Inflation Mastermind: Kamala Harris and the 21% Food Price Rise
For those of us whose job it is to write headlines, inflation is the gift that keeps on giving. For everyone else, especially those walking down the grocery aisle, inflation is the unwelcome guest that just won’t go away.
So who sent out the invitation? Kamala Harris appearsThe Vice President found himself now inextricably linked to price hikes that were both painful and predictable.
Let’s start with the facts. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Food prices — the kind of inflation Americans say is hurting them the most — have soared by more than 21%.Overall prices increased by 20.2 percent.
You certainly don’t want to brag about a record like that when you’re the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, but before we get into the details, let’s remember that inflation is like a wildfire: It can flare up easily, especially when you’re throwing trillions of dollars around like confetti at a victory parade.
Of course, Harris was in the mix. hold a runoff election in the senate This is part of the most ambitious, and frankly inflationary, spending bill in recent years. American Rescue PlanThe country, with a massive $1.9 trillion endowment, was touted as a lifeline for the struggling nation. fuel the fires of inflation It was impossible to erase it.
Vice President Kamala Harris looks on as President Joe Biden signs the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in the Oval Office on March 11, 2021. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz via Flickr)
The Biden administration, with Harris as a loyal aide, was quick to spend but slow to consider the consequences. Of course, there were many global factors at play: supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine, a prolonged pandemic, labor shortages, and more, but let’s face it: the inflation we see today didn’t just happen. It was planned in many ways.
The usual excuses for inflation are weak, especially when: Food InflationThe United States produces about 85% of the food it consumes. It is largely self-sufficient in food production, especially staples like grains, meat and dairy. Mexico and Canada, the largest suppliers of imported food, have not been particularly disrupted by the pandemic or by what Biden and Harris called “Putin’s price gouging.”
What makes this case even more remarkable is the administration’s apparent surprise at the whole affair. Did they really think it would do any harm to pump trillions of dollars into an already overheated economy? Harris’ role in this has been significant, to say the least. She was no mere bystander. She was a participant, a supporter and even an advocate..
Harris: Inflation Presidential Candidate
Now Harris is on the campaign trail, taking a tough stance on price gouging and promising relief, but it’s hard to take seriously the man who created the conditions that led to today’s inflation problem. The arsonist offered to help put out the fire..
Even more shocking is the Administration’s lack of foresight. Inflation, especially food price inflation, is a nasty problem. Once it starts, it’s hard to eliminate. Price increases have moderated somewhat, but we must remember that the norms have changed. Americans are paying significantly more for groceries than they did a few years ago, and There’s no chance of a return to pre-pandemic prices Unless there is a serious economic downturn.
Meanwhile, Harris has been strangely silent about the role his policies have played in all of this. It’s as if the administration wants us to believe that inflation is some kind of natural disaster, an act of God, rather than a predictable consequence of its own actions. Driving the right car and drinking from a paper straw can change the temperature of the planet But there is no policy responsibility for the worst inflation in 40 years.
But voters are not so easily fooled. They From the shopping frenzy of 2021 to the grocery bill of 2024.
lastly, Kamala Harris’ legacy may be defined by this inflationary incident.It’s not just the numbers that matter. It’s the credibility, or lack thereof, of an administration that promised to lead the country out of crisis, only to bring about another one. Harris will have to deal with this legacy as she seeks the presidency, and it’s as much a matter of choices made as it is of prices paid.
Ultimately, when it comes to inflation, Kamala Harris can run, but she can’t hideThe numbers speak for themselves, and they illustrate an administration so eager to spend that it forgot that every dollar has a price. And that price, to the American people, is high.
