Unbeknownst, perhaps, to most Americans, the nation is suffering a supply chain crisis of another sort and the situation doesn’t look to be improving anytime soon.
Worse, President Joe Biden appears to be AWOL.
Parents of infants around the country are becoming increasingly frantic as a baby formula shortage continues to grow, and it’s got many of the asking why the president isn’t doing more to help alleviate it.
The Daily Mail reports:
Parents and politicians alike are slamming President Biden for his failure to address the US’ ongoing baby formula shortage – with one distressed dad saying “never did I think I would have a problem finding food for my baby in America.”
The backlash against Biden comes as the formula shortage has reached crisis levels in recent weeks, with at least 12 states facing 40 percent or higher out of stock rates.
As shelves across the country meant to carry formula remain largely barren, parents such as Russell Bleck, a husband and father in Lexington, Kentucky, have become desperate to get their hands on the all important product.
The Blecks survived the horrendous Las Vegas concert shooting in October 2017, the deadiest mass shooting in the history of the country by a single individual, then moved Kentucky later that year before their daughter, Aurora, now 3, was born.
Speaking to Friday, Bleck, whose wife, Bre, gave birth to the pair’s second child, Asher, six weeks ago, said the shortages have been “very stressful,” and pleaded for both the government and media to better address the crisis.
“The panic of possibly not being able to feed my baby was intense,” he told the outlet late last week.
“We first noticed the formula shortage in February. However, it didn’t impact us until a couple of weeks ago,” he added.
“I saw a friend of ours make a Facebook post [about] not being able to find her brand. She recently had a double mastectomy, so milk production wasn’t an option,” he noted further.
He then spoke about the difficulty he and his wife have had getting formula for their own child in recent weeks.
“We were on our last can, so I ran up to the store at 11 pm right before they closed. They were completely out of every brand of formula. I couldn’t even switch brands,” Bleck explained.
As a father in the U.S., he said he “never even thought” such a scarcity of baby formula was possible.
He said he and his wife have had to rely on friends and family who live in other states to ship them cans when they can find them. “We send them money via Venmo or Cashapp – and they ship it to us,” he explained.
“This is really stressful. My wife and I are survivors of the mass shooting in Las Vegas. We moved to Kentucky to raise a family,” he said. “Never did I think I would have a problem finding food for my baby in America.”
He then turned his ire towards the media.
“It would be nice if the MSM would get back to covering what is impacting people’s lives,” he said. “For the first time in my lifetime, I am seeing everyone from all walks of life hurt. It doesn’t matter who you are – you are feeling this economy.”
Some lawmakers are beginning to notice as well, and have blasted Biden for spending more time worrying about other countries like Ukraine.
“This is horrific,” Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) noted as the administration has sent some $4 billion in aid to Ukraine with a request for billions more.
“In six states, more than 50% of baby formula is out of stock. Across the country, the price of formula is up nearly 20 percent from last year,” he added.
This is horrific. In six states, more than 50% of baby formula is out of stock.
Across the country, the price of formula is up nearly 20% from last year.
Young parents are having to ration food.
The disastrous Joe Biden economy is turning into a crisis.
— Jim Banks
“Young parents are having to ration food. The disastrous Joe Biden economy is turning into a crisis.”
“Parents already have to worry about higher gas prices, expensive groceries, and higher utility bills. And now? No baby formula on the shelves. Thanks, Biden,” Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the GOP minority whip, added.
Parents already have to worry about higher gas prices, expensive groceries, and higher utility bills.
And now?
No baby formula on the shelves.
Thanks, Biden.
— Steve Scalise
Some Democrats are also imploring Biden to do something.
“This recent baby formula shortage is causing a lot of stress for new parents and it can be hard to find a specific brand at local stores,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) noted in a letter to the president last month pleading with him to take action.
“But the good news is there is plenty of baby formula to go around, we just need to get it to those in need,” he wrote. “I want to ensure the federal government is doing its part, being proactive, and helping new moms and dads and solve this issue.”
He went on to ask what steps the administration had taken to get more formula to the market and when federal agencies expect the shortages to abate.
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