Bloomberg Op-Ed Suggests Taking the Bus and Eating Lentils in Response to Rising Inflation

Last week, Bloomberg Opinion shared this elitist take on how people can deal with inflation that’s so bad, it might be more fitting for parody. It looks to be real, though. “Inflation Stings Most If You Earn Less Than $300K. Here’s How to Deal,” read Teresa Ghilarducci’s headline. 

The piece is from March 13 and tweeted by Bloomberg Economics that day, but Bloomberg Opinion tweeted it on March 19, which our friends at Twitchy picked up on. While their tweets don’t often get much interaction, this one certainly did. As of early Sunday morning, the tweet has close to 7,500 comments, most of them expressing outrage. Of the 8,185 retweets, 7,081 are quoted retweets, similarly taking issue with such a piece.

Inflation stings most if you earn less than $300K. Here’s how to deal:

?? Take the bus
?? Don’t buy in bulk
?? Try lentils instead of meat
?? Nobody said this would be fun https://t.co/HGJEoXL5ZZ

— Bloomberg Opinion (@bopinion) March 19, 2022

Of the reactions, many took note of how this sounds an awful lot like Marie Antoinette. 

“Nobody said this would be fun.”

People who have worked from home and don’t worry one iota about money have some advice for the poors.

Man, I can’t wait until November when theses Marie Antoinette wannabes get destroyed at the polls. https://t.co/DeVASzxndU

— Amy “Ice Shanty Hoe” Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) March 19, 2022

pic.twitter.com/4Y6XXNv3QG

— The Right To Bear Memes (@grandoldmemes) March 19, 2022

Former Rep. Justin Amash had a great take as well.

Inflation stings most if you are human. Here’s how to deal:

?? Move to a big city
?? Buy fewer things at higher prices
?? Make your Lenten fast permanent
?? Adapt to misery

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 20, 2022

The headline and the tweet advertising the article are harsh enough, and it only gets worse from there. “More Americans than ever expect their finances to worsen as inflation hits a 40-year high. Do you really need that extra car?” the subheadline reads.

Ghilarducci suggests that people sell their car and take public transportation, “consume plants directly,” do not buy in bulk and share the cost with a friend if they must, and review credit cards for ” any unwanted recurring” charges. 

Then, it gets even darker, having to do with pets, which even Ghilarducci acknowledges is “harsh,” though somehow that likely won’t make readers feel better. “If you’re one of the many Americans who became a new pet owner during the pandemic, you might want to rethink those costly pet medical needs. It may sound harsh, but researchers actually don’t recommend pet chemotherapy — which can cost up to $10,000 — for ethical reasons,” she writes.

What makes the piece in its entirety bad, though, is Ghilarducci’s tone as she looks down upon readers. 

In case it needs to be said, not that many people make over $300,000. Last April, the Department of Housing and Urban Development noted that the median household income for 2021 was $79,900. 

The Household Income Percentile Calculator from DQYDJ for 2021 has slightly different figures, with the median income according to their calculations being $67,463. By their figures, 6.28 percent of all US households made $250,000 or more in 2021. Those households earning the $300,000 target figure that Ghilarducci mentions would be in between the top 1 and 5 percent. 

It’s worth mentioning, and people did in the replies, that Bloomberg is opened by Michael Bloomberg, who has a net worth of $82 billion and was ranked 20th on Forbes’ list of Billionaires for 2021. 

You are owned by a billionaire. F*** off

— Dan Gainor (@dangainor) March 20, 2022

That Bloomberg is owned by one of the richest men in the world makes this extra special.

— Dan Gainor (@dangainor) March 20, 2022

Bloomberg Opinion has been included in a poll to be on Siraj Hashmi’s List of accounts who need their phone taken away.

Pre-List head to head. Who needs their phone taken more?@bopinion vs. @komonews pic.twitter.com/uVrqyzcWWA

— The List (@ListComesForAll) March 19, 2022

Twitter users have until Sunday night to vote. Not surprisingly, “Bloomberg” has been trending over Twitter early Sunday morning.