Biden Knew About The Baby Formula Shortage, And Did Nothing Until It Was Too Late

Why does government wait until the last minute to act?

In the context of crises, the fundamental problem with government is twofold. First, they are often the cause (at least in part). Second, their solution is always entirely reactive — instead of addressing potential risks, they respond only when the country is thrown into utter chaos.

There is no better example of this than the ongoing baby formula crisis.

Right now, the Biden administration is engaged in yet another victory lap, celebrating their response, which includes invoking the Defense Production Act to force suppliers to “direct needed resources to infant formula manufacturers before any other customer who may have ordered that good,” signing the Access to Baby Formula Act into law, which expands on the types of formulas recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) can purchase with government benefits, and  importing the first batch of baby formula over the weekend, as part of “Operation Fly Formula.”

“Typically, the process to transport this product from Europe to U.S. would take two weeks. Thanks to Operation Fly Formula, we cut that down to approximately three days,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Well, it seems congratulations are in order, right? Wrong.

Why? Well, because this response — like so many others in the past — is entirely reactive and entirely too late.