What’s more, the price is often increased. There seems to be no questioning the major impact of the pandemic on the supply chain, creating huge traffic jams at major American ports and slowing the transport of goods to businesses. What Republicans blame President Joe Biden for is not having done enough to solve the problem and, in fact, making the situation worse.

In some stores, the shelves are as empty as those of some SAQs in Quebec. In major American newspapers and media, reports deal with the shortage of cream cheese, which is a nightmare for New York bagel merchants, the catastrophic increase in the price of gasoline or the ghost parking lots of car rental companies in some major airports, such as Atlanta.

Early in his term, Biden gained popularity by offering relief checks to hard-hit families and the unemployed. He also took steps to stimulate the economy and job creation. He even asked the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to operate around the clock to alleviate supply chain slowdowns and prevent new bottlenecks.

But how can we hope to keep the ports running day and night if there is a labor shortage? Because yes, this problem, common to what we are currently experiencing in Quebec, adds to the pile of pitfalls.

Are there enough dockers? Are there enough truckers to make deliveries and empty the port? No and no.

Like Quebec, the United States is struggling with a labor shortage, which is putting additional pressure on the supply chain. And it's not just a lack of dockworkers and truckers, but a shortage at all levels, which is impacting the distribution of goods.

Without employees, how can the already fragile supply chain operate efficiently?

Joe Biden is portrayed as the Grinch on channels like Fox News and Newsmax, but also within the American Senate itself, where some senators have had fun, with illustrations to support their argument, making the connection between the Dr. Seuss character and the current occupant of the White House.

One senator from Utah even went so far as to introduce a bill called the “ Stop the Grinch Act ,” calling for some federal port restrictions to be eliminated to speed things up. Another senator, this one from Florida, presented his colleagues with an illustration of the president as the Grinch character accompanied by Dr. Fauci… transformed into Max, his faithful canine companion.

The American president, when asked by journalists whether he could guarantee the delivery of gifts in time for December 25, "only Santa Claus can guarantee that," he replied. Nothing that will appease his political enemies. This war of words, almost comical, nevertheless testifies to a problem where solutions are rare.

Republicans say the current administration's multi-trillion dollar social reform plans will not have the desired effect on the labor market and will not solve the major economic problems that concern the country's citizens. Added to this are the vaccination mandates in private companies, which are also being singled out as one of the sources of the job shortage problem.

It’s not much better in public opinion. According to a CNN poll, only 30% of Americans believe that the president’s policies are having a positive impact on the economy. As for the supply chain, 79% of respondents consider it a major economic problem.

Democrats argue the opposite: how can we hope to encourage people to join the workforce without basic benefits like sick leave or simple maternity leave? By the same token, how can we convince women to return to work without affordable child care? These are some of the initiatives that may seem trivial to us, but are not to Americans who are backward in this area compared to most industrialized countries. Is this major social reform coming soon? The answer in the next column…