Republicans turn up the heat on a new culture war target: gas stoves
After Joe Biden’s administration announced it was considering regulating – or banning – gas stoves, Richard Trumka of the US consumer product safety commission (CPSC) offered some words of clarity: “To be clear, CPSC isn’t coming for anyone’s gas stoves,” he tweeted.
“You will have to pry my gas stove from my cold dead hands,” replied Matt Walsh, the rightwing political podcaster and Daily Wire columnist.
Despite Trumka’s words of assurance, and the fact that no regulation or ban has been put in place or announced as a course of action, conservative figures are trying to turn gas stoves into the next culture war.
Gas stoves have become a hotbutton issue in the first weeks of 2023, as new research reveals that the appliances emit toxic chemicals and carcinogens, even while turned off. The report found that 12.7% of cases of childhood asthma in the US are due to the presence of gas stoves.
Since low-income renters are more likely to be saddled with a gas stove, Democrats including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren suggested offering rebates via the Inflation Reduction Act. Americans could receive up to $840 to replace their appliances.
Any regulation would only affect new buildings – there will not be a door-to-door gang of Democrats confiscating old burners. But, as with masks and M&M packaging that only features women, fears over losing these appliances seem to have created a new culture war.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT,” the Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on Twitter. “Apparently they don’t even cook. Idiots.”
The Arkansas senator Tom Cotton, fresh off of penning Fox News op-eds bemoaning the “Biden’s woke military”, warned Twitter followers: “Democrats are coming for your kitchen appliances.
Their desire to control every aspect of your life knows no bounds – including how you make breakfast. They just can’t help themselves.”
“COME AND TAKE IT,” read the caption to a pixelated stock photo of a mint-green stove, floating somewhat menacingly on a white background. This was posted by the Oklahoma Libertarian party. Other rightwing groups joined the Twitter complaining crew, like the House Judiciary GOP, which tweeted: “Secure the border? No. Curb inflation for working families? No. Ban gas stoves? YUP.”
A 2020 photo of Jill Biden using a gas stove to sauté spinach also made the rounds on Reddit as an example of liberal hypocrisy. “Cuz rules only apply to us American taxpayers,” one Reddit user wrote. Ted Cruz shared the photo on Twitter with the caption, “Rules for thee but not for me.”
Most US households have electric stoves, but 38% of homeowners are still cooking with gas. They are primarily located on either coast: California and New Jersey have the highest rates of gas stoves in the country, along with Nevada, Illinois and New York. Meanwhile, states like North Carolina, Tennessee and North Dakota host predominantly electric stoves.
Despite the potential risks, the direct heat provided by gas stoves are a popular choice for home chefs – allowing cooks to accurately control temperature and char eggplants and peppers. But new research has shown that one in eight cases of asthma in children in the US is due to the pollution given off by cooking on gas stoves.