The Great Gas Stove Debate rages forth because 2023 is already a political cluster. It’s strange. Even Meghan McCain thinks this is a dumb argument, although she also waded into it herself. And there’s not too much sense to be made of this controversy, other than my made-up theory: House Republicans spent most of last week holding over a dozen House Speaker votes amid intense GOP infighting, and they might be craving more drama? Matt Gaetz loved it and wants more Hot C-Span coverage in the future, and he also happens to be one of the more prominent players in the gas stove matter.
To briefly boil this down to something succinct, some Republicans have grown convinced that President Biden wants to ban gas stoves, which conjures up all sorts of mental imagery of the feds bursting into people’s homes and dismantling their kitchens. The Daily Beast relayed Fox News coverage that has perked up ears to the alleged situation, but CNN pointed towards the Consumer Product Safety Commission chair setting the record straight on there being no ban, either in the works or planned.
Still, that hasn’t prevented “come and take it”-style reactions from House Republicans, including Florida’s Gaetz, who went so far as to post a Twitter video with the #FoodieRevolt tag and a battle cry: “You’ll have to pry it from my COLD DEAD HANDS!”
You’ll have to pry it from my COLD DEAD HANDS! #FoodieRevolt pic.twitter.com/q8K323rbgJ
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) January 12, 2023
A video. Of a stove. From a sitting member of Congress.
This follows a previous declaration from Texas’ Ronny Jackson, who tweeted, “I’ll NEVER give up my gas stove. If the maniacs in the White House come for my stove, they can pry it from my cold dead hands. COME AND TAKE IT!!”
I’ll NEVER give up my gas stove. If the maniacs in the White House come for my stove, they can pry it from my cold dead hands. COME AND TAKE IT!!
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) January 10, 2023
The point here isn’t that gas stoves make for tastier food, although Bon Appetit has also weighed in on those initial reports of a ban. Rather, it’s worth noticing that the stove issue is starting to resemble the Second Amendment furor that periodically arises. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tried to engage with Jackson, although she probably should have left it alone.
Did you know that ongoing exposure to NO2 from gas stoves is linked to reduced cognitive performance https://t.co/1bjmHqnHVa
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 11, 2023
The Gas Stove Controversy will probably continue, but in all likelihood, there will be a fresh Congressional outrage next week. Stay tuned!