R&E Political Discussion 2026

R&E Political Discussion 2026
[ R&E Political Discussion 2026 ]

Evidently, the communists have retaken Berlin.

Posted by Arwen on September 24, 2026, 8:49 am

The promise of free stuff is a powerful incentive for the weak-minded.

Earlier this week the Left Party, led by Elif Eralp, captured 25.3 percent of the vote in state elections and is now in talks with the Social Democrats and Greens to form a governing coalition with them at the helm.

The rising cost of housing in Berlin was a central issue in the campaign, which the Left proposes to fix with a mix of public housing construction, rent controls, and, most radically, seizing ownership of 220,000 housing units currently owned by private companies.

Sound familiar?

The state seizures of private property would be a major disincentive to invest in much needed new construction in the city. The government would also have to compensate landlords for their lost property, which would leave fewer funds available for the construction of new social housing that the Left also wants.

Free people want choices. Competition gives us those choices. Why should the free people of Berlin and New York have to suffer in order to once again learn the lessons taught by the restrictive and destructive nature of socialism.

Since I do not live in Berlin

Posted by Trish on September 24, 2026, 3:44 pm, in reply to "Evidently, the communists have retaken Berlin."

but DO live in NYS, I am in a wait and see mode. Social housing is nothing new. Rent control is nothing new.

If the seizurs have merit (i.e. unpaid taxes, building violations) then something needs to happen.

The problem with competition (and I understand you) boils down to greed. It's like when there's a shortage of things, prices go up, but when the shortage goes away, prices don't come back down.

I dont have answers, just pondering

Rent controls have never worked.

Posted by Arwen on September 24, 2026, 8:45 pm, in reply to "Since I do not live in Berlin"

Eventually they hurt the people they were designed to help.

You are so wrong

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 7:24 am, in reply to "Rent controls have never worked."

In the city where I grew up they had rent control for buildings 4 family and over.

Rent control kept the rent stable for low income families.

It worked.

Perhaps if the government stepped in and controlled the price of carpet…

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 7:57 am, in reply to "You are so wrong"

You would see how government interference with pricing really works.

Yes, people would get cheap carpet for the short term. But carpet business owners would lose profit, requiring them to layoff employees and deal with capital shortages which prevent expansion and equipment purchases to support their long term business needs.

Government interference in the market would require long term pricing to increase in order to attract new carpet suppliers to replace the ones lost to government interference in the free market.

I’m not in the carpet business

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 8:01 am, in reply to "Perhaps if the government stepped in and controlled the price of carpet…"

You got confused somewhere along the line.

Did I say that you were?

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 8:49 am, in reply to "I’m not in the carpet business"

My illustrative point stands regardless of whether you want to admit you were/are in the carpet business or not.

My knowledge of rent control

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 9:02 am, in reply to "Did I say that you were?"

stands regardless whether you agree or not. I lived in a city where it was successfully implemented.

Rent control has nothing to do with carpets.

Rent control is price control.

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 9:07 am, in reply to "My knowledge of rent control"

The principle can be applied effectively to all businesses…..even carpet businesses in New Jersey.

Price control has never been used for any business

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 9:13 am, in reply to "Rent control is price control."

to my knowledge. I have been in business for 51 years.

I know several businessmen in NJ in several different businesses. There has never been any price control implemented.

Rent control is a direct form of price control.

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 9:19 am, in reply to "Price control has never been used for any business"

Newark, Jersey City, and even West Deptford has a local rent control ordinance. These types of price controls are used regularly.

Price controls are used all the time for businesses. And they are destructive.

This is what you always do

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 9:28 am, in reply to "Rent control is a direct form of price control."

You cannot admit it when you are wrong.

I lived in a city where rent control was implemented successfully.

It works to help low income families.

You will just keep spinning and spinning.

Is logic and reason offensive to you?

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 9:38 am, in reply to "This is what you always do"

You said that “Price control has never been used for any business.”

That was wrong. I provided evidence to prove it was wrong. I further provided evidence that any relief that consumers get from government price controls are short-lived and do far more damage in the long run to both businesses and consumers.

You were wrong. Care to admit it?

Your original post I responded to…

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 10:02 am, in reply to "Is logic and reason offensive to you?"

My original response holds true. You were wrong, rent control does work.

Then you brought in carpet and business price control. Off topic.

https://mb.boardhost.com/Bi-PartisanPolitics/msg/1790307921.html

You did not respond to my original post.

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 10:12 am, in reply to "Your original post I responded to…"

Look. And I ask this with all due respect….

Why are you even on a political discussion board if you have such disdain for logic and reason?

They are fundamental components for civil discourse.

I replied to your original post on rent control

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 10:26 am, in reply to "You did not respond to my original post."

Read down the thread..

Yes, you said it works.

Posted by Arwen on September 25, 2026, 10:31 am, in reply to "I replied to your original post on rent control"

It works on a temporary basis and only for the renter.

Businesses suffer for the reasons I mentioned and ultimately the consumers suffer because higher prices are required to support capital investment to build housing to meet demand.

Have a good one.

Re: Yes, you said it works.

Posted by Gustavo on September 25, 2026, 10:40 am, in reply to "Yes, you said it works."

A friend of mine lived in a rent controlled building for 20 years.

It was heaven sent for him with 3 kids and only one income.

Another friend of mine leased a house in a nice town. The owner only gave one year leases and raised it 15% a year.

My friend lived there 5 years and was paying double the original rent. He was forced to move. He couldn’t afford it anymore.

my sister in sf has had one for at least a decade

Posted by Trish on September 25, 2026, 7:47 am, in reply to "You are so wrong"

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[ R&E Political Discussion 2026 ]