Paul Krugman - Why Trump's Deportations Will Drive Up Your Grocery Bill

[Dennis Donovan]

Paul Krugman - (archived: https://archive.ph/GnguD ) Why Trump’s Deportations Will Drive Up Your Grocery Bill

Nov. 11, 2024, 11:00 a.m. ET

By Paul Krugman
Opinion Columnist

For the past few years, over and over, voters have told pollsters and pundits that they’re hopping mad about inflation. Well, we just elected a president who, if he follows through on two of his central campaign promises — across-the-board tariffs and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants — will probably cause soaring inflation.

How will voters react?

I’ve written before about the likely inflationary impact of Donald Trump’s policies. All of that still stands. But there’s an issue that I haven’t stressed as much as I probably should have: the specific effects of his proposed deportations on grocery and housing prices, both of which have been political flashpoints.

First, a word about deficits to set the stage: The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Trump’s tax plans would add almost $8 trillion to the debt over the next decade.

Trump has claimed that he can make up for tax cuts with revenue from tariffs and huge cuts in government spending, but those claims are wildly unrealistic.

/snip

David Leopold
‪@davidleopold.bsky.social‬
Mass deportation will not only be ugly it will cost working Americans.
November 12, 2024 at 5:26 AM

https://bsky.app/profile/davidleopold.bsky.social/post/3laqmo4ixgs22

[ananda]

1. Excellent article, well explained...

and easy to understand.

Exploding national debt, way higher prices,
broken promises, and just general fuckery
of the American people.

Not a surprise to any of us here, of course,
but I think the people who voted for Trump
are finally going to realize what they actually
voted for... and it was never going to be
anything close to good!

[magicarpet]

2. It won't be so bad,...

You want a nice salad,.. hop on a commercial jet and find a pick your own lettuce farm in California. No field hands, they have all been deported so no one to pick the crops.

You want oranges,.. fly down to Florida and find a pick your own citrus orchard.

You want peaches,... a pick your own operation down in Georgia will fix you right up.

[Lovie777]

3. Ya think GQP leaders would learn....

from history concerning the Great Depression.

[FakeNoose]

4. In a nutshell

It doesn't take a degree in Economics to figure this out.
The farmers who supported Chump are going to be screaming very soon.

[nitpicked]

5. IMO, care costs will rise too

From childcare to elder care.

Who is willing and available to deal with stinky diapers, whether it be those of a 2-year old or an 82-year-old?

It's not Ms . Janegrad, who is settling for a McJob after finding out her degree didn't get her a job in her field.
(unless it's her grandma, but the kid has to work during the day).

It's certainly not Mr. Gridiron, who is pushing pallets around at the local food store.

It's often PoCs from all over the globe, such as nannies gathering at a local park for exercise with strollers full of WannaBeExecs' kids, those walking several tots holding on to a string, or "English as a second language" people caring for the old and sick at home or in rehab centers.

(That's of course if you can AFFORD caregivers.)

If those PoCs are sent back, I expect prices of those supplying carers to rise, and more "sandwich people" to conclude either they can't afford to work, or have to leave people home alone for some of the day.

[Zeitghost]

6. Is keeping prices artificially low

By using undocumented workers who can't fight for fair wages a good thing?

Because that's the message I keep getting here on DU.

[Dennis Donovan]

7. It's not condoned. It's a fact of life.

A fact that will change if there's a mass deportation.

But, no, in a perfect world, they would be appropriately paid, have benefits and a clear path to citizenship.

[Zeitghost]

8. And those higher prices

Would come from higher wages. And those higher wages would be paid to who?

[applegrove]

9. And just when he puts a tariff on imported food he deports

millions who pick the food domestically $&●£€¥《☆! Brilliant!