The U.S. Marine Corps is temporarily loosening uniform standards to deal with a camouflage shortage due to supply chain issues.
Commandant General Eric Smith made the announcement in an Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxwEQO4LJiu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a>, saying service members will be able to substitute desert-colored uniforms for the usual woodland patterned ones, which are currently scarce thanks to a manufacturing shortage.
Smith said he recently returned from the Indo-Pacific region, where service members told him, &#8220;I can&#8217;t get cammies,&#8221; a nickname for the camouflage combat utility uniform.
&#8220;That problem is going to stay with us until the fall of 2024 when the manufacturer can fill the backlog that has been created after COVID. Until that time, local commanders, battalions and squadrons are authorized to use <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120916065851/http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/sites/pmice/InfoPapers/Clothing/FROG.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FROG</a> [flame-resistant organizational gear] gear or desert cammies to mitigate,&#8221; Smith said.
&#8220;What we cannot have is a situation where a Marine is wearing unserviceable cammies, because that looks bad for the Corps, and we can’t have a situation where that Marine is being given a hard time about those unserviceable cammies. We’re going to get this fixed, Marines, but it’s going to take a little patience,&#8221; Smith added.
The relaxing of uniform standards does not mean that Marines can decide on their own to wear a different uniform, Major John Parry, a Marine spokesman, <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/09/29/marines-authorized-wear-desert-pattern-uniform-commanders-discretion-amid-cammie-shortage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Marine Corps Times.
“This does not mean a Marine may make a decision unilaterally to wear a different uniform or civilian attire due to a serviceability issue with their designated uniform of the day,” Parry said.
“The guidance to battalion and squadron leaders and above is to make decisions that uphold the high standards of our service while maintaining mission readiness and reducing overall impact on daily operations,” the Marine spokesman said.
The &#8220;nonstandard&#8221; uniform items are a rare move for the branch, which prides itself on strict uniform standards, the Marine Corps Times <a href="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/09/29/camouflage-uniform-shortage-prompts-marine-corps-to-soften-attire-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
The woodland patterned &#8220;cammies&#8221; <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/09/29/marines-authorized-wear-desert-pattern-uniform-commanders-discretion-amid-cammie-shortage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are</a> typically the primary daily uniform for Marines. Recruits <a href="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/09/29/camouflage-uniform-shortage-prompts-marine-corps-to-soften-attire-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are supposed</a> to receive three utility uniforms with the woodland pattern and two with the desert pattern.
Lately though, the Marine Corps has been giving recruits just two woodland sets and one desert set, the Marine spokesman said in August. Meanwhile, some recruits have been training in FROG gear, which is typically saved for deployments. Some Marines have <a href="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/09/29/camouflage-uniform-shortage-prompts-marine-corps-to-soften-attire-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> resorted to patching up holes in their &#8220;cammies&#8221; with Marine-pattern bandanas or scraps of old uniforms.
Despite the pivot to desert-colored &#8220;cammies,&#8221; however, <a href="https://www.mynavyexchange.com/marpat-woodland-blouse-with-permethrin-/12840487" target="_blank" rel="noopener">both</a> <a href="https://www.mynavyexchange.com/marpat-desert-blouse-with-permethrin-/12840553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appear</a> to be in short supply on the My Navy Exchange website.
&#8220;Unfortunately, we are experiencing supply delays on this item,&#8221; a message on the website reads for both products. &#8220;The estimated back in stock date is Fall 2024. We greatly apologize for this inconvenience.&#8221;
The CEO of American Apparel, which makes most of the uniforms, said over the summer that inflation impacted the company&#8217;s ability to find workers to produce items.
“McDonald’s and a lot of the fast food guys are paying $2 and $3 more an hour than we could afford to pay,” CEO Chuck Lambert <a href="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/09/29/camouflage-uniform-shortage-prompts-marine-corps-to-soften-attire-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Marine Corps Times in August. “Where they could go up on the price of the hamburger, we can’t go up on the price of a uniform.”
Commandant Smith was <a href="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/09/21/the-marine-corps-finally-gets-an-official-top-leader/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nominated</a> by President Biden in May and confirmed as the military branch&#8217;s leader just last month.

TOPSHOT-AFGHANISTAN-US-NATO-UNREST

Marine Corps Loosens Uniform Standards Amid Camouflage Shortage

Biden Administration

Economy

Marines

Military

Supply Chain

U.S. Military

The COVID pandemic exposed the weakness of America’s supply chain. Over-regulation, congested ports, and supplier shortages all combined to drive up the price and lead times of the products the United States imports from around the world. The supply chain has recovered, for the most part, as the global economy has slowed and shippers began utilizing ports on the East and Gulf Coasts, alleviating the congestion in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. 
Today, however, the supply chain is once again teetering on the brink of a catastrophe, this time at the hands of labor unions and mother nature.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which represents approximately 22,000 West Coast dock workers, reached a tentative agreement with an “association representing the U.S. West Coast employers of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/west-coast-port-union-employers-reach-tentative-agreement-some-issues-2023-04-20/">port laborers</a> on some key issues,” in April 2023. These negotiations have been dragging on for nearly a year, and the contract between the “Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the union expired on July 1, 2022.”
The deal has yet to be ratified, and there are still many open issues that remain to be resolved. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-02/la-oakland-port-terminals-shut-over-congestion-labor-issues?cmpid=BBD060523_TRADE&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_term=230605&amp;utm_campaign=trade">Last week</a>, members of the ILWU effectively “shut down operations at some marine terminals at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Similar actions shut down or severely impacted terminal operations at the ports of Oakland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Hueneme.”
The COVID-driven congestion of West Coast ports, combined with the threat of labor actions by dock workers there, have driven many supply chain professionals to divert shipments to the Gulf and East Coasts of the United States. In fact, according to Bloomberg, “West Coast container volumes were down 10% in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period in 2019. Gulf ports saw a 43% increase in goods over the same period.”
But ports in the Gulf and East Coasts may find themselves on the outside looking in. A significant drought is lowering the water level of Gutan Lake in Panama and  the Panama Canal, resulting in both weight limits and rising surcharges for vessels traversing the canal.
The Panama Canal Authority has reduced the draft (how deep a ship can sit in the water) from 50 feet to 44 feet, which can reduce a ship’s payload by up to 40%, per <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-02/inflation-rates-may-stay-high-if-panama-canal-drought-snarls-supply-chain?cmpid=BBD060523_TRADE&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_term=230605&amp;utm_campaign=trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>. Some ocean carriers began charging per-box container fees of $300-500 on June 1 in response to draft limits. Cargo rates will “rise on other routes if low water levels for shippers to find <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/06/02/panama-canal-water-levels-drought-inflation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alternatives</a> — especially in the peak shipping months of August and September when retailers build inventory ahead of the holiday shopping season.”
If the Panama Canal continues to see its depth decrease, and the cost of shipping via the canal rise, companies will have to either utilize the Suez Canal to service East and Gulf Coast ports or rely on West Coast ports — the same ports that are under threat of a work stoppage.
Interestingly, the challenges faced by the Panama Canal could contribute to inflation in the United States, forcing the Federal Reserve to continue increasing interest rates. Steamship companies are raising rates and imposing surcharges for companies shipping via the Panama Canal. Since ships will carry approximately 40% less cargo, companies will need to ship more containers, failing to take advantage of full container load pricing. This will drive inflation. In fact, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261560622001747" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> shows that a 20% increase in shipping costs will raise the inflation rate by 0.15 percentage points one year later.
A West Coast dock workers’ strike, combined with shrinking water levels in the Panama Canal, would have a devastating impact on the U.S. supply chain and the nation’s economy.
One person missing from this discussion is Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Perhaps ‘Mayor Pete’ has once again gone on vacation, as he did during the negotiations with railroad workers in the Fall of 2022.
Jim Nelles is a Navy veteran and supply chain consultant based in Chicago. His articles have appeared in the Washington Examiner, Newsweek, Foxnews.com, and the Daily Wire. He has served as a chief procurement officer, chief supply chain officer, and chief operations officer for multiple companies.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Container Ship Bow

Buttegieg’s Looming Maritime Supply Chain Crisis

Department of Transportation

Los Angeles

Panama Canal

Pete Buttigieg

Readers Pass

The Federal Trade Commission launched an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antitrust" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inquiry</a> on Wednesday into the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/baby-formula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baby formula</a> shortages which have <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">harmed</a> infants and strained their parents over the past several months.
The agency, which centers on consumer protection and the enforcement of antitrust laws, issued a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Baby%20Formula%20RFI_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call</a> for public comments about factors that may have led to the shortages that started at the beginning of last year after a series of safety incidents. Officials invited families who have experienced “fraud, deception, or scams when attempting to purchase infant formula,” as well as retailers who have seen “extremely large purchases of infant formula in excess of a single family’s need,” to submit their insights.
&#8220;We have been monitoring and will continue to monitor the ongoing infant formula shortage, which is causing enormous anxiety, fear, and financial burden for American families,&#8221; FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/05/federal-trade-commission-launches-inquiry-infant-formula-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;The FTC is launching a public inquiry to identify the factors that contributed to the shortage or hampered our ability to respond to it. Learning from this experience can help determine how we can minimize the risk of similar shortages in the markets for other life-sustaining products.&#8221;
The move from the FTC comes after Abbott Nutrition temporarily shuttered a baby formula facility in Sturgis, Michigan, last year and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-nutrition-reopens-baby-formula-plant-at-center-of-nationwide-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initiated</a> a voluntary recall of several products over concerns about bacterial contamination, a move which came after the FDA found standing water, roof leaks, bacteria growth, and inadequate hygiene in the facility. The sudden absence of EleCare, a formula for children who are unable to digest other products, from the marketplace was especially worrisome to parents and government officials.
Reckitt, another consumer goods company, introduced another nationwide recall of baby formula earlier this year and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baby-formula-recalled-nationwide-over-possible-bacterial-contamination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that two batches of ProSobee Simply Plant-Based Infant Formula may have been contaminated with a species of bacteria possibly deadly to infants.
The inquiry from the FTC will also examine the impact of FDA regulations on the “number of infant formula suppliers, capital investment, and total manufacturing capacity” of the product. The agency asked public commenters to report “regulatory barriers that have prevented companies located outside the United States from entering the infant formula market.”
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The White House previously sought to alleviate the shortage with “Operation Fly Formula,” an initiative through which the military imported baby formula from European nations. Some Democratic officials meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-yorks-democratic-ag-goes-after-price-gouging-amid-formula-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contended</a> that producers were engaged in price gouging.
Worldwide lockdowns and public health mandates fostered unpredictable supply chain shocks over the past three years, contributing to inflation in many countries. Prices for baby food and formula rose nearly 9% year-over-year as of last month, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and saw costs increase more than 4% on a month-to-month basis.
Robert Ford, chief executive of Abbott Nutrition, previously apologized for the shortages in an opinion <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baby-formula-ceo-has-a-message-for-parents-hit-by-nationwide-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piece</a>, admitting that his firm “fell short” of expectations but insisting that the shutdown was necessary. “We believe our voluntary recall was the right thing to do,” he wrote. “We will not take risks when it comes to the health of children. The data collected during the investigation, genetic sequencing, retained product samples and available product from the four complaints did not find any connection between our products and the four reported illnesses in children.”

Baby Formula Display

‘Anxiety, Fear, And Financial Burden’: Agency Launches Investigation Into Baby Formula Shortages

FTC Launches Investigation Into Baby Formula Shortages

Antitrust

babies

baby formula

The average age of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cars</a> and light-duty trucks on American roads has reached 12.5 years, according to a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/average-age-of-light-vehicles-in-the-us-hits-record-high-12-5-years-according-to-sp-global-mobility-301824463.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from S&amp;P Global, a phenomenon that comes as bottlenecked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply chains</a> and elevated <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a> continue their toll on households.
The financial analytics firm noted that 2023 marked the sixth consecutive year of increased average vehicle ages. The three-month rise between 2022 and 2023 constituted the largest year-over-year increase since the recession which struck the United States between 2008 and 2009, during which consumers likewise tightened their budgets in response to economic turmoil.
&#8220;We expected the confluence of factors impacting the fleet coming out of 2021 would provide further upward pressure on average vehicle age. But the pressure was amplified in the back half of 2022 as interest rates and inflation began to take their toll,&#8221; said Todd Campau, associate director of aftermarket solutions for S&amp;P Global Mobility. &#8220;While pressure will remain on average age in 2023, we expect the curve to begin to flatten this year as we look toward returning to historical norms for new vehicle sales in 2024.”
There are presently more than 284 million vehicles in operation on American roads; continual increases in popularity for light-duty trucks will cause the number of passenger vehicles to decline below 100 million for the first time in nearly five decades. Firms in the aftermarket repair sector are slated to experience windfalls as the number of cars between six and 14 years old is forecasted to increase by 10 million in the next five years.
S&amp;P Global linked the higher average vehicle ages in 2022 to “supply constraints that caused low levels of new vehicle inventory” in the first half of the year, followed by “slowing demand as interest rates and inflation reduced consumer demand” in the second half.
Lockdowns and public health mandates imposed over the past three years by governments across the world fostered unpredictable supply chain shocks, contributing to inflation in many countries. Sectors impacted most severely by foreign bottleneck exposure, such as automotive manufacturing, textiles, and basic metals, also witnessed the most extreme inflationary pressures, according to an <a href="https://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/economic-synopses/2022/05/12/supply-chain-disruptions-and-inflation-during-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Persistent labor shortages that followed the lockdown-induced recession continue to produce difficulties for American companies seeking to hire more workers. There exist roughly 9.6 million job openings and 6.0 million unemployed individuals across the American economy, according to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reflecting a labor market that has further worsened inflationary pressures as firms increase compensation to attract and retain workers.
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Officials at the Federal Reserve have meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-reserve-unveils-quarter-point-target-interest-rate-hike-as-banking-system-reels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the target federal funds rate to combat the inflationary pressures: target rates now sit between 5.0% and 5.25%, increasing borrowing costs for consumers, including those who finance their car purchases with debt.
American economic growth slowed to a 1.1% annualized rate in the first quarter, marking a significant decline from previous quarters as the economic headwinds slow recovery from the recession and the interest rate hikes decrease demand, according to an advance <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-economic-growth-slows-to-1-1-in-first-quarter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimate</a> from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Cars

Americans Delay Buying New Cars As Long As Possible To Avoid High Prices

Americans Hit By Inflation Delay Buying New Cars As Long As Possible

Inflation

Interest Rates

U.S.

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European</a> lawmakers reached a deal Tuesday on a semiconductor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stimulus</a> bill meant as an answer to the CHIPS and Science Act, a similar package enacted in the United States that prioritized domestic semiconductor firms.
The European Chips Act will <a href="https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-chips-act_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mobilize</a> some $47 billion of public and private investments into semiconductors such that the European Union composes 20% of the worldwide market by 2030. The legislation would allocate funds to develop technological capabilities, foster talent in microelectronics, and build partnerships with like-minded nations.
“Semiconductors are at the centre of strong geostrategic interests, and of the global technological race,” the European Commission said in a <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_23_2045" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “Chips are the essential building blocks of digital and digitised products. From smartphones and cars, through critical applications and infrastructures for healthcare, energy, defence, communications and industrial automation, chips are central to the modern digital economy.”
Western incentives for the semiconductor industry come as a response to the reality that China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan control nearly 80% of global semiconductor manufacturing capacity, according to <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/04/12/ensuring-a-stronger-us-taiwan-tech-supply-chain-partnership/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Brookings Institution, while Taiwanese firm TSMC alone produces over 90% of the sophisticated chips used in cell phones and computers. A reliable supply of semiconductors is necessary to develop artificial intelligence and weapons technologies, as well as mitigate risks over supply chain disruptions that could emerge from Chinese geopolitical ambitions toward Taiwan.
European leaders have criticized the CHIPS and Science Act, which <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/#:~:text=%20FACT%20SHEET%3A%20CHIPS%20and%20Science%20Act%20Will,for%20capital%20expenses%20for%20manufacturing%20of...%20More%20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authorizes</a> nearly $53 billion in manufacturing incentives for semiconductor operations in the United States, for favoring domestic firms. French President Emmanuel Macron, for instance, said the law promotes a protectionist approach toward global trade and risks “fragmenting the West,” as noted by a <a href="https://cepa.org/article/made-in-america-made-in-france-protectionism-threatens-the-atlantic-tech-alliance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Center for European Policy Analysis.
Initial negotiations over the European Chips Act last year prompted Intel, an American multinational corporation headquartered in California, to <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/eu-news-2022-release.html#gs.v7q1n9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announce</a> a $36 billion investment into a research hub in France and a manufacturing facility in Germany. The advancement of the European Chips Act this week could prompt additional semiconductor investments in Europe from companies based in the United States.
The CHIPS and Science Act has meanwhile attracted significant investments from both domestic and international firms: Micron <a href="https://investors.micron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/micron-announces-historic-investment-100-billion-build-megafab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a $100 billion memory chip initiative in New York, and TSMC <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chipmaker-triples-investment-in-new-arizona-plant-to-40-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devoted</a> $40 billion toward new facilities in Arizona. Several companies had issued “public warnings” last summer vowing to “scale back their plans to make semiconductors” in the United States since lawmakers had stalled in negotiations over the new incentives, according to a <a href="https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/06/icymi-three-companies-warn-about-delayed-chip-funding-globalwafers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Department of Commerce.
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European and American lawmakers have also traded blows over the Inflation Reduction Act, another $369 billion package from the United States which subsidized American electric vehicle manufacturers and neglected to offer the same benefits to European automakers. West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-lawmakers-wine-and-dine-with-klaus-schwab-business-leaders-at-world-economic-forum-in-davos-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> European officials at the World Economic Forum that the law was “designed to basically strengthen the United States so that we can help our allies and friends, which need it right now.” He also called the continent’s leaders “hyper-hypocritical” given the several decades in which they advanced their own protectionist measures.

EU flag

European Lawmakers Strike A Deal For Their Own Semiconductor Bill After Criticizing American Version

European Lawmakers Strike A Deal For Their Own Semiconductor Bill

European Union

World

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/walmart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walmart</a> announced on Tuesday that 65% of its stores will be serviced by <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automation</a> within the next three years, a development which follows persistent shortages of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply chain</a> workers.
The retail behemoth said in a <a href="https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2023/04/04/walmart-outlines-growth-strategy-unveils-next-generation-supply-chain-at-2023-investment-community-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> that executives will prioritize logistics innovations powered by both humans and technology in the coming years. As automation arrives at the majority of Walmart stores, which also operate as components of the firm’s logistics operations, some 55% of fulfillment center volume will move through automated facilities, a change that could produce 20% improvements in unit cost averages.
Walmart recently showcased the supply chain innovations at a regional distribution center in Brooksville, Florida, where a combination of data, software, and robotics solutions enables “a more consistent, predictable and higher quality delivery service to stores and customers,” as well as faster reactions to shifting consumer demand. Walmart is one of the <a href="https://corporate.walmart.com/askwalmart/how-many-people-work-at-walmart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest</a> private sector employers in the United States and currently has 1.6 million domestic associates.
The company noted that the new technology will create roles that “require less physical labor but have a higher rate of pay” even as the number of overall employees are maintained or increased. “We are a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon remarked in the press release. “As it relates to being people-led, it’s about purpose, values, culture, opportunity and belonging. We serve our associates by creating opportunities.”
The news occurs as the persistent labor shortages which followed the lockdown-induced recession continue to produce difficulties for public and private entities seeking to hire more workers. There exist roughly 9.9 million job openings and 5.9 million unemployed individuals across the economy, according to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reflecting a labor market that has worsened inflationary pressures as firms increase compensation.
Walmart indeed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walmart-raises-minimum-wages-as-worker-shortages-crunch-labor-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hiked</a> their minimum wages earlier this year such that average pay for employees across the country will now surpass $17.50 per hour. Amazon, another leading private sector employer, also <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/amazon-invests-nearly-1-billion-in-increased-wages-for-operations-employees#:~:text=Average%20hourly%20pay%20for%20employees,and%20location%20in%20the%20U.S." target="_blank" rel="noopener">unveiled</a> nationwide wage increases: average hourly pay for employees in customer fulfillment and transportation are slated to increase above $19.00 per hour, with employees earning between $16.00 per hour and $26.00 per hour depending on their position and their location in the United States.
Walmart addressed the particularly severe worker shortages in their supply chain operations by revealing initiatives meant to help store associates become certified as truck drivers and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/walmart-will-now-offer-up-to-110000-salary-for-new-drivers-announces-12-week-training-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earn</a> as much as $110,000 during their first year in the new position. The economy as a whole currently has a shortfall of 80,000 truck drivers, according to <a href="https://trucking.org/news-insights/ata-chief-economist-pegs-driver-shortage-historic-high" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the American Trucking Association, which noted that the figure could expand to 160,000 drivers in the next seven years.
Companies in the service industry have likewise turned toward automation amid the labor shortages: McDonald’s recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-real-minimum-wage-is-zero-mcdonalds-restaurant-uses-automation-for-pickups-and-orders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">created</a> a test restaurant in Texas in which customers can use kiosks and a mobile app to pick up their orders from a conveyor belt rather than interacting with customer-facing staff, while Chipotle <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-passed-a-new-minimum-wage-bill-now-chipotle-is-testing-a-robotic-chip-maker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tested</a> a robotic tortilla chip maker in a California location.
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Discussions about technological unemployment over the past several decades have centered on blue-collar workers losing their jobs to automation and robotics. The recent widespread adoption of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence language processing tool that can complete tasks such as writing code or drafting emails in a matter of seconds, has nevertheless broadened the conversation to white-collar professionals. Artificial intelligence could replace as much as 7% of jobs in the United States, according to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colossal-share-of-american-jobs-could-be-replaced-by-ai-new-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> published this week by Goldman Sachs.

Walmart

Majority Of Walmart Stores Will Be Automated Within The Next Three Years

Most Walmart Stores Will Be Automated Within The Next Three Years

Business

Robots

American officials are concerned that <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinese</a> technology at ports across the country could provide the communist nation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/espionage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insights</a> about <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipping</a> traffic and <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/national-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national defense</a> activities, according to a Sunday <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-sees-giant-cargo-cranes-as-possible-chinese-spying-tools-887c4ade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Wall Street Journal.
Cranes and large steel structures manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, also known as ZPMC, contain sensors that monitor the destination of shipping containers which move through American ports, the WSJ reported. Defense authorities have voiced concern that the Chinese-owned engineering company may be offering the Chinese Communist Party data regarding items shipped for the purpose of American military operations.
“Cranes can be the new Huawei,” former National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director Bill Evanina told the outlet, comparing the infrastructure to products <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bipartisan-group-of-senators-introduce-bill-to-ban-chinese-telecom-giant-huawei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">manufactured</a> by the Shenzhen-based telecommunications company. “It’s the perfect combination of legitimate business that can also masquerade as clandestine intelligence collection.”
Evanina added that the cranes could be remotely controlled by adversarial actors seeking to disrupt the flow of goods from American shipping facilities.
Ports in Virginia, South Carolina, and Maryland which are sometimes used by nearby military bases have recently acquired new cranes from ZPMC. FBI agents reportedly uncovered information-gathering technology aboard a ship delivering ZPMC cranes to the Port of Baltimore in 2021.
The defense spending <a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20221205/BILLS-117hres_-SUS.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> passed by Congress at the end of last year directs the United States Maritime Administration and Department of Homeland Security to conduct an unclassified study to “assess whether there are cybersecurity or national security threats posed by foreign manufactured cranes at United States ports.” ZPMC claims to control 70% of the worldwide crane market, while one unnamed American official told The Wall Street Journal that some 80% of ship-to-shore cranes at ports in the United States are manufactured by the firm.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning dismissed the revelations from The Wall Street Journal as “complete paranoia” during a Monday press briefing in Beijing, according to a <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/china-america-zpmc-cranes-ports-national-security-1785743" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Newsweek, and said the concerns are &#8220;misleading to the American public.&#8221;
Reports of the possible spy cranes come shortly after at least one Chinese surveillance balloon recently traversed the continental United States. The vessel crossed Montana, the location of many defense assets and missile silos, then <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chinese-spy-balloon-flies-out-of-montana-and-over-new-u-s-state" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled</a> over states such as Kansas and Missouri before the object was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-military-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-after-biden-let-it-travel-across-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot down</a> by the American military off the coast of the Carolinas. The balloon was reportedly one of several deployed over military sites across the planet.
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Anxieties surrounding Chinese espionage also occur as President Joe Biden prohibits TikTok, a social media platform controlled by Chinese technology company ByteDance, on devices <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-unanimously-votes-to-ban-tiktok-on-government-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">owned</a> by the federal government. The move was preceded by several similar bans issued by state governments and requests from lawmakers to limit the platform’s reach in the United States.
The White House is also expected to unveil an executive order that would ban American investors from funding the development of Chinese advanced semiconductors, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and other technologies with surveillance and military applications, according to a recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-refining-executive-order-banning-american-companies-from-investing-in-key-chinese-sectors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The New York Times. Lawmakers threatened to pursue their own investment restrictions in the absence of plans from the executive branch.

Container ships at dock

Defense Officials Worry About New Chinese Espionage Threat, Report Says

Chinese Spy Cranes: Defense Officials Concerned By Surveillance Of American Ports From CCP-Owned Company

China

Espionage

National Security

Technology

Supermarket chains in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-k" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a> have started to ration <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/food" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fruits and vegetables</a> as a nationwide <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shortage</a> of fresh produce continues.
Tesco, the nation’s leading grocery retailer, has introduced limits on tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers to three items per customer, according to a <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/breaking-aldi-becomes-latest-supermarket-29284106" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Mirror. Budget supermarket Aldi implemented an identical move, while the purchase limits at Asda also apply to lettuce, bagged salad, broccoli, cauliflower, and raspberries. Customers at Morrisons can purchase two items per individual when shopping for tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and peppers.
Lidl was the latest supermarket chain to introduce limits on fruit and vegetable purchases as cold weather in Spain and Morocco impacts the availability of fresh produce in the United Kingdom, according to a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64785676" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from BBC News. &#8220;Whilst we still have good availability across the majority of our stores, due to a recent increase in demand we have taken the decision to temporarily limit the purchase of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to three items per person,&#8221; a spokesperson for Lidl told the outlet. &#8220;This will help to ensure that all of our customers have access to the products they need.&#8221;
Beyond growers in the warmer climates of Spain and Morocco, rising prices for energy, fertilizer, and animal feed have introduced cost pressures for British farmers, leading one-third to change their cropping plans, according to a <a href="https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/rising-costs-government-needs-to-assess-impacts-on-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> released last summer by the National Farmers Union. Some producers, for instance, are pivoting from growing milling wheat for bread to growing feed wheat for livestock because of the lower fertilizer required for the latter.
“Costs are rising rapidly on farms across the country and across all sectors,” National Farmers Union President Minette Batters said in a statement. “It’s already having an impact on the food we&#8217;re producing as a nation as well as leading to a crisis of confidence among farmers.”
British Farming Minister Mark Spencer met earlier this week with grocery executives to discuss the shortages. A statement from the British Retail Consortium, a trade association that represents supermarkets, said that consumers can expect relief in the coming weeks and that suppliers “acknowledged the importance of food security, but noted that this requires a wider strategy involving government, farmers, food manufacturers, retailers and hospitality,&#8221; according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/uk-government-calls-supermarket-bosses-salad-crisis-talks-2023-02-27/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Reuters.
The shortages in the United Kingdom occur as the global economy continues to grapple with supply chain bottlenecks and the Russian war in Ukraine, which have increased worldwide food and energy prices. Customers in the United States have not been immune from the phenomena: expenses for food at home <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inflation-rises-more-than-expected-in-january-after-biden-claimed-prices-are-coming-down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> 11.3% between January 2022 and January 2023, while costs for food away from home rose 8.2% over the same period. A recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/crying-fowl-government-warns-of-turkey-shortage-ahead-of-thanksgiving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bout</a> of the avian flu has likewise <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-price-of-eggs-soaring-138-is-no-coincidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decreased</a> the size of American poultry flocks, raising costs for chicken and turkey while causing a severe increase in prices for eggs.
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Despite the persistent increases in food expenses, President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-claims-families-have-a-little-bit-more-breathing-room-after-another-dismal-inflation-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> last week to an inflation data release by contending that “we have made progress on inflation, but we have more work to do.” He touted efforts from his administration to reduce prices and said Republicans undermine the economy by opposing his spending agenda.

Bad Weather To Blame For Fresh Veg Shortage

British Supermarkets Ration Fruits And Vegetables

British Grocery Chains Begin To Ration Fruits And Vegetables

Food

United Kingdom

Consumer goods company Reckitt announced a recall of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/baby-formula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baby formula</a> products across the United States on Sunday due to possible bacterial contamination.
The company said two batches of ProSobee Simply Plant-Based Infant Formula may have been cross-contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii, a species often linked to powdered formulas and possibly deadly to infants, according to a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cronobacter/infection-and-infants.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the CDC. Reckitt will therefore recall 145,000 cans that were manufactured between August 2022 and September 2022 and then distributed throughout the United States.
“We are committed to the highest level of quality and safety and it is for this reason that we have taken this extraordinary measure,” Reckitt said in a <a href="https://www.reckitt.com/us/newsroom/latest-news/news/2023/february/reckitt-recalls-two-batches-of-prosobee-12-9-oz-simply-plant-based-infant-formula-because-of-possible-health-risk/#:~:text=Recalled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “After a thorough investigation, we have identified the root cause, which was linked to a material from a third party. We have taken all appropriate corrective actions, including no longer sourcing this material from the supplier. The health and safety of infants is our highest priority.”
The recall comes roughly one year after Abbott Nutrition temporarily <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baby-formula-ceo-has-a-message-for-parents-hit-by-nationwide-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shuttered</a> a baby formula facility in Sturgis, Michigan, and initiated a voluntary recall of several products. The absence of EleCare, a formula for children who are unable to digest other products, was especially worrisome to parents and government officials. The White House tried to alleviate the shortage with “Operation Fly Formula,” through which the military imported baby formula from Europe.
The recall was launched after the FDA found standing water, roof leaks, bacteria growths, and inadequate hygiene in the Abbott facility, which was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abbott-nutrition-reopens-baby-formula-plant-at-center-of-nationwide-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">closed</a> between February 2022 and June 2022. Several babies across the country had reportedly been impacted by bacterial infections.
“We believe our voluntary recall was the right thing to do,” Abbott Nutrition CEO Rober Ford said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baby-formula-ceo-has-a-message-for-parents-hit-by-nationwide-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per</a> The Washington Post. “We will not take risks when it comes to the health of children. The data collected during the investigation, genetic sequencing, retained product samples and available product from the four complaints did not find any connection between our products and the four reported illnesses in children. However, the FDA’s investigation did discover a bacteria in our plant that we will not tolerate.”
Baby formula shortages reached their zenith in July 2022, when out-of-stock rates surpassed 31%, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/12/04/baby-formula-shortages-persist-after-biden-fixes/10795557002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from market research firm IRI shared with USA Today. Supply chain bottlenecks nevertheless continued to impact availability of the products: out-of-stock rates still reached 13% in November 2022.
Lockdowns and public health mandates imposed by many governments across the world fostered unpredictable supply chain shocks, contributing to inflation in many countries. Prices for baby formula increased 15% between July 2021 and July 2022, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/blog/2023/looking-at-recent-price-increases-for-baby-food.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but inflation in the product category remained as high as 10.7% between December 2021 and December 2022.
Democratic lawmakers and officials assert that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-yorks-democratic-ag-goes-after-price-gouging-amid-formula-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corporate greed</a> is responsible for the inflationary pressures which have grappled with the economy over the past two years. New York Attorney General Letitia James warned baby formula companies to “stop overcharging” for the scarce products at the height of the crisis. “It’s unconscionable that some retailers are taking advantage of the national baby formula shortage while parents are struggling to find food for their children,” she said in a <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/attorney-general-james-issues-warnings-more-30-retailers-stop-overcharging-baby" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>.

Empty shelves, baby formula shortage, Target, Queens, New York

Baby Formula Recalled Nationwide Over Possible Bacterial Contamination

Baby Formula Company Recalls Product Nationwide Over Possible Bacterial Contamination

baby formula shortage

Health

Democratic and Republican members of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> Banking Committee drew attention on Thursday to the effect of low <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/housing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">housing</a> supply on <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prices</a>.
Labor shortages and <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply chain</a> bottlenecks induced by worldwide lockdown mandates raised input costs and thereby increased housing inventory shortfalls that have long plagued American would-be homeowners. Lawmakers on the Senate Banking Committee discussed the phenomenon during their first hearing of the new Congress.
“There just isn’t enough quality housing at prices that people can afford,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said in his <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/majority/brown-housing-expensive-families-seniors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opening statement</a>. “And because there aren’t enough homes, renters, and homeowners are stuck paying more every month or living with peeling lead paint or leaks.”
The housing market had witnessed a shortage of 3.8 million houses as of 2019, according to <a href="https://www.fanniemae.com/research-and-insights/perspectives/us-housing-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from government-backed mortgage company Fannie Mae. The National Association of Realtors <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/once-in-a-generation-response-needed-to-address-housing-supply-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimates</a> that homebuilders should have constructed between 5.5 million and 6.8 million more houses over the past two decades to match current demand.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) asserted that policies such as rent control and inaction on the supply chain crisis from the Biden administration have worsened the housing inventory problem.
“It’s past time to rethink the tax-and-spend strategies that keep families trapped in generational cycles of poverty and find real solutions to meaningfully impact all households,” he said in his <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/scott-calls-for-less-failed-government-spending-more-solutions-in-response-to-housing-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opening statement</a>. “Government must begin responsibly helping families rather than doubling down on programs that fail to generate results. We need to leverage the successes of American capitalism by encouraging private investment in the housing sector and eliminating needless barriers that artificially restrict supply.”
Senior Biden administration officials have meanwhile <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/10/07/biden-harris-administration-announces-progress-in-implementing-its-housing-supply-action-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to provide affordable financing for multifamily housing construction, streamline regulations to make the construction of “mixed-income housing” and “housing that includes very low-income tenants” more simplified, and support housing projects near mass transit. Inflation rates for shelter costs increased 7.5% year-over-year as of December 2022, far exceeding the 1.8% year-over-year rate charted one month before President Joe Biden assumed office, according to <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SAH1#0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Median home sale prices have likewise soared from $322,600 in the second quarter of 2020 to $467,700 in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Costs plateaued in the second half of last year amid soaring mortgage rates caused by the Federal Reserve’s actions to decrease inflation.
The cooling home prices occur alongside a slowdown in homebuying activity and do not reflect an increase in affordability for would-be buyers. Monthly mortgage payments for the typical home increased more than 45% between the end of 2021 and the end of 2022, indicating that the salary required to afford such a property has increased from nearly $74,000 to more than $107,000, according to an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americans-now-need-a-six-figure-salary-to-afford-a-median-priced-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from real estate brokerage Redfin.
The number of homes on the market has “stayed near historic lows” despite the market slowdown, according to Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Christopher Herbert, who <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Herbert%20Testimony%202-9-23.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> before the Senate Banking Committee. He observed that buyers who locked in favorable mortgage terms before the recent spike in borrowing costs are unlikely to sell.

Tim Scott

Senators Call To Increase Housing Supply As Affordability Plummets

Lawmakers Draw Attention To Low Housing Supply

Congress

Housing

Politics

Senate

Sherrod Brown

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/tesla" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tesla</a> unveiled intentions to build two more factories and hire thousands of people in the state of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/nevada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nevada</a>.
The company has invested some $6.2 billion in the Silver State over the past nine years, according to a <a href="https://www.tesla.com/blog/continuing-our-investment-nevada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/electric-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">electric</a> automaker. The new investment of $3.6 billion will allow for updates to Gigafactory Nevada, one of the world&#8217;s highest volume <a href="https://www.tesla.com/giga-nevada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plants</a> for electric motors and batteries, as well as a cell factory capable of producing enough batteries for 1.5 million vehicles each year and the first high-volume Tesla Semi factory.
“Thank you to the Tesla team, our supply chain partners and the local community that has made accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy possible at Gigafactory Nevada,” the company’s statement said.
The new facilities will employ an additional 3,000 individuals; Tesla hired 6,500 full-time employees and 17,000 construction workers over the previous decade to build and run Gigafactory Nevada, which currently spans 5.4 million square feet and produces 7.3 billion battery cells per year.
“Nevada is open for business, effective immediately,” Gov. Joe Lombardo (R-NV) <a href="https://twitter.com/JosephMLombardo/status/1618046041349316610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on social media. “This is an incredible investment in our state.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1557236629412007937" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last year that the Tesla Semi, which was unveiled in 2017 and originally scheduled to begin production in 2019, would begin by the end of 2022. The first completed vehicles were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-announces-start-of-tesla-semi-production-will-reach-clients-within-two-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delivered</a> to Pepsi in December.
The Tesla Semi can accelerate from a standstill to 60 miles per hour within 20 seconds, according to a <a href="https://www.tesla.com/semi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">webpage</a> from Tesla. Charging the vehicle is considerably cheaper per mile in comparison to diesel alternatives, resulting in an estimated $200,000 in cost savings within the first three years, while fewer moving parts and software updates reduce the need for repairs.
On the other hand, diesel trucks can travel 2,100 miles on a single tank, according to <a href="https://driveknight.com/blog/trucker-lifestyle/fun-facts-about-semi-trucks-the-trucking-industry/#:~:text=How%20Far%20Can%20The%20Average,around%20seven%20miles%20per%20gallon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from Knight Transportation, while the Tesla Semi will have a range of 500 miles. During the launch event six years ago, however, Musk asserted that drivers could recharge while taking periodic breaks already required by law.
Musk recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-makes-bold-predictions-about-tesla-performance-global-recession-twitter-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Tesla has “excellent demand” and expects to “sell every car that we make for as far into the future as we can see.” The company’s third quarter automotive revenue constituted a 55% increase from the previous year, while executives expect to maintain 50% annual growth in vehicle deliveries. “The factories are running at full speed and we’re delivering every car we make, and keeping operating margins strong,” Musk remarked.
The robust performance for the brand comes despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-laments-tesla-factories-becoming-gigantic-money-furnaces-thanks-to-supply-chain-issues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supply chain bottlenecks</a> and is spurred by new tax incentives for electric vehicle ownership. A recent set of guidelines from the California Air Resources Board mandates that all new cars sold in the state must produce zero emissions by 2035, while the governments of Massachusetts, Washington, and Virginia have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ridiculous-edict-virginia-gov-glenn-youngkin-blasts-californias-gas-car-phase-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enacted legislation</a> adopting the standards. President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/energy-sec-granholm-families-should-use-ev-tax-credits-weatherize-their-homes-finance-solar-panels-to-cope-with-inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">includes</a> $7,500 tax credits for some new domestically produced electric vehicles and $4,000 tax credits for used electric vehicles.
Musk has nevertheless faced <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tesla-investors-are-worried-that-elon-musks-work-with-twitter-could-hurt-automaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressure</a> from investors and policymakers over his acquisition of social media company Twitter, as some believe the move distracted the billionaire entrepreneur from his work at the publicly traded automaker. The purchase also caused considerable political controversy: net favorability of Tesla among Democrats decreased 20.3% between October and November, the time frame of the acquisition, according to a <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2022/11/17/elon-musks-politically-polarizing-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> from Morning Consult, while net favorability among Republicans rose 5.5% over the same period.

US-ECONOMY-TRANSPORT-TESLA-TRUCK

‘An Incredible Investment’: Tesla Announces Two New Factories, $3.6 Billion Investment In Nevada

Tesla Announces Two New Factories In Nevada

electric vehicles

Elon Musk

Nevada

Tesla

Agriculture Secretary <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tom-vilsack" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tom-vilsack" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">Tom Vilsack</a> never attended meetings of the task force he co-chaired to help resolve the nation’s <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">supply chain</a> woes, according to a public records request from the Functional Government Institute.
A public records request from the Functional Government Institute revealed that the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, created by the White House two years ago, suffered from nonexistent leadership. The Agriculture Department only produced 19 pages of <a href="https://freebeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-OSEC-04513-F-Responsive_Redacted.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">records</a> related to the entity after five months and a federal lawsuit from the Functional Government Institute; 14 of the pages were copied from public statements about the initiative, and none of the records provided evidence that Vilsack or his deputies attended any meetings.
“As the administration rightly recognized in creating the Task Force, supply chain issues threaten the economic and national security of the country,” Functional Government Institute Spokesman Peter McGinnis said in a <a href="https://functionalgovernment.org/usda-secretary-vilsacks-leadership-of-the-supply-chain-task-force-all-hat-and-no-cattle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “Secretary Vilsack’s failure to convene a single meeting with his fellow leaders, while dedicating federal resources to investigate and blame the private sector, shows that the Task Force was little more than a cynical attempt to signal engagement on supply chain disruptions while, in fact, doing little or nothing.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo were also named co-chairs of the task force, according to a June 2021 <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/08/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-supply-chain-disruptions-task-force-to-address-short-term-supply-chain-discontinuities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from the White House, which added that the officials would focus on bottlenecked products such as construction materials, semiconductors, and food supplies. Vilsack said in another <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/06/08/usda-invest-more-4-billion-strengthen-food-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> that he was eager to “mobilize a whole-of-government effort to address the short-term supply challenges our country faces as it recovers.”
The Functional Government Institute noted that Buttigieg’s calendars during his two-month <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transportation-secretary-pete-buttigieg-has-been-on-paid-leave-for-months-amid-supply-chain-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paternity leave</a> likewise show he did not participate in any meetings for the initiative. More recently, Buttigieg <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/buttigieg-vacationed-in-posh-european-tourist-destination-as-rail-unions-neared-strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vacationed</a> in Portugal as the possibility of a nationwide rail strike loomed at the end of last year.
Lockdowns and public health mandates imposed by many governments across the world fostered unpredictable supply chain shocks, contributing to inflation in many countries. Sectors impacted most severely by foreign bottleneck exposure, such as automotive manufacturing, textiles, and basic metals, also witnessed the most potent inflationary pressures, according to an <a href="https://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/economic-synopses/2022/05/12/supply-chain-disruptions-and-inflation-during-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The creation of the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force occurred after industry leaders pressed the Biden administration to offer “strong leadership” in addressing the crisis. “The supply chain disruption issues, especially the congestion affecting our key maritime ports, are causing significant challenges for America’s retailers,” National Retail Federation CEO Matthew Shay wrote in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-need-strong-leadership-executives-beg-biden-to-fix-supply-chain-issues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to President Joe Biden. “As the administration undergoes supply chain reviews for critical sectors, including transportation, addressing the current state of our nation’s ports and freight movement needs to be a critical component of the strategy.”
Biden administration officials have nevertheless taken credit for partial mitigation in price level increases. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently remarked that “we continue to see improvement in supply chains” during an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/janet-yellen-says-inflation-has-been-quite-moderate-quite-low-for-the-last-six-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with NPR and claimed that inflation “has really been quite moderate, quite low for the last six months or so,” even as price increases remain well above the 2% annual rate seen before the lockdown-induced recession.

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Tom Vilsack

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