Republicans Seizing, Attempt To Make Inflation About Sleepy Joe

See, the problem is not that inflation is surging, but that Republicans would dare link it to Dementia Joe

GOP seeks to make Biden synonymous with inflation

Republicans are seizing on rising inflation as they attempt to derail President Biden’s economic agenda and take back control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections.

GOP lawmakers have highlighted quickly rising prices and strategists believe the issue could resonate deeply with a broad range of voters while congressional Democrats push ahead with plans to spend trillions more.

But many economists expect prices to cool off well before voters head to the polls, posing risks for the GOP’s strategy.

And many economists don’t. Many think inflation is going to continue to rise and we’ll get the stagflation of the Jimmy Carter era.

For now, though, Americans are reckoning with higher costs for gasoline, food, automobiles and numerous other goods and services after prices plunged during the depths of the pandemic.

Consumer prices have risen 5.4 percent in the past 12 months, according to the Labor Department, as the swift reopening of the economy pushes inflation higher.

Republicans have started referring to “Bidenflation” on the campaign trail, and GOP lawmakers are getting theatrical with their attacks.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) gave a speech on the Senate floor last week with a sign that read “The Price is Up,” accompanied by a “wheel of inflation,” making an obvious play on the “Price is Right” game show.

Is this all Biden’s fault? No. In all honesty, no. Biden has no control over the inability to mine for precious metals and make computer chips during most of 2020 and into 2021. He’s not responsible for the price of vehicles plunging…oh, wait, they didn’t. A goodly chunk of dealers started doing no haggle pricing on used vehicles, which would have been below the typical asking price, but higher than average end price. For new cars, they were still being discounted, but, most refused to go negative (yes, new does sell below cost, called a bracket deal. They do this because they make a lot of money in the service department, and have quotas to hit). Now, with the lack of new, the prices didn’t surge, it’s just most won’t sell below MSRP. Used did surge due to lack of inventory, but, is slowly coming back down.

I don’t remember food and other consumer goods pricing going down, do you? But, it is going up now, partly because the price of gas has gone way up during the Sleepy Joe era. But, see, because Biden is president, it’s not his fault, he has no control, he’s absolved, and the important part is that Republicans are seizing.

The University of Michigan’s widely watched consumer sentiment index fell 5.5 points earlier this month from a June level of 85.5, due largely to rising prices.

“Inflation has put added pressure on living standards, especially on lower and middle income households, and caused postponement of large discretionary purchases, especially among upper income households,” said survey chief economist Richard Curtin.

A Fox News poll released late last month found that 83 percent of respondents said they were concerned about inflation.

Republicans say the issue plays well for them because it impacts voters across all spectrums.

“Everyone is pissed off that they’re paying more for gas,” said one GOP operative. “Everyone is pissed off that they’re paying more groceries. Everyone is upset that they can’t find a house to buy because the housing market is through the roof.”

Now, if Trump were still president you know he’d be Blamed, right?