How The Republicans And Their Corporate Allies Are Causing Inflation

I’m on the White House comms distribution list. After 10 months, this is the first one that I’ve seen that attacks the GOP, on anything. The comms department noted this week that "The Republican 'Plan' to address inflation will bring another COVID surge and continued rising prices."

As NBC News reported Sunday, Republicans in Congress don’t have a plan to fight inflation, and what proposals they do have would mean higher costs for families, millions of fewer jobs, a slower economic recovery, and COVID-19 raging out of control. For months now, Republicans have treated inflation like a political football-- with one GOP Senator even calling it a “gold mine” for them, and now they’re showing us where their priorities really are: First, Republicans want to remove COVID safety measures and vaccination mandates, which would inevitably drive a surge in infections and price increases driven by supply chain disruptions. In contrast, the President’s vaccination plan provides a major boost to the economy-- a fact confirmed by Goldman Sachs and surveys of prominent economists. The President’s plan for safer workplaces and more Americans back at work means a more efficient, productive economy, and lower prices for the middle class. The Republican plan would serve to further exacerbate the pandemic, inflation, and its resulting economic pain. Second, the Republican “plan” to oppose President Biden's Build Back Better agenda would block critical cost-saving and inflation-easing measures. The Build Back Better Agenda would help immediately address some of the biggest costs facing Americans by cutting child care costs in half, making preschool free, boosting housing supply, and making prescription drugs cheaper. It would create millions of jobs and is entirely paid for by making the wealthy and big corporations simply pay their fair share. And leading economists and forecasters agree it will ease inflationary pressures over time. Republicans want to block these measures, meaning higher prices for families, less long-term growth, and continued tax cuts for the wealthy. While the Republican “plan” would risk returning to the depths of the pandemic and continued inflation, President Biden's vaccination plan and the Build Back Better agenda would lift the country out of the pandemic, reduce costs for families, and drive long-term growth.

How about the real reason prices are going up? Look no further than corporate greed... and massive profiteering, big shareholder payouts, managerial perks and bonuses and, of course, fat bribes to corrupt conservative politicians. "The truth is big corporations and their ultra-rich CEOs are exploiting consumers. Big corporations have been making record profits during the pandemic. And in a year when the majority of people struggled to get by, CEOs have only gotten richer. They’ve taken every opportunity to further pad their own pockets. The chief executives of major grocers like Kroger claim that inflation 'is always good in our business.' But good for whom? Last year, Kroger raked in $132 billion in revenue, and the average salaries for their top executives increased-- while pay for the median employee fell by 8 percent. In February 2021, Kroger announced it would close two stores in California rather than temporarily pay some employees $4 more an hour in 'hazard pay.' When greedy corporations are able to take advantage of economic hardship, it’s workers and families who pay the price. Conservative media and politicians are clinging to the narrative that inflation is the fault of President Biden and the American Rescue Plan as they try to take advantage of this situation to persuade voters. But it’s clear that corporate profiteering is forcing workers and families to make unnecessary sacrifices so that wealthy executives can make themselves richer. It’s up to our lawmakers to hold these wealthy CEOs accountable... Republicans are unanimously opposed to holding big corporations accountable-- and are even cheering on inflation. Inflation 'is a gold mine for us,' said Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott. Leading economists have affirmed that the investments in the Build Back Better Act will ease inflation. But that won’t stop Republicans from continuing to lay the blame of inflation on Democrats while simultaneously fighting tooth and nail to kill the bill-- and let big corporations continue to take advantage of us."

Democrats must make two things clear to the American people. First, despite record profits, it’s corporate greed that’s to blame for the rising costs we’re currently experiencing. Second, the Build Back Better Act will make many of these same corporations pay their fair share and play by the rules.

You really should watch this very straight forward clip: