For the past several months, we have watched gasoline prices rise by a few cents each week, with each recent new price eclipsing all-time records. Most of us are downright angry, but Washington, D.C. policymakers don’t seem to hear us, or don’t care. Instead, the Administration repeatedly tells us how good we are feeling, how economically sound we are, and that it is really just Putin causing rampant inflation in our food and energy costs. This reeks of a classic gaslighting scheme.
Lies and excuses are thrown at us daily, presented in a tone that seems intended to make us sympathetic to our hapless “leaders.” We’re not buying it. This week, in a blue-checked Tweet, President Biden claimed, “At the time I took office about 16 months ago, the economy had stalled and COVID was out of control. Today, thanks to the economic plan and the vaccination plan that my Administration put into action, America has achieved the most robust recovery in modern history.” Consider the change in your own financial situations since 2021. Although 2022 is not even half over, public sentiment is crashing on a daily basis, directly opposite of the rise in gas and food prices.
Positive outlooks are not all we are asked to believe. Among other concepts we are supposed to accept are certain untenable premises, including:
- Banning assault weapons is necessary to stopping school shootings,
- Illegal border crossing should not be a criminal offense,
- Masks should continue to be worn on public transportation and elsewhere,
- Job creation is the most robust in history,
- Spending capacious amounts of fiat money will reduce inflation, and
- Men can get pregnant and have babies.
While never a huge fan of TV’s Judge Judy, I do think she has a way of being direct with people who often don’t understand anything else. Her 1997 book was called, “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining.” That sure sounds and feels like a gaslighting situation.
As to the future of inflation and gasoline prices, who would you believe; an inept and out of touch President, Vice President, and Cabinet, or such experienced and proven leaders in the fields of economics, energy, and manufacturing, like Larry Kudlow, Stephen Moore, Rick Perry, Elon Musk, and countless others? These people understand that our current crisis is one of our own making and that we could fix it quickly. Unfortunately, it will require sweeping political change.
Since the November election is still 5 months off, and apparently no policy change is expected before that, I am offering all challengers a quick and easy campaign platform. Two mantras for November, assuming Republicans are smart enough to adopt them (a somewhat dubious proposition), should be, “Drill, Baby, Drill” and “Build That Wall.” Both were proven successful a mere few months ago, when Americans actually were feeling financially comfortable and optimistic. Politicians ignore us at their own political peril. That low rumble we hear the awakening of the Sleeping Giant.
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