White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki provided a muddled and perplexing response when she was asked if President Joe Biden believes inflated meat prices are due to corporate greed.
Jen Psaki blames increases in meat prices on “the greed of meat conglomerates.” pic.twitter.com/NlSXwIcUTP
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 14, 2021
“There are some progressive groups and lawmakers that are increasingly vocalizing the idea that inflation is being driven by corporate greed… Does the president endorse that idea? Does he think that corporate greed is a big driver in inflation right now?” an unidentified reporter asked.
Psaki gave a scattered response, pinning the responsibility for rising meat prices on the “greed of meat conglomerates.”
“The president and the secretary of agriculture have both spoken to what we’ve seen as the greed of meat conglomerates,” she said. “That is an area where people go to the grocery store and… prices are higher. You could call it jacking up prices during a pandemic.”
Psaki also threw in a comment about how inflation could be caused by supply chain issues and rising gas prices.
“There are some areas,” she said, “where we have seen corporations profit from the pandemic and certainly the president would agree with that component.”
The reception to Psaki’s comment has been mixed, with many wondering why she thinks meat companies decided to be greedy now and weren’t greedy a few years ago.
Funny how “meat conglomerates” weren’t greedy a year ago but suddenly are greedy today,
— Paul Theroux (@PaulJTheroux) December 14, 2021
Ummm, 2 yes ago they weren’t greedy? Only in the last year?
— anselrsa22 (@abmadgra) December 15, 2021
It appears that the WH blames (shames) everyone else for the poor policy decisions, without taking WH and personal responsibility for poor outcomes to their public policy decisions. Leadership is required in the WH. The 2022 mid-term election results will probably reflect some ..
— Miguel (@TheCoachMiguel) December 14, 2021
Open the Strategic Meat Reserves! https://t.co/Mvj5Na4V8f
— Jon Gabriel (@exjon) December 14, 2021