An obviously defensive Joe Biden took another swing at Donald Trump today as he accused the former president and his allies of dictating to the Republican Party.
“Look at my predecessor, the great MAGA king — the deficit increased every single year he was president,” said Biden yesterday in a bid to take the attention away from his failure to control the country’s escalating food supply shortage and rising prices.
He went on to lay the blame for America’s rising inflation on the restrictions he imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The embattled president visited a family farm in Illinois to try to convince struggling farmers that his policies will help fix the mess that’s accumulated under his leadership.
“You are the backbone of freedom,” he said as he toured the 800-acre farm owned by Jeff and Gina O’Connor, before unbelievably hinting that food price rises were down to America sending Ukraine weapons and aid:
“Right now, America is fighting on two fronts. At home, it’s inflation and rising prices. Abroad, it’s helping Ukrainians defend their democracy and feeding those who are left hungry around the world because Russian atrocities exist”.
Inflation is spiraling out of control across the country as gas prices hit a record high on Tuesday and food prices have seen a 9.4 percent hike. Fears of a recession continue to loom as inflation rates hit their highest level in four decades last month.
On Wednesday, the White House announced plans to help US farmers boost the production of food to lower consumer prices. The scheme will involve increasing the funding for domestic fertilizer and the providing of financial help to farmers who need nutrient management tools.
According to the UN, global food prices hit an all-time record high in February and March, partly because of the Covid pandemic but also because Russia and Ukraine account for a third of global wheat and barley production.
Biden has vowed to make decreasing inflation a top priority, and during an address to 3,500 union members in Chicago this week, he reluctantly admitted that “It’s going to be hard because inflation is gonna scare the living hell out of everyone.”
“Look folks, our economy has gone from being on the mend to being on the move,” he attempted to assure the rowdy crowd, although US inflation has only cooled to 8.3% after a record peak.
He went on to defend his controversial Covid restrictions, the fiscal stimulus he advocated during the pandemic and the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, all of which were decisions which would have had a major impact on current inflation levels.
“What did the MAGA crowd wanna do? Forget it,” spat Biden in an attempt to deflect from the impact his own decisions undoubtedly had.
When he was accosted by a reporter on Tuesday who asked about the Dem’s plans to combat rising prices, Biden responded that he was sure his policies had “helped not hurt” the economy.
In the end, all Biden could really muster in relation to his economic plan (or lack of) was that: ‘If you think things are bad now, it will be worse if you vote Republican’.
Weak, but it’s all he’s got.
This story syndicated with permission from Jo Marney, Author at Trending Politics
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