July 7th was World Chocolate Day. Being swamped with both uplifting and tragic news, it may have gone unnoticed in many quarters, but it’s no small event. In fact, Cargill estimates 89% of American consumers consume chocolate at least once a week. Some people love it as much as (or more than) bacon, hence chocolate-covered bacon strips. Chocolate also has interesting health benefits if it’s not hedged about too much with fats and sugars.
President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Rollins deserve much credit for expeditiously reducing the price of eggs and other groceries. However, prices for chocolate, a staple in our diets, remain stubbornly high. There are several reasons for this, including weather and price controls in exporters like Ghana. Production issues in major cocoa exporters are exacerbated by national regulators employing centralized planning. This is so concerning that even American Thinker’s managing editor addressed the issue with visceral pathos.
Image by ChatGPT.
In addition to those heartfelt concerns, tariffs on cocoa powder also increase the price, which leads me to my main point: remove them!
When President Trump sends his trade “letter” to Ghana, it should be customized to address the price of cocoa. Given our love of chocolate, this will be as politically astute as focusing on exorbitant eggs and bacon prices. Perhaps the letter will announce a 30% overall tariff for Ghana (for example, only), but exempt cocoa beans, powder, and any cocoa-derived product. Admittedly, we may not import much else from Ghana (or Ivory Coast, another big cocoa producer), but that would make the gesture even more tasty for voters.
Here’s one list of products exempt from Tariffs. Why isn’t cocoa on it?! It would be such a politically popular decision, but forget that—just do it for its own delicious sake. It won’t be a complete confectionery elixir, but it will help in reducing prices.
President Trump enthusiastically relays the story about being able to use proper eggs (after reducing their prices) instead of ersatz for the Easter White House event. Imagine the endearing stories beckoning around Halloween, seasonal holidays, and Valentine’s if he’s able to rein in prices on our favorite confections.
While not as crucial to our economic well-being as rare earths, inorganic chemicals, and whatnot, chocolate is pretty much a staple in our diets. In fact, it is beneficial to our mental well-being, which is important in remaining resolute in the face of so many leftist nutcases.
Since MAHA is such an important subcomponent of MAGA, we must have our moderate fix of affordable chocolate. After all, it produces wondrous and magical chemicals in our brains like serotonin, which helps us feel jolly, warm, and fuzzy.