Bidenflation takes fireworks out of 4th of July
By Spencer Brown, Townhall
As Americans across the country look forward to gathering with friends and family to celebrate America's Independence Day, they're finding Biden's policies have seriously cramped their festivities.
First, there's runaway inflation that's red-hot at four-decade highs. As Townhall reported this week, the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual July Fourth cookout cost tracker shows prices spiking more than $10 for a BBQ as prices surged some 17 percent since last year when the White House bragged about saving Americans 16 cents.
As it turns out, Biden's failing policies — that caused the inflation and supply chain crises along with a lagging labor market that has yet to return to pre-pandemic participation levels — also mean cities across the country are unable to do their usual annual fireworks displays that are as American as apple pie due to "staggering fireworks shipping costs and delays" as well as labor shortages.
In Phoenix, Arizona, where three fireworks shows normally light up the Fourth of July, none are happening this year. According to The Associated Press, "The city of Phoenix said it canceled its three major Independence Day displays because it couldn't obtain the necessary fireworks due to supply chain problems."
Unfortunately, Phoenix has canceled its 2022 Fourth of July fireworks shows, citing supply chain issues. Find out which events are canceled. https://t.co/kDY0DrWAJY
— azcentral (@azcentral) June 22, 2022
The normal Independence Day fireworks over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota was also called off, with "staff shortages" given as a reason.
In Ottawa, Kansas, the city's annual July Fourth fireworks have been postponed by supply chain issues that delayed the pyrotechnics so much they would not have arrived by Independence Day. Instead, Ottawa will use the fireworks — once they arrive — for a Labor Day celebration in September.
In Maryland, College Park "has announced their Independence Day firework shows will be canceled and Ocean City has had to reschedule theirs due to both labor shortages and supply chain issues," reported FOX5.
"Ocean City officials say they received the 'surprising' news about the cancelation of two July 4th firework shows from the firework company" because "labor shortages resulted in having inadequate staff to host the events as expected." College Park blamed their cancellation on supply chain issues.
California's state capital, Sacramento, won't have fireworks this year either, "because of staffing and resource shortages."
In other cities, the staff shortages mean fireworks have to be rescheduled because pyrotechnic companies don't have enough manpower to cover all the shows they would normally do on the Fourth itself. In Vienna and Fairfax, Virginia, shows were rescheduled to July 1 and July 5, respectively.
For Americans looking to do a fireworks display of their own on the Fourth, prices and supplies are also a barrier to a festive Independence Day. The AP noted that "[t]hose who plan to light up consumer-grade fireworks like bottle rockets, firecrackers and ground-level fountains at home can expect to pay more for them" and the "American Pyrotechnic Association estimates that costs are up 35% across the industry."
Read more at Townhall