Land O Lakes Extra Creamy Butter usually costs $5.99 a pound at friendly stores. Finding it on sale for the same price — $3.50 per pound – as plebian butter, I picked up three pounds: “You shouldn’t take that many,” a 40-ish woman snarled, “other people might want to buy some.”
I looked at the sale tag (no limits noted) and the two rows of extra creamy stacked two high. Then I got in the check-out line, with my three pounds of butter.
No other shopper came to my defense. The lady, alas, found no friends either.
Butter shaming: another strange 2020 thing.
After a near record number of hurricanes, fires consuming the west, a drought here in the Midwest, Donald Trump, and, of course, the horrific economic and physical pain inflicted by COVID 19 it’s hard to get surprised. Way back in 2019 who ever imagined homes needing strategic toilet paper reserves?
So, let’s look ahead…
- COVID will get worse in Missouri. The Show Me State posted a record 5,066 cases on October 10th. Across the country 51,037 new cases were reported that day. Now, Missouri represents just under 2% of America’s population: to own almost 10% of the day’s new COVID cases is really overachieving. This shouldn’t be a surprise, however, since Missouri (led by His Accidency, the governor) downplays COVID. Since Missouri won’t put up a real fight, more of us will get sick and die.
- The November election will be a debacle. Remember, reality means nothing. No matter the actual numbers, the harsh right – led by The Orange One – will demand recounts and many ballots destroyed without being counted. Expect to see armed Trump supporters outside polls (even in St. Louis County). Back in 2000 the true count from Florida never materialized due to Sandra Day O’Connor and the Republican majority on the Supreme Court wanting George W. Bush (not Al Gore). This election will make 2000 look like a church picnic.
- The economy can’t recover.
- Look at the ads and mailers from Republican candidates at all levels. Most all push the orthodoxy that taxes are still too high. Yes, even though Missouri only gets 6¢ a gallon in excise tax on a gallon of beer (the national average is about 25¢ a gallon) and the state income tax table hasn’t been re-worked since FDR, the majority party wants to collect less money when government already lacks the funds to do its job. )Note that in Washington Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can’t even get a majority of his party’s senators to back COVID relief supported by the Federal Reserve Chair.) Expect the hungry, the unemployed, as well as roads, schools and such to lose out.
- Dead people don’t eat out. Neither do those afraid of catching a deadly disease. So, while dumb young people will still pass oranges down the line mouth to mouth, most will eat at home and skip vacations. Remember, it took years for employment and income to get over the shock of the 2008 – 2009 setback. This hit hurts way, way more and, well, for millions of workers their jobs aren’t coming back. America won’t need as many bartenders or airline pilots, wedding planners or receptionists.
You get the idea. The last days of 2020 promise to be even more tumultuous than want we’ve already endured. Like 1968, this will be a year historians find amazing.
Oh yes, back to the extra creamy butter. I’m thinking about going back tomorrow to get three more pounds. (The first load had 2/13/21 dating.) I hope the butter shamer shops on Mondays.
Glenn