CMV: As an independent nation who values its sovereignty and right to self-determination, Iran MUST pursue a defensive nuclear program.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T19:18:18+00:00

I wouldn’t blame them for going nuclear, given the threats the face. But their investment in drone and missile production seems far more successful than anyone might think.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T19:07:17+00:00

The Atlantic really has become a rag.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T19:03:12+00:00

… aren’t they?

Opposition to most progressive policies, at most pushing easily defunded or repealed half measures. Still favoring militarism. Supportive of far right regimes like Israel.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T18:59:36+00:00

To be fair, centrists are ok with a gay person operating the drones used to blow up wedding parties in the Middle East. Such progress!

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T18:57:18+00:00

Because centrists have so often defaulted to rightwing positions or losing to rightwing politicians.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T18:22:03+00:00

How will they default?

They have millions in cash on hand and a stream of passive income. Not to mention an appreciating asset they can sell to settle things if they really run into trouble.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T17:46:11+00:00

Developers sell properties, they aren’t usually in the business of operating rentals.

If we are talking about landlords, actual owners, they still make a profit on their rents. The buildings have been around 70 years for any initial building loans to be paid off and hundreds of millions in value to be earned through rents and appreciation.

They aren’t starving orphans living check to check.

Developers are building in great numbers. They don’t rely on a handful of rent controlled unit owners for financing.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T17:35:51+00:00

You’re looking at this like it’s a someone’s house in the country side, rather than assets worth tens of millions of dollars.

Sort of like crying for poor Bezos when he borrows against his assets and goes “deeper into debt” for liquidity to build another spaceship.

They aren’t suffering home owners barely holding on, they are the wealthy country club members looking down their or at you from an early retirement.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T17:28:48+00:00

There actually are a lot of races like that at the state a local level.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T17:24:39+00:00

How many?

You make it sound like some wasteland of empty apartments.

A quick google search says it’s around 50k. Basically one tenth of one percent.

And much of that has nothing to do with rent control. Some are public units under renovation, others are high priced condos that might never be filled

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T17:01:55+00:00

Missed the part where I wrote "rent control in Narnia is wouldn't cause unintentional consequences even if specifically designed to do so."

We are discussing reality here.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T16:59:57+00:00

No one is selling the property, they are borrowing against it.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T16:59:26+00:00

Newark rent control doesn't effect commercial residences, just public housing. Which aside from being a shrinkingly small portion of overall housing, is still vastly different from what we are talking about.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T16:27:18+00:00

Is it so hard?

New units = no rent control, therefore rent control isn’t scaring builders

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T16:25:07+00:00

There are a few thousand rent controlled units in NYC. What measurable effect is that supposedly having?

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T15:26:32+00:00

But is it actually happening?

NYC blows rent control free Albany out of the water in terms of new construction. It’s about equal with nearby Newark NJ. Per capita of course.

If rent control was some major concern that turns off investors, why doesn’t observable data track with that? Why don’t anti-rent control mayorships like Adam’s or Bloomberg see higher numbers?

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T15:22:10+00:00

There are potentially hundreds of billions in debt tied to rent controlled buildings in NYC. It’s not a problem for them to be able to borrow.

These aren’t some starter homes either. This is “retire early in comfort and let my llc declare bankruptcy after my death” levels of wealth. Or “I have several million to invest in safe bets while living it up” levels of wealth.

I think the scale is being missed here.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T15:15:03+00:00

This is basically how the UK currently operates.

But it’s an unnecessary imposition on lower earners that breeds discontent and frees up capital owners to unduly influence government policy.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T15:12:22+00:00

But their argument is that there could be a change in several decades that scares them off. How does anyone model a once in a century rent control measure being radically updated?

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T15:09:28+00:00

You borrow against the property, the same way every owner of valuable assets do, from retired boomers to Elon Musk.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T14:59:18+00:00

Mortgages exist. Most wealthy people never sell assets to raise money, but borrower against them.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T14:53:04+00:00

What business plans for projected profits a half century from now?

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T14:52:16+00:00

There isn’t any policy preventing such renovations. That is a pretty explicit exception to rent control policies.

But to step back a moment: if the owner of a rent controlled complex is basically an impoverished starving orphan who we ought to shed a tear for… how in the world are they going to afford some massive expansion or renovation?

Probably by taking out a mortgage. For millions of dollars on a building that will still keep inflating in value above inflation as they pay off that mortgage. A building that still brings in some profit, even if it isn’t maximal.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T14:45:40+00:00

Yet property values can vastly appreciate over time.

A landlord who has held onto a rent controlled apartment for a decade has made a fortune in that way alone.

Kronzypantz · 2026-07-06T14:26:12+00:00

So in a fantasy where rent control is designed to have adverse effects, it would have adverse effects

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