White House Post of Graph Bragging About Inflation Going Down Completely Blows Up in Its Face
The Biden administration — an endless reservoir of unintentional comedy that would be funny in another context — is at it again.
The White House’s latest self-own appeared in the form of a graph posted to Twitter on Tuesday under the title “Inflation Has Fallen by More Than Half” — followed by words in much smaller text: “Since Last Summer.”
“Great news: Today’s inflation report shows annual inflation is now at the lowest level since March 2021, and less than half of what it was last June,” the White House tweet said.
“This is giving families real breathing room,” it said.
Great news: Today’s inflation report shows annual inflation is now at the lowest level since March 2021, and less than half of what it was last June.
This is giving families real breathing room. pic.twitter.com/l5k3B9WU2t
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 13, 2023
With a mixture of facts and mockery, Twitter users quickly deciphered the graph’s true meaning.
“Great news! We’re stealing marginally less from your paycheck through inflation than we were stealing before,” Grabien founder Tom Elliott said.
Great news! We’re stealing marginally less from your paycheck through inflation than we were stealing before
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 13, 2023
Conservative commentator Steve Guest also mocked the White House’s celebratory announcement, saying, “The admin points out that the moment Joe Biden took office, inflation took off!”
Great News: The admin points out that the moment Joe Biden took office, inflation took off! pic.twitter.com/0Uz7tntFmA
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 13, 2023
Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania posted an identical chart under a different title: “Record Inflation Under President Biden,” with the smaller text changed to “Since Entering White House.”
The real story ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qrcrwSJJML
— Guy Reschenthaler (@GReschenthaler) June 13, 2023
Many others responded to the graph with humor and scorn.
This is so dishonest! @WhiteHouse knows most don’t understand inflation. Inflation going down does not mean there is more “breathing room.” It means the rate of price increases is slowing, but still going up. We are paying more than ever! We need DEFLATION for prices to go down.
— Justin T. Haskins (@JustinTHaskins) June 13, 2023
Last year I gained 9 lbs. this year I only gained 4.
Am I losing weight?— Edina dad (@Edina_Dad) June 13, 2023
You’re bragging about prices continuing to increase?
— Jeremy Redfern (@JeremyRedfernFL) June 13, 2023
Very misleading. The inflation rate is lower now than it was last summer, as measured by changes in the CPI. However, prices are still higher today than last summer. As I teach my middle school financial literacy students, prices do not come down unless you have deflation.
— PETROS (@PETROS_USA) June 13, 2023
— Cassie Cynical🐩 (@TuckerPoodleMA) June 13, 2023
you think the price of everything being 30-50% more than when you took office is doing a good job?
— Thomas J 🇺🇸 (@old4dis) June 13, 2023
All of these responses highlight the hilarious audacity with which the White House attempted to apply lipstick to a pig of a record.
In 2022, administration officials equivocated on the issue of inflation, and their establishment media lapdogs talked as if nothing was wrong. Now, administration officials are happy to report that the thing their media allies told you was not a problem is getting better.
Alas, with a single line in the White House’s tweet, the hilarity ends. “This is giving families real breathing room,” it said.
The idea that the Biden administration or nearly anyone in Washington would claim to give a hoot about families strikes the average American as downright galling.
To the White House and its allies, thank you for the “real breathing room” we enjoy as you commit billions of dollars to the war in Ukraine.
Thank you for the “real breathing room” that comes with runaway national debt and the theft of our great-grandchildren’s money.
Thank you for the “real breathing room” we feel as we watch the counties adjacent to the nation’s capital grow wealthier and wealthier at our expense.
If it were not true, it would be funny.
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