Vice President JD Vance has returned to his more combative online persona, engaging in a public dispute with Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen over the rising cost of burritos. Thiessen had publicly mocked young people, referred to as Zoomers, for complaining about burritos costing $20.
Thiessen, who has previously been critical of Vance's foreign policy stances, responded to a discussion about a college student's complaint on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "Cry me a river." He further commented, "The burritos in the college cafeteria are included in your meal plan."
Vance retorted on X, "I’m surprised to hear Mark say this. If you’ve ever met him in person, it’s quite obvious the man has never missed a burrito."
Concerns over affordability have become a significant issue for American voters, with a survey by The Guardian indicating that 57% of Americans consider it a crisis. This comes amidst years of increased inflation affecting housing, education, healthcare, and energy costs. The value of the dollar has decreased significantly, with $1 in 2019 now equivalent to $1.33, representing a 33% inflation rate over seven years. Inflation remains above the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, standing at 3.5% for the year ending in June.
Ideological Divide on Affordability
This exchange highlights an ongoing ideological debate within the Republican Party. More traditional free-market conservatives emphasize personal responsibility and budgeting, sometimes blaming populist conservatives for policies like tariffs that they argue contribute to higher prices. Populist conservatives, on the other hand, argue that significant issues exist within the economy when basic goods become prohibitively expensive and criticize traditionalists for dismissing these concerns.
Democrats have been leveraging the affordability issue as a key talking point against the GOP in the lead-up to midterm elections, mirroring a strategy used by Republicans against the Biden administration in the 2022 cycle. They have pointed to policies such as tariffs and geopolitical conflicts as contributors to increased costs.
Vance's Stance on Economic Issues
Vance, who generally aligns with the populist wing of the GOP, has consistently expressed sympathy for those concerned about affordability. He told Fox News' Laura Ingraham that "the past 40 years of economic policy, bipartisan economic policy, has failed." Vance suggested that "socialist candidates" have benefited from an economy that has not been working for most Americans, while asserting that "the Trump economy has made long-term investments in rebuilding that manufacturing base."
The public disagreement also occurs against a backdrop of Vance's prior social media activity. Earlier in the year, Vance reportedly reduced his online brawling at the advice of White House officials who reportedly believed he was coming across as too abrasive, though the White House denied this report. Vance himself had stated he was giving up X for Lent but was interested in returning to stay exposed to "unfiltered raw opinions."