America is experiencing the first stages of its descent towards Banana Republic Status as evidenced by a nationwide baby formula shortage.
The uninformed immediately blame the free for this shortage, ignoring the clear government involvement that created this problem in the first place One thing that Brad Polumbo and Hannah Cox of Based Politics noted is that other advanced countries such as France, England, or Sweden are experiencing none of these problems.
In fact, Cox and Polumbo observed that it’s illegal to import baby formula from the majority of European countries. Moreover, in the few countries where the US is allowed to import formula from, baby formula is still taxed at a stiff 18% rate.
“Mothers all across the country are faced with empty shelves where infant formula once was,” Paul declared. “They are resorting to all options to feed their hungry babies, from making formula themselves to diluting and rationing the little they have left—which can have dangerous outcomes for their babies.”
In essence, protectionist measures that the US has imposed have made it more difficult to import baby formula. Because of the entire regulatory mayhem that the government has created with regards to baby formula accessibility, the government has pursued confiscation measures at the border during this shortage crisis.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul gave a refreshing perspective on this matter by arguing that state intervention generated this crisis and what’s needed to solve it is free markets.
Paul introduced the bill, the Freedom to Import Infant Formula Act, which would repeal tariffs on imported baby formula and ban the CBP from confiscating formula from certain countries that are in compliance with safety standards.
“While the Biden Administration and government bureaucrats stand idly by–yet again–to watch a crisis run out of control, my bill offers a commonsense solution that will deregulate the baby formula industry, lower costs for families and increase supply at stores across the United States,” the senator declared in a statement outlining what his bill does.
Sadly, such legislation would never pass due to the Biden regime’s hostility to market-oriented reforms. To be fair, certain forms of protectionism — such as tariffs — can be used prudently in a limited fashion. However, broad-based protectionism can create significant problems.
When supply chains are completely out of whack, it makes no sense to have regulations that hamstring the economy. Free-market reforms are what allow us to break free from the shackles of over-regulation.
