It’s no secret there is a national baby formula shortage, but many in the GOP and on the right are falsely claiming it is the job of the federal government to ensure the supermarket shelves are stocked with food for infants. Ironically and hypocritically these are the same right-wingers who have been charging everyone on the left with their derogatory slur “socialists,” which is exactly what having the federal government manufacture or supply baby formula would be.
The right isn’t bothering to educate Americans about the problem or its causes, so I will: A small number (4) of multinational conglomerates own the baby formula market, the Trump administration entered into a trade agreement that makes it difficult and expensive to import baby formula, a voluntary recall of reportedly bacteria-contaminated formula after four infants got sick and two of them died, hoarding, and price-gouging.
Instead, they falsely insist, just like the high price of gas, it’s Joe Biden’s fault.
That would be a lie, as would be House Republican Caucus chairwoman Elise Stefanik’s lie-filled tweet that attacks people on the left as “pedo-grifters,” falsely claims President Biden “has NO PLAN,” and is not addressing the problem while “sending pallets of formula to the southern border.”
Let’s take a look at the New York Republican Congresswoman’s false and dangerously fascistic attack.
First, the tweet:
So let’s dissect this.
The White House, in fact, President Joe Biden himself, on Thursday met with baby formula manufacturers and retailers to get them to get more formula on the shelves. No, he didn’t endlessly tweet about it, didn’t create a villain for his base to go after, didn’t hold a ridiculous White House cabinet-like meeting where the invited third party attendees go around the room praising him for his leadership, make ridiculous remarks to ensure it got television coverage.
The President addressed the problem and together with White House aides came up with a plan to address it, which they published on the White House’s website.
That right there makes Congresswoman Stefanik a liar.
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Democrats Launch Investigation Into Baby Formula Shortage as Biden Meets With Manufacturers
Let’s also address the “sending pallets of formula to the southern border.”
First, let’s watch Fox News propagandist Laura Ingraham.
Ingraham Thursday night complained that “illegals” are being flown all across the country, taking Americans’ jobs by “working for under market pay.” It’s clear Ingraham wants undocumented people to be detained – jailed, if you will – for the misdemeanor of illegally crossing the border.
Many are.
And many of those immigrants have children, even infants with them. The U.S. government has a legal (and ethical) obligation to feed them, which is why, like any responsible person with an infant, they are buying baby formula and “sending pallets” of it to the southern border.
Ingraham points to Florida House Republican Kat Cammack’s suspect claim that a border parol agent says “he just took in pallets, pallets, of baby formula for all of the illegals that are crossing the border.”
Obviously, every person crossing the border does not get baby formula, but someone should ask Rep. Cammack how detained immigrants are expected to feed their infants. Because the answer appears to be just like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s appears to be, which is let them starve.
So on the one hand, Stefanik and her ilk are calling Democrats pedophiles and grifters, while ironically assuring us that Republicans are the “pro-life” party – just not for brown people without a passport.
Democrats need to stand up and declare we are the true pro-life party, and Republicans have proven time and time again, that not only are they not pro-life, but they are also the party of sexual misconduct, especially with minors.
Stefanik’s attack has caused #EliseStarvefanik to trend:
Lastly, some responses to Congresswoman Stefanik’s libelous, fascistic attack: