Food fight a clash of economic philosophies
Who knew plain old saltines could be so hard to stomach.
We did not, but the crackers and the economic force that may or may not be behind their cost caused quite the mini controversy all the same.
To recap:
In a Sept. 20 letter to the editor, Kathy Timbrook of Reynoldsburg blamed the $4.29 price for the box of saltine crackers she wanted on Democrats, labeling them socialists.
She wrote: “As a member of the socalled middle class I have a message for the Democrats. When a trip to the grocery store results in having to pay $4.29 for a box of saltines, there soon may be no middle class.
Come to think of it, maybe that’s just what you Socialists are hoping for?”
In letters printed Sept. 23, several readers took offense and responded, criticizing Timbrook’s logic.
One, Marie Kalinowski of Pataskala, wrote: “Kathy Timbrook further illustrated the right wing’s distortion of facts. First of all, no Democrat is controlling the cost of your crackers.
Those prices are set by the grocery stores. If there happens to be a shortage of a particular consumer item, the grocer — not a political party — might raise the price of said item. This was the principle of supply and demand, long espoused by the Republican Party until it decided to cater to those who control the supply.”
Other readers responded to those responses.
As you’ll see here, some criticized those who criticized and others criticized us for running letters from people criticizing the original critic.
Amelia Robinson is the Columbus Dispatch’s opinion and community engagement editor. She rarely buys saltine crackers.
@1Ameliarobinson