Deb and I are celebrating a big anniversary today — we first visited The Mountain on May 14th, 2021. More about that at the end of this post.
There’s a shortage of baby formula in the United States of America. Maybe you’ve heard.
I won’t delve into the reasons why — you can get that from your favorite news outlet. Nor will I try to explain how more than 15,000 retail stores can be out of stock but federal facilities that process illegal immigrants have ample supplies.
I’m more interested in the way the current regime in Washington is reacting (or not) to what is, for many families of newborns, a crisis. No, the executive branch isn’t in charge of ensuring the nation’s supply of formula — the marketplace is responsible for that. Thing is, the current occupant of the Oval Office and his cabal have actively sabotaged the private sector’s ability to manufacture and deliver consumer goods and, by policy, fanned the flames of runaway inflation.
So I say it’s time for Daffy & Co. to step up to their responsibilities under The Pottery Barn Rule — “You break it, you own it.”
What we got instead from the administration’s Spokesginger, in her last week at the podium, was, “We certainly encourage any parent who has concerns about their child’s health or well-being to call their doctor or pediatrician.” She also said that “people hoarding because they’re fearful” is “an enormous problem.”
We didn’t need proof that this regime is totally detached from reality, of course, but if somehow you were still looking for evidence, there it is.
I do want to point out that hoarding isn’t a bad thing. Panic buying is something to be avoided, sure, but strategically stockpiling can be smart. Let’s break that down.
The best example of panic buying is The Great Toilet Paper Caper of 2020. In March of that year, millions of our fellow Americans lost their minds and wiped [sic] store shelves clean. It was an embarrassing display of herd mentality, and I’m sure that some folks are still working through the supply they laid in over two years ago.
WuFlu panic drove similar runs on isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, hand sanitizer, baby wipes and other commodities. You remember.
We’ve also seen panic buying of guns and ammunition. That’s a whole ‘nother thing, obviously — I mean, liberals aren’t promising to make it illegal to own a Mega Roll of Angel Soft. It gets stupid, however, when panic propels otherwise rational people to pay outrageous prices to add to their personal stockpiles.
Considering the threats we face, there’s no such thing as having too much. It is possible, though, to pay too much. I grudgingly give a pass to folks who waited too long to start building their supply — in that case, it costs what it costs.
And it still costs a helluva lot, relatively speaking. When I left my job at the gun shop in November of 2019, pre-election and pre-WuFlu, 50 rounds of Blazer Brass 9mm 115gr FMJ could be had for $8.99. The price today is $18.99.
Which brings us back to baby formula. If you’re the parent of a newborn and you’re lucky enough to find your formula, buy it. Buy as much as the store allows you to buy, as much as you need. If you can afford to buy it all, and you need it all, then buy it all. To quote Gordon Gecko,
“Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works.”
For your baby, that is.
The same goes for guns and ammo. Ditto a stockpile of long-term food, medication and supplies you’ll need in case of the inevitable disaster, emergency or illegal government lockdown. You go ahead and you hoard that shit.
Remember, anyone who scolds you for hoarding is trying to control your behavior — either that, or they got to the the store too late.
One year ago today: This was a big day in many ways. First, we pulled away from Bull Shoals Lake and made the short drive to White River Campground across from Cotter (coming within five miles of our future home). Deb’s cousin dropped by shortly after we’d finished setting up and began to introduce us to the area — our first trip to Trinity Street Rods (where one of his creations was on the showroom floor), our first visit to Gray Spring, our first time seeing the Buffalo River (at Rush) and our first meal at Blacksheep BBQ. Finally, he brought us back to his place.
It was our first time on The Mountain. Even then we knew it wouldn’t be the last.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB