When she’s not tapdancing at the podium during White House press briefings, Jen Psaki apparently moonlights as a TIME writer named Alana Semuels:
How American shoppers broke the supply chainhttps://t.co/VAvcePNOZZ
— TIME (@TIME) November 9, 2021
As Americans went on a spending spree this year and the ports filled with imports, clogging the supply chain, trucks started dumping shipping containers in Wilmington so they could go back to the ports and pick up more to relieve the backlog. The 40-foot containers, which can weigh four tons, are hulking feet from residents’ kitchen windows and blocking the driveways where their children ride bicycles. They’re piled six or seven high in storage yards where they dwarf small churches and homes.
…
America has long been gobbling up more goods from overseas than we send back, but in the past year, spending has gone bonkers. Stuck at home and unable to buy services like haircuts and massages, and unable to travel and eat out as much as they’d like, Americans bought even more stuff, filling their ever-larger houses. The U.S. imported $238 billion worth of goods in September, up 15% from September 2019. Meanwhile, the country exported about $96 billion less than it imported, leading to a record trade deficit, according to the most recent advance estimate released by the Commerce Department. Spending will likely only continue to grow for the rest of the year as shoppers stock up for the holiday season.
…
But the supply chain is also broken because of the sheer volume of stuff that Americans are buying, especially online. To keep up with demand for two-day shipping, companies like Amazon and Walmart have built warehouses around the country, and are importing even more containers of goods to fill them. These warehouses are getting a lot more action now that even the most reluctant online shopper was pushed to embrace e-commerce during the pandemic to comply with shelter in place orders.
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"Baby, why you gotta make me hit you?" https://t.co/QyVBFK0dcz
— PEG (@pegobry) November 9, 2021
We asked for this, if you really stop and think about it.
Now it’s your fault. https://t.co/GOMVLfOvwH
— 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐠 🏳️🌈 (@CasuallyGreg) November 9, 2021
It's your fault. https://t.co/aub3F6jhJi
— Omri Ceren (@omriceren) November 9, 2021
It’s our fault now. https://t.co/SSLd6qSbcm
— Kristina Wong 🇺🇸 (@kristina_wong) November 9, 2021
way to go, stupid Americanshttps://t.co/WIkrp8ORV1
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) November 9, 2021
Never mind that consumer spending in September was waaaaay down from last year. It’s gotta be Americans’ fault. It’s just got to be.
We just continue to let them all down. pic.twitter.com/xT0mc0RzdH
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 9, 2021
We’re the worst. We suck so hard.
How COVID restrictions broke the supply chain – FIFY
Shortages in certain labor sectors plus people being bored and trapped at home broke the supply chain. Don't blame people who are just trying to come out of this sane.
— Polkabecky (@polkabecky) November 9, 2021
Oh it's the shoppers fault? Funny, I just read another article with analysts saying that it was the silicon shortage affecting vehicle parts that started this whole mess.
— CulturalAlan (@CulturalAlan) November 9, 2021
Another article which conspicuously omits the trillions of dollars in stimulus as an explanation for why people are buying more stuff. https://t.co/iYwtiKLKvC
— Charles Fain Lehman (@CharlesFLehman) November 9, 2021
Yesterday the corporate media was telling us that inflation is actually a good thing and today we're told the supply chain problems are because of shoppers. 🤡
— Lee (@Lee_Tourneau) November 9, 2021
They’ll tell us whatever they need to tell us in order to protect the precious.
Brandon did it
— Ryan Augustine (@RyanAugs) November 9, 2021
Brandon may have done it, but he couldn’t have if not for us:
By voting for Biden. #SavedYouAClick https://t.co/AAPKF0CkLc
— Eric Spencer (@JustEric) November 9, 2021
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