Why Is Biden So Utterly Useless on Inflation?
Plus: Will the January 6 hearings change any minds?

This week on The Reason Roundtable, senior editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman discuss the beginning of the January 6 hearings, the inflation crisis reaching new heights, and the results of the June 7 elections.
1:24: The January 6 hearings
20:23 Inflation reaches its highest level in 40 years.
31:01 Weekly Listener Question: Who is in charge at the White House? Several times we've heard the president make off-the-cuff remarks only to have the "White House" walk it back afterward. Who's making that call? Who speaks for the White House? Obviously the president isn't the one running the show. Is our government a reboot of Weekend at Bernie's? Who is the man behind the curtain we are not supposed to pay attention to? How did they get this position?
40:42 Last Tuesday's elections
46:58 Media recommendations
This week's links:
"'Seditious Conspiracy' Charges for Proud Boys Taint January 6 Prosecutions," by J.D. Tuccille
"Inside Biden's frustration with soaring prices," by Tyler Pager
"Out of Desperation, Democrats Resurrect 'Insurrection' Theater," by Ron Paul
"The January 6 Hearings May Be Surprisingly Worthwhile," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
"Why the Memory of Jan 6. Can't Prevent a Trump Resurgence," by Ross Douthat
"Biden Is Clueless About Inflation," by Nick Gillespie and Regan Taylor
"What the Chesa Boudin Recall Means for America," by Nick Gillespie and Regan Taylor
"Is California Over?" by Nick Gillespie and Regan Taylor
"10 Republican Voters in Swing States on Trump's Hold on the Party," by Patrick Healy and Adrian J. Rivera
Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.
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Nobody defends Biden as aggressively as I do. But even he cannot solve a problem that doesn't actually exist. Inflation is a wingnut.com myth. Spittin' tobaccy is the only item that has gotten more expensive. So either quit using it, or pay the extra 10 cents per pouch.
#TemporarilyFillingInForButtplug
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Nobody destroys freedom more than people who want a coercive govt., e.g., the majority around the world. Tyranny is called, "law & order". Order is being controlled by an elite, individual choice is chaos. Ask any authoritarian. Who innovates? Individuals! Who steals the credit, even as they restrict, tax, regulate? The politicians, bureaucrats, officials. Who pretends they don't see it? Most. Who suffers most, complains most, and keeps supporting their masters?
Those who want to be ruled, promised safety, parented like babies.
Heaven forbid they be expected to grow up politically, govern themselves, be mature citizens who interact non-violently. That's too challenging, too scary, too much like anarchy. Don't rulers tell us anarchy is social chaos? Don't they force us, for our own good, or failing that, sacrifice us, for "the common good", "national security"?
"Why Is Biden So Utterly Useless..." FTFY
"Plus: Will the January 6 hearings change any minds?"
- nothing could be more baked in than J6. The people that care about it are the ones relentlessly trying to get almost anyone else to care about it. Everyone else has moved on. Its 2022 now and we are heading into a recession.
For example: Soviet Reason employees
"Why Is Biden So Utterly Useless on Inflation?"
Proof positive that Reason just LOVES Biden and communism!!!
...For brain-dead, drooling tribalistic idiots, at least!
The space lasers need a re-alignment.
I'm recalibrating my tinfoil hat ass we speak! Ass soon ass that's done, I'll get right on that, pronto!
The J6 hearings will confirm two things:
1. Trump bad. (If you already think Trump bad.)
2. Congress is wasting time, money and effort on something irrelevant, instead of addressing the biggest problems. (Everyone else.)
I guess the third somewhat darker lesson would be "dont rampage into the capital unless you mean it". Not endorsing a romp into the capital myself, but it seems even if you go in and put your feet up on Pelosi's desk you are going to get charged as a traitor and strung up for the public to see.
Only if you’re a Rethuglican MAGA hat wearing racist White Supremacist. If you did it for Social Justice, that’d be your right to protest.
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION!!!
Again, his platform was available to Reason at the start of election season. His 40 years of service were as well. Dont know how they didn't see this shit coming.
They didn't want to see it, or couldn't, due to bias.
A better fix is; biden has always been utterly useless, but remains in office, the GOP is not the only 'stupid party.'
"stupid party"? You bundle all politicians together, as if most are proof we can skip individual assessments. We can't, e.g, Ron Paul, Rand Paul.
Stupid? No, privileged, worshiped, given authority over all, by some. Now, that's "stupid", pathetic, immature, voting public who support their exploiters and pretend they don't see it, or worse, see it, but keep doing it, over and over for decades, hoping for another result.
True answer is that Biden is NOT useless. He is doing a fine job of distracting from real problems.
The better true answer is that Kamala is doing an even better job, because nobody wants to get rid of Joe only to be stuck with Kamala -- not Democrats, not Republicans, not socialists or nazis or anybody.
"True answer is that Biden is NOT useless."
Agreed! It makes me VERY angry when people accuse Trump or Biden of being useless! Quite clearly, they both turn food and oxygen into feces, urine, and carbon dioxide, which provide raw materials for autotrophs (AKA "plants") in the biosphere!
That is what they said about Obama when Biden was VP. He was insurance against removal.
[I originally wrote insurance against assassination, but I figure Bharara or his ilk are still reading these posts and would just jump on a word like that especially if used in the same sentence as a current or past POTUS, and the SS--secret service--would be immediately dispatched].
It's intentional, you Soviet faggots, and you all deserve to be inserted feet first into a woodchipper.
Joe Biden is utterly useless on inflation because his political coalition is a bunch of people who want to print and spend money without making any of it. What's he could he possibly do about inflation?
1. Print more money? Yes!, but that would be going in the wrong direction.
2. Increase spending? Yes!, but that would be going in the wrong direction.
3. decrease productivity? Yes!, but that would be going in the wrong direction.
He's trapped in a box.
30 trillion current debt, 190 trillion in unfunded liabilities, petrodollar and reserve currency status twisting in the wind. Inflation is the only choice.
c'mon you guys gotta know destruction is the plan. you can't ask questions about Brandon like that *and* be taken seriously as professionals.
leave that nonsense to Boehm
What? A bunch of Reason staff is not happy with Biden? Did he start sending out mean tweets?
Because Biden is utterly senile and a habitual liar .
Plus his entire career is one of utter failure and moral cowardice.
Joe Biden couldn't balance his checkbook even with all the money(10%) for the big guy.
Joe obviously couldn't keep track of all the money Hunter spent on hookers, crack and porn.Let alone the$20,000 PPP loan one of his hookers got.
Yes, yes, it's all Joe's fault. He's entirely responsible. Couldn't possibly be a multinational cabal doing this shit intentionally, trying to destroy the middle/working class, and using Biden as a meat shield for the purpose of your comment here exactly.
Yes, focus on Joe! That way, when he's tossed under the bus, you'll be satisfied even though the New Normal feudalism is already entrenched.
Tell us about Nixon and Hitler in Uruguay in '56, you fucking idiot.
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hlo
It's a mystery.
OK, that's funny.
He’s being extremely useful to the people in charge. Just like Reason.
Wait, Reason assured me...
Return to normalcy
Adults back in charge
No mean tweets!
Joe Biden is far from useless.
In just a few months he has almost completed implementing the democrat party platform planks to destroy the American energy sector.
Promises made, promises kept.
Texas set a record for electricity consumption during the heat wave over the last week. I was told that wind power is seeing nearly full utilization, but it is June, when the spring winds still blow. What happens come August and September when the winds die down?
Texas has been getting more purple and as they divert more and more money from proven infrastructure to green initiatives and social inequities, the winter grid failures will soon become summer grid failures. Purple is the new brown(out).
if it is any consolation, all those Hispanics entering the country are voting Republican.
Sucks to be Democrat
Wait until the reality of a crippling recession hits. The hand-waving and apologia will be on an epic scale.
He's not useless. He's doing what the Democrats wanted.
They are the party of the rich, who aren't affected by inflation, and those on government handouts.
Every single Democrat since Bill Clinton has basically campaigned on raising gas prices to a European level. Biden actually did what he promised.
30 trillion current debt, 190 trillion in unfunded liabilities, petrodollar and reserve currency status twisting in the wind. Inflation is the only choice.
Also, instead of holding a show trial about January 6th, why not hold a public inquiry into the fairness of elections? The way to convince people is to show that it was fair, not to simply dismiss concerns and call people traitors (especially when people in your own party constantly complain about stolen elections)
Because it was ridiculously fraudulent. To the extent they can't even paint a veneer of a case without exposing themselves
"The way to convince people is to show that it was fair"....
No, no..... Your missing the point. Don't you remember all that lobbying for anonymous voting, mail-in dumping, and how my dog and cat get to vote too (as non-citizens) because that ain't fair that my pets don't get a vote and voting laws are racist against pets?? /s
Everything deserves a right to vote by any means possible.. When's online click-here voting going start??? My computer deserves as many votes as it can 'click' too! It's sexist against my non-sexed computer!!! /s
They don't have a way to authenticate elections anymore because they went too far to de-authenticate them.... That was the point all along.
I have a couple house plants that have been pining for a vote, too. I can tell by the way they are drooping. But enough about the Pres and VP.
What part of Biden's multi-decade political paper trail would convince anyone that he might be anything more than useless on any policy point?
Well, Biden isn't orange and he doesn't mean tweet. That's as far as Reason editors got with regards to analyzing Joe Biden for President.
Dog faced pony soldier? Does that count?
That's like asking why kerosene is no good at putting fires out.
You're just not using enough of it.
Now replace 'kerosene' with 'socialism/communism' and you're hitting nail right on top of the head.
When your choice is complete collapse of the American Empire or mean tweets, you know which one this commenter is choosing.
You could argue that the empire is on the decline fast regardless, at least let us watch the president call some broad a fat cow or horseface. Dont take our entertainment away
Indeed, Diane, since the mean tweeter - and world class liar and mediocre conman who also organized the 1st assault on our capital since 1812 - certainly did not encourage or sign any budget busting legislation during his term, or even when out of office lobbied for a bigger pay out in the Biden era pandemic bill.
Wait, maybe he did, but we all know inflation and other economic trends starts at zero on Jan 20 every 4 years.
the 1st assault on our capital since 1812
Well, except, of course, for the actual assault on the capital on July 11-12, 1864 by General Jubal Early during an actual insurrection with actual weapons of war and an actual intention to forcibly enter and occupy the Capitol building.
And here are 5 other times that the Capitol building has been actually assaulted. However, all of those times it was either foreigners or lefties with guns and bombs, not unarmed citizens.
Your confidence in your ignorance is repugnant.
Fuck Joe Biden with Joe Friday's 4 bit dick.
I feel your pain loser.
Only reason I haven't muted you if for my personal entertainment.
That and calling you out for being the fraud you are.
4 bit.
Why not count the time when Puerto Rican terrorists, armed with semiautomatic pistols, walked into the House of Representatives, unfurled a banner, and commenced firing on Congressmen, injuring five?
Is it because Jimmy Carter showed them clemency?
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
Fuuuuuuck you and your "Let's not hate people for their choices" bullshit. That shit flew out the window in 2020. Now suddenly we're tip toeing around people's feelings? Fuck off.
"I learned it from you, Dr. Fauci! I learned it from you!"
Hey feelz are more important than facts!!!
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/great-celsius-implosion-what-went-wrong-and-how-much-more-will-bitcoin-drop
They're inflating away the debt.
That would make sense if the debt were going down.. Instead it just keeps going up so the citizens can pick up the difference (enslavement to the state labor hours)...
.....And that's how they tax you without enacting tax code......
Why did people vote for Biden when they all knew he was/is so utterly useless on everything?
- better headline and story
WHY?
Joe only cares about:
1. Climate Control
2. Social injustice
Useless isn't the right word.
Today's inflation was a foreseeable consequence of the stimulus packages that both Trump and Biden wanted. I'm not sure how you print trillions of dollars, and actually give it to consumers, WITHOUT causing inflation.
Today in Axios:
"Inflation in the U.S. is at a 40-year high, but America isn’t alone. Soaring prices are a truly global phenomenon.
The big picture: An analysis of inflation across 111 countries from Deutsche Bank puts the U.S. near the middle of the pack. Among those countries, the median rate of 7.9% year-over-year inflation has more than doubled from 3.0% one year ago, thanks largely to spiking energy and food prices.
Inflation rates from May in western European countries like the Netherlands (+8.8% year-over-year) and Germany (+7.9%) are roughly on par with the U.S. (+8.6%).
Inflation is a bit lower in France (+5.8%), but as high as 20% in the Baltic states, according to OECD data.
As in the U.S. and much of the world, sky-high energy prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine have been a major driver of inflation in Europe. Energy prices in the U.S. are up 35% over last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
They have spiked even higher (+51%) in the U.K., which like the U.S. recently recorded its highest inflation rate (+9.0%) since the early 1980s, per the Financial Times. The U.K.’s grim economic outlook is deepening concerns about a cost-of-living crisis....."
https://www.axios.com/2022/06/13/inflation-rates-around-world-us-china-eu-japan
"energy prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine"
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/
What you are trying to sell, no one is buying, 4 bit. Inflation spiked on Biden's watch, and now we are in bear market territory and heading for a recession. He's going to own it. And Democrats are going to pay the price.
The Washington Monthly printed the same apologia for Bidenflation.
Japan's inflation was considerably lower while ours was 40% higher than France's.
FRANCE. A social democracy.
Historically, US inflation was lower than in other nations. Furthermore, given the status of the US currency and the US economy in the world, inflationary policies in the US cause world wide inflation.
In addition to bad monetary policy, high oil and food prices are also the result of bad policies adopted by this administration.
Axios is grasping at straws and trying to make excuses for a failed administration. It was Biden’s job to do better than the morose and geriatric European economies and he has failed miserably.
The average global inflation rate right now is 7.4%; for OECD countries, the average is 7.7%. Are you blaming Biden for that too? If you want to argue that US inflation is ~1% point higher than the global average or OECD average because of Biden’s policies, fine, but that probably isn’t accurate either.
The current high rate of inflation is largely because of global transportation and supply chain issues causing supply shortages of just about everything; it is supply and demand.
And once upon a time the USA wasn't JUST AS STUPID as every other nation... But hey; at least it's got a monopoly on the petro-dollar (traded internationally)... That is why inflation is everywhere.
The USA could be exceptional (land of the free) but instead an endless list of excuses on why we have to be just as sh*tty as every other nation seems to be the end-goal.
Libertarians snapping their necks trying to speak about market forces making the best choices while simultaneously bemoaning global trade practices that result from market-based choices--Priceless!
Being "exceptional" in a market-based world where we don't have the ability to rise above the impact of that global market is impossible. It's the same silly BS the Tories sold regarding Brexit. Look where their British exceptionalism got them--reduced fishing rights, a brewing trade war with the EU over Northern Ireland, a possible secession movement in both Northern Ireland and Scotland, and their PM tossed out on his ear for being a Trump-like barfoon.
You’re right that it is supply and demand. Specifically, inflation is the result of printing too much money, which causes an increased demand for gifs.
As the reserve currency and the biggest consumer market, yes, the US is responsible for global inflation. Furthermore, other nations follow America’s lead on policies, so when the US prints money, so do other nations.
If the US had embraced sensible policies, not only would our inflation be below that of other nations (which it has been historically), inflation in other nations would be lower too.
This isn’t just Biden’s fault, it’s also the fault of Congress and Trump.
Biden is compounding monetary inflation with a deliberate destruction of the fossil fuel industry and supply chains, which leads to additional price increases beyond those caused by monetary inflation.
I think you give far, far too much credit to the US (and Biden) for being able to influence global inflation. You'll need a proper citation for your statement regarding other countries automatically "printing money" when the US does it. Seriously... if we jumped off a bridge, you're saying the entire world would choose to jump off with us? Doesn't pass the smell test.
Global climate change is going to drive inflation in ways we've never seen before. It will destroy vast amounts of property value in low-lying coastal communities, force relocation of citizens and business inland, wreak havoc on transportation and power infrastructure, and drive immigration (legal and illegal). Just imagine the increase in the cost of wood to build houses alone as entire forests burn down. About 1/3 of US fresh produce comes from California, which is losing its snowpacks and running out of water. We as a country need to analyze the cost of fossil fuels versus the cost of climate change and figure out which one is the least worst option; they're both bad. So if the "deliberate destruction of the fossil fuel industry" creates a cost that is less than what climate change will create, it's the right choice and the sort of choice our leaders (from either party) were elected to make.
Biden isn’t useless, he is the cause.
Biden caused the current high inflation with his policies. Why would he fix inflation, it would mean changing his failing policies and going back to Trump like policies. He tried to prove Trump's policies were bad, and all he proved was he is a partisan fool ruining American lives. There would still be inflation without Biden because of money printing for the $5 trillion dollar "vote buying" covid bill. Yet it would be nowhere this high.
Its Realy Nice
Answer: because most of the inflationary pressure we are seeing today is global and related to the pandemic collapse of the supply chain and Putin's impact on oil prices and food supplies. Both Trump and Biden's pandemic stimulus happened pre-Ukraine and might have have been okay were it not for Putin's war. Certainly, the stimulus plays a role as well, but it's limited to the US.
If you disagree with this general assessment, please explain the similar rise in inflation across Europe and other countries not impacted by Biden's choices. Simple answers are for simple people and "Duh, Biden!" is about as simple as it comes.
Avoid the use of “y’all “ like the plague. Makes you sound like a dummy.
"Either way reason sucks"
Unless Reason will FINALLY get on board with Trump's Big Lie! All NOT-for-Trump votes are fraudulent, dammit, hurrr-grrrr!!!
WHEN are you going to give us an example of a 1-party state that led to long-term peace and prosperity? Since you SOOO clearly advocate for a 1-party "R"-party state?
'He's actively creating and perpetuating these problems.' His 40+ years of grifting on the taxpayers' dime has been doing little else.
It *is* going to plan. It's just not a plan we're supposed to survive.
It makes Y'all sound like a dummy.
The Soviets that matter appreciate your sentiment and support
They're definitely glad you decided to troll and distract from real issues. Good work.
Shillsy swears he's not a tribal Democrat, folks, but just look at that post.
Anyone who does not ADORE 1-party states MUST be a Demon-Crap!
Yet the fascists will NEVER answer my below question! "Because I say so", from the authoritarians, is supposed to be ENOUGH! Peons who keep asking impertinent questions will be PUNISHED!
WHEN are you going to give us an example of a 1-party state that led to long-term peace and prosperity? Since you SOOO clearly advocate for a 1-party "R"-party state?
Omg... Back to the [WE] mobs (which King/Queen) dictative rule will save us all B.S.
The U.S. Constitution is that 1-party (ideology) State the USA is founded on. We've been playing the [WE] mob rules for too long and that's what is turning this nation into another crappy Nazi-Nation.
Treason traitors gotta keep being treasonous to the USA and perching on their pedestal of 'democracy' until whoops; the Nazi's lost the Prom King vote - then it's onto executive fiat (ruler dictation) and claiming advertisements from Russia brainwashed the masses.
It is against 'The People's' supreme law to willy-nilly vote Nazism into the USA no matter which 'Gang-color' you affiliate with.
For the sake of clarity, it would be nice to know: Yes or no, the USA is a 1-party state?
If yes, then WHICH is the One True Party, and WHAT should be the punishment for voting for the WRONG party?
The U.S. Constitution.... "The People's" law over their government... That is the 1-True party (political ideology/law) of the USA ( it's very definition/structure of this Nation)...
Not recognizing this fact in the USA runs about as psychotic as the no-gender idiocy... What is your "true" gender??? Well depends on if you have a penis or a vagina. It isn't determined by pure ignorance of whatever your major-winners of thoughts want it to be.
Oh and punishment for 'violating' the Supreme law should be "impeachment" and if the ?honorable? court determines enough evidence in intent it should be charges of "treason".
When Nazi-Faith believers elect 'criminals' whose every intent is to violate that Supreme Law (conquer and take-over the USA) they should be charged with aiding and embedding treasonous traitors. Of course; 'due process' as the Supreme Law outlines should play its role in the process.
Criminals do not get to conquer the USA by 'democracy'.. The USA isn't for sale to [WE] mobs of majority rules!.
"The U.S. Constitution.... "The People's" law over their government... "
And the above says WHAT about outlawing (or otherwise preventing from competing) all except the One True Party = Greens? Dems? Repubs? Libertarians? Commies?
THAT is what normal English-speakers mean by a "1-Party State"!
When all parties aren't lobbying to be treasonous to the USA (U.S. Constitution); then and only then your currently insignificant argument holds any water... At this point in time; your only argument is that there should be a USA or a Nazi-Regime and majority "democracy" ([WE] mob rules!) should decide which [WE] mob gets unlimited Gov-Gun authority.