This just isn't going to end well, is it..sigh

[greediron]

Prioritization and $$$. If its not going to get done on the Fed level? Then its up to the states...

But the states are already scrambling and stretched. IOW, I am not expecting much to change. 

Oh, we're having our discussions in MN after last weeks church murders, but I am expecting little bi-partisan action,.

hopefully people are willing to discuss it now.  The psych meds have a use, but they also have side effects. If we could actually discuss it openly, it would be a start.

I would welcome a state or private solution rather than a top down federal one.

[JimmyinSD]

Prioritization and $$$. If its not going to get done on the Fed level? Then its up to the states...

But the states are already scrambling and stretched. IOW, I am not expecting much to change. 

Oh, we're having our discussions in MN after last weeks tragedy in a catholic church, but I am expecting little bi-partisan action as an outcome.

its going to be hard to find bi-partisanship on an topic when those involved cant even agree what it is they are trying to fix,  and only when there is trust.  until the parties quit trying to "gotcha" the other side when they have the conche,  nobody is going to be willing to cede an inch IMO.

[medaille]

I feel like you guys are living in some sort of bizarro reality.

Trust of our governments and of our medical institutions is at an all time low. We can’t even take care of our elderly or military veterans in a dignified manner. Cost to house a prisoner is like $65k a year. Cost to house an elderly person is $120k in a nursing home. Institutions died out in large part because they cost too much … back when we could afford things. Nevermind the issues with giving the government the power to determine who is too mentally ill and needs to be imprisoned, in a world where several states are actively letting actual criminals back out on the streets. Who should get imprisoned? If you go back 15 years ago, everyone would probably agree that conspiracy theorists were mentally ill with their tin foil hats and what not, but here we are now, where literally everyone is a conspiracy theorist, and probably like half the population believes their politicians participated at Epstein island, the left celebrates their mental illnesses, their traumas, and their therapy.

Like lets start with nursing homes and figuring out how to make being old affordable and a dignified way to live the home stretch of our lives.

[greediron]

I feel like you guys are living in some sort of bizarro reality.

Trust of our governments and of our medical institutions is at an all time low.  We can’t even take care of our elderly or military veterans in a dignified manner.  Cost to house a prisoner is like $65k a year.  Cost to house an elderly person is $120k in a nursing home.  Institutions died out in large part because they cost too much … back when we could afford things.  Nevermind the issues with giving the government the power to determine who is too mentally ill and needs to be imprisoned, in a world where several states are actively letting actual criminals back out on the streets.  Who should get imprisoned?  If you go back 15 years ago, everyone would probably agree that conspiracy theorists were mentally ill with their tin foil hats and what not, but here we are now, where literally everyone is a conspiracy theorist, and probably like half the population believes their politicians participated at Epstein island, the left celebrates their mental illnesses, their traumas, and their therapy.

Like lets start with nursing homes and figuring out how to make being old affordable and a dignified way to live the home stretch of our lives.

Well as I said, federal control doesn't seem to be the way.  Nursing home are a good example because of medicare/medicaid and the rampant fraud that goes with it.

Institutions are costly, but the cost of the homeless/mentally ill isn't nothing.  And something has to be done.

[JustInTime]

We could take care of the elderly, incapacitated, disabled etc if it was a priority, particularly to the current administration. 

Instead, they put up a concentration camp in the swamps of Florida to the tune of $225 million. Waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid? Peanuts compared to the money that will be spent painting the wall black. 

Maybe stop electing folks who are too busy protecting pedophiles and vote for folks who might care about the welfare of their constituents?

Is that virtue signaling or just not being an asshole?

[Waterboy]

We could take care of the elderly, incapacitated, disabled etc if it was a priority, particularly to the current administration. 

Instead, they put up a concentration camp in the swamps of Florida to the tune of $225 million. Waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid? Peanuts compared to the money that will be spent painting the wall black. 

Maybe stop electing folks who are too busy protecting pedophiles and vote for folks who might care about the welfare of their constituents?

Is that virtue signaling or just not being an asshole?

I'd love to see your calculations for waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid as compared to the cost of painting the wall black.  I'm sure it's factual. lol

Concentration Camps, huh?  I thinks libs think that the more preposterous their claims, the more people will listen.  Oh, the rest of us listen.  We listen and are assured just how crazy TDS sufferers become.  Congratulations on sounding every bit as delusional as your counterparts. lol

[purplefaithful]

Their food is below avg at best...

Sounds like a great strategy to remain irrelevant to a new generation (of any and all political affiliations).

My $$ is they're out of business within two years.

Lost souls is what they are.

[JimmyinSD]

Their food is below avg at best...

Sounds like a great strategy to remain irrelevant to a new generation (of any and all political affiliations).

My $$ is they're out of business within two years. 

Lost souls is what they are.

sounds like they are going to be addressing their food as well.

[purplefaithful]

sounds like they are going to be addressing their food as well.

I read that, and they've tried the menu fix.

I dont think they are being strategic or have an holistic plan. Part of their problem imo is that they are perceived as antiquated and irrelevant to many. Way more and better choices for dine-out or take home. 

Their traffic is down and not by a little. They may fix some food, but that wont be enough imo. 

Google AI:

Cracker Barrel has experienced a significant downward trend in customer traffic since 2019, with declines in the 16-20% range, due to losing relevance with consumers and challenges in adapting to modern dining trends. While some tactical efforts like value offerings and menu innovation showed improvements in specific areas, these were insufficient to reverse the overall traffic decline. A recent backlash to a logo change in late August 2025 further exacerbated sales slowdowns

[Waterboy]

I read that, and they've tried the menu fix.

I dont think they are being strategic or have an holistic plan. Part of their problem imo is that they are perceived as antiquated and irrelevant to many. Way more and better choices for dine-out or take home. 

Their traffic is down and not by a little. They may fix some food, but that wont be enough imo. 

Google AI:

Cracker Barrel has experienced a significant downward trend in customer traffic since 2019, with declines in the 16-20% range, due to losing relevance with consumers and challenges in adapting to modern dining trends. While some tactical efforts like value offerings and menu innovation showed improvements in specific areas, these were insufficient to reverse the overall traffic decline. A recent backlash to a logo change in late August 2025 further exacerbated sales slowdowns

I think they need to focus on what made them great and take it up a level.  They need to make it nostalgic and fun.  The problem they now have is that they've entered the political arena and many liberals will probably now boycott the restaurant even while claiming the changes weren't made for woke reasons.  We already know we disagree on this.  

I've went to Wrigley Field many times over the years and they have been able to mix tradition with innovation.  Go Cubs Go after every game, the W Flag, keeping the bleachers, upgrading concessions, Clark the Cub, the rooftops, keeping the 7th inning stretch.  That's the model a Cracker Barrel needs to emulate in my mind.  Making new and fun things while never trying to rip down the ivy.  That's where Cracker Barrel erred in my opinion.

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Purple, just pushing this back up above my vaccination post as the forum has been dead lately and wanted this one to be on top. Didn't work, sorry!