Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris is once again putting pen to paper in what looks suspiciously like an election-year ploy aimed at distracting the American public from the rampant inflation that has been biting into their grocery budgets. In a flash of miscalculated enthusiasm, Harris has unveiled her scheme to implement the “first-ever federal ban on corporate price gouging” in the food industry, as if grocery prices could be wished away with a mere stroke of the executive order pen. Instead of addressing the root causes of inflation, this proposal is all about optics, politicians’ uneasy feelings, and, quite frankly, typical Democratic theatrics.
The lack of specifics behind this audacious plan reeks of desperation. The Harris campaign states that it would hand the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general the power to investigate and impose penalties on perceived offenders of their new “price-gouging” laws. Interestingly, while details remain shrouded in secrecy, critics have been quick to dismiss this entire charade as a tactical deflection. Notably, budget experts have pointed out that the real culprits behind soaring food prices are not greedy grocers but rather the reckless federal spending and regulatory strangulation happening under the Biden administration. One can almost hear the sound of crickets as they wait for Harris to own up to that glaring truth.
🚨🚨 Today Kamala Harris Will Releases Her Economic Plan She’ll Want To Regulate Grocery Stores Blames Prices Being High In The Stores Because They’re Price Gouging! Socialism Communism 101 Government Control !Venezuela Supermarket Vs US 🇺🇸Supermarkets. Stop Her Now 🤬 pic.twitter.com/3pqt1hyHuS
— CY (@ChristineYeder1) August 16, 2024
Economists warn that enforcing penalties against companies daring to raise prices could result in empty shelves at grocery stores nationwide. This move appears to be yet another misguided attempt at price control—an approach that has never yielded positive outcomes in history. When governments meddle in pricing, the inevitable result is shortages, leaving consumers high and dry. If price limitations on popular items like bacon fall into place, instead of relief, shoppers might find themselves starved of options altogether.
Moreover, it seems Harris may require a refresher course on basic economics. Since taking office, grocery prices have jumped a staggering 21 percent—a direct result of policies that have burdened consumers with inflated costs for essential goods. While the administration touts a mere 1.1 percent increase over the last year, this overlooks the harsh reality faced by families struggling to cope with increased expenses. All the while, some economists are taking bets on which grocery stores would actually benefit from Harris’s proposal, as competition could lead to the most vulnerable businesses being crushed under government-imposed restrictions, leaving others to thrive.
Adding insult to injury, the economic rationale behind the proposal has been challenged by those who note the extremely low profit margins prevalent in grocery retailing. With most grocery stores hardly squeaking out 1 to 3 percent profits, the notion of “price gouging” becomes comically detached from reality. Instead of padding their pockets, grocery store operators are scrambling to stay afloat as the cost of goods rises. History has shown that artificial interventions in pricing rarely end well, and the American people may not be fooled by Harris’s newfound “concern” for their grocery bills. If voters grasp the economic futility behind such price controls, they might see this proposal for what it truly is: a desperate gambit from an administration that is scrambling to save face.
