As The Free Press reported on Tuesday, the Democrats and liberal media are gaining ground in the war of words over the economy.
A new ABC News poll found that 71 percent of respondents blame Russian dictator Vladimir Putin for driving up gas prices by invading Ukraine – which the White House has been calling “Putin’s price hike.” Another 68 percent also blamed the oil industry, showing that the demonization of the people that keep the country moving is also working.
Yet the Biden administration‘s duplicitous tactics are not working on an influential voice – who ironically is in President Joe Biden’s own party. Sen. Joe Manchin.
After news emerged that inflation had hit a 41-year peak this week, the West Virginia Democrat slammed Biden for being weak, slow, and ineffective in trying to rein in the skyrocketing cost of living.
“Let me be clear, inflation is a tax, and today’s historic inflation data tells another chilling story about how these taxes on Americans are completely out of control,” Manchin said in a statement issued Tuesday.
“Hard-earned wages and financial savings are disappearing faster every month as prices continue to climb, while the pain and frustration of spending more on everyday items lingers over us all, especially among those who can afford it the least.”
He noted that everyday Americans are seeing some of the largest increases in goods ever recorded. For example, gas prices are up 48 percent under Biden; beef has jumped 16% percent; chicken and milk both up 13 percent, and staples such as coffee and eggs are up 11 percent.
“When will this end?” Manchin asked.
“It is a disservice to the American people to act as if inflation is a new phenomenon. The Federal Reserve and the Administration failed to act fast enough, and today’s data is a snapshot in time of the consequences being felt across the country.”
“Instead of acting boldly,” the senator continued, “our elected leaders and the Federal Reserve continue to respond with half-measures and rhetorical failures searching for where to lay the blame. The American people deserve the truth about why record inflation is happening and what must be done to control it.”
And Manchin subsequently offered the American people the truth.
“We cannot spend our way to a balanced, healthy economy and continue adding to our $30 trillion national debt. Getting inflation under control will require more aggressive action by a Federal Reserve that waited too long to act,” he said.
“It demands the Administration and Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, support an all-the-above energy policy because that is the only way to bring down the high price of gas and energy while attacking climate change. The United States of America is equipped to be energy independent from Russia and other terror-sponsoring countries while also working to fight global climate change and break our dependence on the critical mineral supply change from China.”
Manchin concluded, “The inflation number today is only the beginning unless we take immediate action to address the pain being felt across our nation.”
“This is one problem facing the American people that one political party alone cannot fix. The American people cannot wait any longer.”
Manchin’s office then helpfully included a link to the press release by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reported inflation has shot up 8.5 percent over the past year that ended in March.
For clarification, the first 11 months of that time period occurred before Putin invaded Ukraine.
The BLS points out that the recent 12-month spike was the highest recorded in a yearlong span since December 1981. And the main drivers of the spike were the rising costs of gas, food and shelter.
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If you have had your head in the sand you could believe that this price hike was Putins fault. Anyone with any sense knows better.