Republican officials slammed President Joe Biden and his “socialist agenda” while accusing him of “gaslighting Americans” over the acceleration of U.S. inflation in January despite efforts by the Federal Reserve to tame price hikes with higher interest rates.
On Tuesday, the Labor Department announced a 0.5 percent rise in January in the consumer price index — which measures what consumers pay for goods and services — compared with a month earlier.
The rise was higher than expected, signaling persistent inflation, even as the president insists record-high prices are ending.
In response, GOP members slammed the president for the spike in prices, pointing to his radical agenda.
“The most expensive Valentine’s Day ever,” wrote House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“Joe Biden is continuing his premature victory lap on the economy despite today’s CPI report showing inflation surged last month,” wrote House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
“But that gaslighting doesn’t work on anyone who’s had to go to the grocery store, put gas in their car, or pay their utility bills lately,” he added.
“Not surprisingly, Biden’s plan to spend our way out of inflation has been a massive failure,” wrote Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas).
“Biden may have stopped caring. But the inflation caused by his policies is far from over,” he added.
“Biden’s inflation crisis shows the true cost of trying to replace the productive economy with government,” wrote Senator Mike Braun (R-IN).
“A week ago, Joe Biden told Americans that prices aren’t actually high. But the numbers don’t lie,” tweeted the United States Senate Republicans Twitter account.
“Inflation is up 14.4% since Biden took office. And all the president can offer are more lies,” they added.
“This Valentine’s Day, Biden’s out-of-control inflation will break your heart,” wrote U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
“No surprise that inflation continues to increase,” she added. “Everything is more expensive under Joe Biden’s socialist agenda.”
Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds blasted the “awful” president, claiming “we are not better-off” and pointing to his having spent “trillions we don’t have” and created “inflation we didn’t have.”
He also accused Biden of having made COVID “go longer than it should have,” leading to the falling behind of the nation’s children “1-2 full school years for no reason.”
“With the price of eggs up 60% due to inflation, it’s pretty clear on this Valentine’s Day what the Biden administration loves most—draining the pockets of the American people,” wrote Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL).
“Inflation came in higher than expectations, after Joe Biden told us all inflation was under control during the State of the Union,” wrote Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH).
“Time to open up American energy and get prices under control,” he added.
“Inflation is up again and Democrats lighting your money on fire only makes it worse,” wrote Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders. “From out-of-control inflation and violent crime to the dangerous border crisis and threat from China, Biden & the Democrats have failed you.”
“They know it. And you know it,” she added. “Time for a change.”
“The latest on life in the Biden economy: ‘Rising prices meant a loss in real pay for workers’,” wrote Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy.
“@JoeBiden‘s inflation nightmare continues with MASSIVE price increases over the year,” wrote Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
“It’s unsustainable,” he added. “Getting our fiscal house in order is the ONLY way to put our country back on track.”
“In @JoeBiden’s economy, the cost of nearly everything from the gas pump to the grocery store is up,” wrote Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN).
“All Americans are enduring the consequences of Biden’s outrageous financial decisions,” he added.
“Inflation continues to crush American families who are struggling more than ever to make ends meet,” wrote Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas).
“Joe Biden’s solution has been more government spending, the equivalent of pouring gas on the fire,” he added.
“Biden is gaslighting Americans. Just last week he said inflation is coming down despite it being up over 6%,” wrote Ken Buck (R-CO).
“Reminder: Inflation was just 1.7% when Biden was sworn in,” he added.
Over the last 12 months, the consumer price index is up 6.4 percent, down from 6.5 percent in December and 7.1 percent in November.
Economists had forecast the index rising 0.4 percent for the month and 6.2 percent from a year ago, according to Econoday.
However, on Tuesday, White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Cecilia Rouse claimed the January CPI report shows “an economy where we see inflation continuing to ease with a labor market that remains robust” because the month-to-month increases “were at expectations.”
“We’re making the progress we need to see in order to achieve the softish landing where inflation comes down and the labor market remains robust,” she added.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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