It was widely publicized that President Biden had declined to participate in the usual Super Bowl interview for the second consecutive year. The common thought was that the 81yo president, who has given very few tv interviews during his tenure in the WH and has come under severe scrutiny in recent days for age-related cognitive issues, could not risk an interview in his condition. “It is the biggest tv audience and you get an opportunity to do a tv interview on that day, and you do not do it?” legendary Democratic James Carville asked. “That’s a sign that either the staff or you lack confidence in yourself. “There is no other way to interpret this.”
Given this, most political observers predicted that Biden would not appear on Super Bowl Sunday. But Biden had different plans. If he refused or was unable to conduct a Super Bowl interview, he would still contribute to the narrative by crafting an attention-grabbing, Super Bowl-themed clip that was released right before kickoff. No difficult questions, no awkward pauses, just complete White House dominance.
Biden’s video turned out to be about “shrinkflation.” It refers to companies, specifically snack food companies, that include fewer chips, cookies, or whatever in containers that still cost the same. In other words, it is a different type of inflation that has affected both businesses and consumers. The price remains constant, but the product delivered to the buyer decreases.
“It’s Super Bowl Sunday,” Joe Biden announced in the video. “And if you are anything like me, you enjoy watching the big game with a snack or two. You may have observed anything while buying food for the game. Sports beverage bottles are smaller. Although the bag of chips contains less chips, the price remains the same. And, as an ice cream fan, what irritates me the most is that ice cream containers have reduced in size but not in price.”
Sitting in the WH theater next to a table piled high with plainly identifiable food containers — Tostitos, Doritos, Oreos, Gatorade, Breyers Ice Cream — Biden said: “I’ve had enough of shrinkflation.” It is a rip-off. Some corporations are trying to pull a quick one by gradually reducing their products in the hopes that you would not notice. Give me a break. The American populace is tired of being taken advantage of. I’m calling on businesses to put an end to this. Let us ensure that firms act responsibly right now.”
What???!!! Shrinkflation, as Biden refers to it, is obviously real. Everyone who has visited a grocery shop within the last several years is aware of this. But shrinkflation is simply a type of inflation—the inflation that Biden and his Democratic Party colleagues on Capitol Hill fueled with trillions of dollars in wasteful government spending. Biden’s policies are responsible for at least some of the shrinkflation he criticizes.
What’s really happening here is that Biden, who behind former President Trump in swing-state surveys, is attempting to shift the blame for his two most serious political liabilities as the 2024 race heats up. The president blames Congress for the border crisis and “companies attempting to pull a fast one” for rising inflation.
The difficulty, of course, is that Biden is solely responsible for the border situation, and Biden is also partially responsible for inflation. So, of course, he’s pointing fingers in an attempt to avoid election-year blame.
Some Democrats have been championing the concept of shrinkflation for quite some time. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) released a report in December titled “Shrinkflation: How Companies Are Shrinking Products to Increase Profits.” Casey defined shrinkflation as a type of “greedflation,” which is “when companies use inflation as a cover to increase prices and profits.” Last week, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) warned of shrinkflation on X. “Giant companies are shrinking their products but charging the same or more,” she stated in an email. “We aren’t fooled. Corporations use these tactics to improve their earnings. “It’s time to clamp down on this shrinkflation and on corporate greed.”
Biden participated in the shrinkflation game during a campaign stop in South Carolina, on January 27. He told people that while inflation is low and things are fine, terrible firms continue to make going to the grocery shop difficult. “Inflation is coming down,” Biden stated. “It is now lower in America than in any other major economy throughout the world. Eggs, milk, poultry, gasoline, and a variety of other necessities have become more affordable. Despite our efforts to lower prices, there are still far too many firms in America that take advantage of individuals through price gouging, trash fees, greedflation, and shrinkflation. Did you notice the article about Snickers bars?” Biden was apparently referring to a Jan. 18 NY Times article titled “Why Are Voters So Upset? Think about the Snickers Bar,” which admitted that food prices are still high and rising, contributing to customer dissatisfaction.
Biden slammed food businesses and pledged government action to reduce candy bar pricing. “Well, it’s going to stop,” he explained in Columbia. “Americans, we’re sick of being played for suckers. And that is why we’re going to hold these individuals accountable – to keep pressure on them and drive down rates.”
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