this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2025
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Pleasant Politics

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Politics without the jerks.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

It is uplifting to see that most Americans haven’t succumbed to their government’s propaganda

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

I’m a big fan of North Korean social media myself.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 hours ago

The app where you can criticize your own country but not the Chinese Communist Party.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 hours ago

And this is why I've given up on Americans and America in general.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Where in the ever loving fuck is corn $7/lb? A 7/11 in Alaska supplied exclusively by dog sled?

I get this sentiment here but the way these posts are filled with straight up lies makes it feel like agitprop.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Also how much are Chinese getting paid comparatively. I'd rather see what % of each sides income goes to various things. If $1 is 50% of your income and $7 is 5% of the US side's... Like I can move to a nice place in Mexico and live like Elon or Bezos does here....doesn't mean Mexico has its shit together and a higher quality of life.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 hours ago

You us federal minimum wage is less then 8 dollars, america is a third world country with the most extreme wealth inequality on earth. You are delusional if you think otherwise.

[–] zarkanian 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Agitprop? On ~~my~~ our Lemmy?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

As a Brit its hard to tell sometimes when posts are just Americans complaining or if they really are being screwed over. We don't really grow corn like America does, for bulk cheap veg I guess we have potatoes. Spent £0.68/KG on them when I walked to Aldi the other day. Our minimum wage is £11.44/hour and rising to £12.21 in April.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. That's equivalent to about £5.95 . For reference.

Most states have their own minimum wage, which complicates things. My home state, for example, just increased its minimum wage to $15.49 . That's about £12.72, so close to par with what yours will soon be.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 day ago

Don't forget that employers can pay disabled employees less than that $7.25 that was established in 2009.

[–] booly 4 points 21 hours ago

When corn is in season, fresh corn cobs sell for about 5 for $1. I'd guess each cob is about 1 pound, so we're talking $0.20/pound, or $0.44 per kg.

Obviously the corn cob itself isn't edible, so you're not getting a pound of food from each, but there is also bulk processed frozen corn year round that is still usually less than $1/lb.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

It does seem like a psy-op, especially since people are denying that Social Credit exists.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 hours ago

Or the country in which you live with significantly more control over what you see has been running a much longer much more successful psy op to get you to believe wild things in the first place. Like social credit.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I don't care what your ideology is, or which side of the isle you're on. This is a good thing. What may come of it, is yet to be seen. I'm convinced however, this will make us stronger as a species in a death struggle against capitalism.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 11 hours ago

Cultural exchange is the death of fascism. Once you realize that people everywhere are just... people, the whole "othering" construct that props up nationalism falls apart.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Do I find the flood of users from TikTok to Rednote extremely funny? Yes, absolutely.

Do I think its indicative of an ideological sea change in a country that's gradually closing the door on any kind of subversive or radical sentiment? Not particularly, no.

People who just want to watch TikTok dances and re-cut Family Guy shorts aren't going to win a death struggle against the owners of the biggest treat machines. Rats fleeing a sinking ship are not agents of revolutionary change.

[–] Rekorse 1 points 2 hours ago

Especially rats with such fleeting attention spans that this will blow over within a week.

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[–] zarkanian 9 points 23 hours ago

It's "aisle", not "Isle".

The “aisle” refers to the space which divides the majority side from the minority on the House and Senate floor.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Sounds like a fun new game, called "Propaganda or not?"

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"Corn is $7/lb in America" is either propaganda or a joke from Arrested Development

[–] [email protected] 7 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Corn is 64c a pound where I am, not close at all to where it’s grown.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

What grocer? 64 is at Aldis in FL.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago
[–] Rekorse 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Aldis is always cheaper than Americas grocery store chains, often by a lot.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Sounds like you should go there then, there’s a bunch if Aldis in Houston TX.

[–] Rekorse 1 points 1 hour ago

I'm saying that because its common that aldis has corn for say 75 cents a pound and kroger has it for 2$ a pound. They are less than a mile apart by me.

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[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The corn thing is absolute bullshit. The ambulance thing is dead on. I got my ambulance bill today from the city Fire Dept. And it is $3,900 to go 4 miles, no lights, sirens, or drugs administered in the vehicle. Just a ride.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Insane to me as a European.

I had a surgery on my nose done, to improve breathing at night. Was fully covered by my health insurance no questions asked, and according to their statement less than 2000€ incl a night in hospital. Only thing I had to pay was like 10€ or so to the hospital.

Can't imagine what that would have cost in the US of A. I'd probably still be struggling with breathing.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (10 children)

So I can't say what your cost would have been but can tell you mine for a minor stroke.

3 days in ICU, Clot Buster drug, CT Scan, MRI Scan, ECG, Heart Ultrasound, 3 Blood Screenings, and a slew of other drugs, tests, and treatments.

Total: $236,678.49 Including the Ride to the Hospital. I didn't have insurance at the time as I was out of work and my wife was moving to a new position so I'm on the hook for 100% of that.

[–] LH0ezVT 5 points 14 hours ago

It's not even the insurance part that is a scam, US prices are ridiculous as well.

I broke my arm in a pretty complicated way, so I needed a 3h surgery with a bunch of metal bits now screwed to my bones and iirc they kept me like 4 - 5 days in the hospital. On top of that, a bunch of imaging (MRI, CT, bunch of X-rays).

Due to some miscommunication/arguing between insurances, I got the full bill at first (in the end, regular health insurance paid 100%). So I know this whole thing costs about $10k out of pocket.

You are getting scammed.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 19 hours ago

Did you ask the hospital if they could reduce that or pay for some of it from grant money or something?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Unless you are fearing for your life, call a taxi.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 hours ago

Thanks captain hindsight. 🫡

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