The United States currently faces two very difficult challenges on the domestic front.
No doubt readers have seen the tragic and devastating images and videos coming out of North Carolina (and Georgia and Florida and elsewhere).
Entire buildings, entire streets and entire towns have been virtually wiped off the map by Hurricane Helen, and all indications are that help from authorities is slow to come. (That didn’t stop Americans from doing what they always do: helping.)
Then there are the massive port strikes affecting much of the East Coast and Gulf region.
The two things combined are taking a toll on the economy, and as you can imagine, people are worried. It’s so worrying that claims of panic buying are popping up on social media.
Panic buying at Costco?
Some people have claimed that buying from Costco is embarrassing, or at least worrisome. Obviously, like everything on social media, take it with a grain of salt.
User WillWng11 shared a video showing huge lines and carts filled with essentials such as water and toilet paper.
A user named Chelsarita had a similar story, showing that Costco’s toilet paper aisle was completely empty.
If you’re a regular Costco shopper, you’ll know that there’s usually enough toilet paper to last the Royal Navy.
Costco wasn’t the only place where people reported running out of toilet paper.
It seems to be the same story no matter where you look.
News 12 in New Jersey reports that store clerks are restocking more inventory than usual due to the expected influx of customers.
The port strike issue was sparked when about 50,000 members of the International Longshoreman’s Union went on strike demanding wage increases.
The demands reportedly include a 77% pay increase. This despite the fact that about a third of union members earn more than $200,000 a year.
A strike coming so soon after a very deadly hurricane on the same coast is a recipe for disaster if the union cannot reach an agreement.
As for hurricanes, how much help those people are getting is an open question. At least one rescue pilot (a former narcotics sheriff’s deputy) reported being threatened with arrest after rescuing several people from a helicopter.
There is no doubt about it. If the situation is not resolved soon, a perfect storm of humanitarian disaster is expected to occur.
