"A burrito shouldn’t cost $20."
minute read
It's no secret that Americans have been concerned about affordability. From groceries to gas to housing, and even to burritos, Americans are worried about paying for their necessities and costs of living. In a viral moment on X, Vice President JD Vance took aim at conservatives who were downplaying the issue.
It all began with a post from The Daily Wire's Matt Walsh, who said, "Grocery prices are insane. They’re still rising. Addressing this problem should be the number one priority of every elected leader. End the stupid foreign wars and focus on this issue. It’s one of the main reasons socialists are gaining power."
He followed up with "Read the comments here to see a number of conservatives angrily insisting that rising grocery prices aren’t actually a problem. Just stunning levels of suicidal idiocy. What are you guys doing here? Who do you think you’re fooling?"
TPUSA's Andrew Kolvet emphasized the point, recounting a conversation he'd had with a college student. "One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability: 'A burrito shouldn’t cost $20.' Yeah, a lot of this is a hangover from Covid and Biden-era inflation, but the lived experience is the same: It just feels like basic things cost too much." And yes, the menu for burritos at Chipotle reveals that they are, indeed, hovering around $20.
But it was writer and podcaster Marc Thiessen who took issue with the comments about burritos, saying, "Cry me a river. The burritos in the college cafeteria are included in your meal plan."
To which Vice President JD Vance remarked: "I'm surprised to hear Mark say this. If you've ever met him in person, it's quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito."
Walsh went on a tear, calling out those conservatives who belittle Americans' anxiety about rising costs without rising income levels. "The conservatives on here denying the affordability crisis are engaged in what I can only describe as an act of political suicide," he said.
"They're also lying, which is the worst part," he went on to say. "Grocery prices are up. Housing. Energy. Insurance. Health care. Basic living expenses. It's real. It's happening. Denying it just makes you look out of touch, deceitful, and untrustworthy. It's also a completely unnecessary and unforced error. No credible person is claiming that Trump caused these price surges.
"You don't have to disgrace yourself by denying the reality in front of your face just to prove your loyalty to Trump. The causes for the most part are multi faceted, complicated, and longstanding. That's true. So let's discuss them. Debating whether the problem exists at all -- or, if it does exist, whether it counts as a problem -- is a total waste of time, and makes you look like a shill and a fraud," he said.
The Department of Labor Statistics reports that "The index for food at home rose 2.7 percent over the 12 months ending in June. The fruits and vegetables index rose 5.3 percent over the last 12 months. The index for other food at home increased 2.4 percent, and the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 2.6 percent over the year. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 2.9 percent over the 12 months ending in June, and the cereals and bakery products index rose 2.4 percent over the same period. The index for dairy and related products rose 0.4 percent over the year."
In the energy sector, the agency reports that "The index for energy increased 15.7 percent over the past 12 months due in large part to the index for gasoline rising 26.7 percent over the same period. The electricity index increased 4.0 percent over the 12 months ending in June, and the natural gas index rose 3.0 percent."
And the increases don't end there. "The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index increased 3.3 percent over the last year. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include airline fares (+26.5 percent), medical care (+2.0 percent), recreation (+2.8 percent), and household furnishings and operations (+2.5 percent)," states the DOL.
These are serious concerns for Americans whose wages are barely keeping pace with inflation. The rate of inflation for the year ending June 26 was 3.5%—compare that to a wage growth rate of just 3.8%. That does not leave many Americans much room for error in their budget.
It all began with a post from The Daily Wire's Matt Walsh, who said, "Grocery prices are insane. They’re still rising. Addressing this problem should be the number one priority of every elected leader. End the stupid foreign wars and focus on this issue. It’s one of the main reasons socialists are gaining power."
He followed up with "Read the comments here to see a number of conservatives angrily insisting that rising grocery prices aren’t actually a problem. Just stunning levels of suicidal idiocy. What are you guys doing here? Who do you think you’re fooling?"
TPUSA's Andrew Kolvet emphasized the point, recounting a conversation he'd had with a college student. "One of our TPUSA college students gave me his take on affordability: 'A burrito shouldn’t cost $20.' Yeah, a lot of this is a hangover from Covid and Biden-era inflation, but the lived experience is the same: It just feels like basic things cost too much." And yes, the menu for burritos at Chipotle reveals that they are, indeed, hovering around $20.
But it was writer and podcaster Marc Thiessen who took issue with the comments about burritos, saying, "Cry me a river. The burritos in the college cafeteria are included in your meal plan."
To which Vice President JD Vance remarked: "I'm surprised to hear Mark say this. If you've ever met him in person, it's quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito."
Walsh went on a tear, calling out those conservatives who belittle Americans' anxiety about rising costs without rising income levels. "The conservatives on here denying the affordability crisis are engaged in what I can only describe as an act of political suicide," he said.
"They're also lying, which is the worst part," he went on to say. "Grocery prices are up. Housing. Energy. Insurance. Health care. Basic living expenses. It's real. It's happening. Denying it just makes you look out of touch, deceitful, and untrustworthy. It's also a completely unnecessary and unforced error. No credible person is claiming that Trump caused these price surges.
"You don't have to disgrace yourself by denying the reality in front of your face just to prove your loyalty to Trump. The causes for the most part are multi faceted, complicated, and longstanding. That's true. So let's discuss them. Debating whether the problem exists at all -- or, if it does exist, whether it counts as a problem -- is a total waste of time, and makes you look like a shill and a fraud," he said.
The Department of Labor Statistics reports that "The index for food at home rose 2.7 percent over the 12 months ending in June. The fruits and vegetables index rose 5.3 percent over the last 12 months. The index for other food at home increased 2.4 percent, and the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 2.6 percent over the year. The nonalcoholic beverages index increased 2.9 percent over the 12 months ending in June, and the cereals and bakery products index rose 2.4 percent over the same period. The index for dairy and related products rose 0.4 percent over the year."
In the energy sector, the agency reports that "The index for energy increased 15.7 percent over the past 12 months due in large part to the index for gasoline rising 26.7 percent over the same period. The electricity index increased 4.0 percent over the 12 months ending in June, and the natural gas index rose 3.0 percent."
And the increases don't end there. "The index for all items less food and energy rose 2.6 percent over the past 12 months. The shelter index increased 3.3 percent over the last year. Other indexes with notable increases over the last year include airline fares (+26.5 percent), medical care (+2.0 percent), recreation (+2.8 percent), and household furnishings and operations (+2.5 percent)," states the DOL.
These are serious concerns for Americans whose wages are barely keeping pace with inflation. The rate of inflation for the year ending June 26 was 3.5%—compare that to a wage growth rate of just 3.8%. That does not leave many Americans much room for error in their budget.
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