fucked as is.