The White House hosted a two-day virtual summit with 40 world leaders last week, dedicated to discussing the climate crisis. Some of the biggest news out of the summit were the pledges made by a number of countries promising to take steps to cut their carbon emissions.
Ahead of the summit, President Joe Biden promised the U.S. would cut its emissions in half by the end of the decade, and to zero by 2050. It’s an incredibly ambitious pledge, though not the most ambitious promise made during the event, and for now, it’s also just a goal—a promise with no legislation in place yet to back it up.
Still, that didn’t stop a whole bunch of Republicans and conservative media personalities from freaking out and making the bizarre and totally baseless claim that Biden’s plan meant they were going to be banned from eating meat.
Ultra rightwing writer Matt Couch wrote on Twitter that “Biden says we can have four pounds of red meat per year,” despite the fact that Biden absolutely said nothing of the sort, and posted a picture of a gigantic steak as some kind of gotcha response.
Consuming a 7,000 calorie, well-done steak and washing it down with a Michelob Ultra https://t.co/RCSA2bjS33
— Agent 47.5 (@UweBollocks) April 25, 2021
The replies to that tweet are just a hilarious gallery of poorly cooked heart attacks.
Looks awesome! I just seared this delicious prime rib for my family last night! Come and take it kamala🙄🤣 pic.twitter.com/9b7DixNGc0
— will🕊💐 (@ourlordscandle) April 25, 2021
Because Biden didn’t say anything about taking away our steaks, this “four pounds” claim seems to come from a Daily Mail article—never the best source if you’re looking for actual facts, which clearly these people are not.
“How Biden’s climate plan could limit you to eat just one burger a MONTH, cost $3.5K a year per person in taxes, force you to spend $55K on an electric car and ‘crush’ American jobs,” the article reads. Sure, I suppose it “could” do all of those things but the idea that it will or even might consider it is credited to “a study by Michigan University’s Center for Sustainable Systems.”
There was no date or link or actual quote from that study included in the article but they’re likely looking at a 2020 study that makes no reference of Biden, was written before he was elected, and, like Biden himself, in no way suggests Americans need to adopt a mandatory policy of cutting red meat out of their diets.
Instead, the study concludes that a 90% reduction in meat consumption and a 50% reduction in other animal products would drastically reduce the country’s carbon emissions.
Biden’s statements, though, made no mention whatsoever of individual Americans’ behaviors. He focused on changes in larger industries. But that didn’t stop Fox News and plenty of its viewers from pushing the lie of Biden’s “requirements” for food consumption.
Idahoans also have beef with this agenda and for dinner! https://t.co/t4tRdCRPFE
— Brad Little (@GovernorLittle) April 25, 2021
Those are two United States governors, by the way, just hanging out on Twitter, spreading nonsense.
Nonexistent beef restrictions weren’t the only weird misinterpretation of Biden’s climate plan. On Fox Business, Larry Kudlow said that Americans will have to spend this Fourth of July eating “grilled brussels sprouts” (sounds delicious) and drinking “plant-based beer.”
Which begs the question, what does Larry Kudlow think beer is made from now?
Excited to be watching the Oscars with an ice cold plant-based beer.
Thanks Joe Biden. pic.twitter.com/Wk8MQnjkUf
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 26, 2021
(image: NBC)
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Published: Apr 26, 2021 01:58 pm