Summary
Vice President JD Vance claimed that Donald Trump’s policies will lower grocery prices, but he failed to provide details.
Instead, Vance emphasized vague goals like increasing capital investment and job creation.
Meanwhile, Trump’s recent tariff threats, including a 25% increase on Colombian coffee imports, have driven coffee prices higher, exacerbating grocery costs.
Critics note Trump’s shifting narrative, as he now admits it is “hard to bring things down once they’re up.”
Supporters, however, downplayed price hikes, suggesting cheaper alternatives like instant coffee.
Instant coffee isn’t shamed here in colombia. It’s actually the most popular way to drink it. It’s prepared extra sweet with no milk and they call it tinto.
That’s great and all, but taking away an option and saying “the other option is good so why bother getting upset about it” is minimalizing the core issue. International tariffs are going to reduce consumer options and artificially raise prices.
That’s totally ignoring the ethical sourcing issues with coffee as well. Specialty coffee companies have been working directly with growers in countries like Colombia, Peru, Uganda, Indonesia, etc. to give them fair wages and to combat monopoly pricing in the industry. I’ve spent $100 on a drum roaster to be able to buy green coffee from responsible companies that pay farmers a living wage. In the end, my home-roasted coffee costs less per pound than Great Value brand pre-ground coffee from Walmart. So now if buying green coffee gets too expensive, I’m expected to go from roasting for my own taste preference, grinding fresh beans, and brewing espresso…to instant coffee. Which in the United States is almost universally bitter dark roasted coffee with no regionally distinct tastes.
Interesting. I don’t hate instant coffee, but never really buy it either except for the occasional tiny jar of decaf to keep on hand if Grandma visits (that is her jam lol).
The Simpsons reference was more toward the “cheaper alternatives” mentioned in the same quote, though.
I just bought some, but only as an ingredient for yogurt and bread. Maybe a bbq rub