Ammo Shortage?  by Tom Reynolds

Per Wikipedia: Lake City Army Ammunition Plant is a 3,935-acre U.S. government-owned, contractor-operated facility in northeastern Independence, Missouri, that was established by Remington Arms in 1941 to manufacture and test small caliber ammunition for the U.S. Army…As of July 2007, the plant produced nearly 1.4 billion rounds of ammunition per year. Although owned by the US Government, it is now operated by Olin Winchester. Winchester produces ammo and sells it to the government.

When the facility is able to produce more ammo than the government requires, they sell it either to consumers or distributors. Currently, it is reported that Lake City supplies 30% of the civilian market for 5.56 ammunition, which is the primary ammo for the infamous AR15, which the gun grabbers labelled an “assault rifle” and are constantly trying to outlaw.

Rumors are circulating that Lake City had quietly canceled several civilian contracts. Other news sources report that Lake City has cancelled all of its commercial contracts.  If true, (and so far it is just rumors) retail stores will no longer be able to purchase ammo from Lake City which could lead to an ammunition shortage and inflation on the civilian market.

Does this mean that the US Government is requiring more ammunition and there will be none extra to sell to the civilian market?  Wars in Ukraine and Israel might give this theory some credibility.

Or is this another backdoor effort by the Biden administration to neuter the 2nd Amendment by creating an ammunition shortage?

On a, hopefully, unrelated story, on Friday (the 13th) there was an explosion at a Hornady Manufacturing chemical compounding building in Wood River, Nebraska.  One person died and two others were injured.

To date there is no further information about the cause, the amount of damage and the effect on ammo supplies.

Normally, SCOPE avoids trafficking in conspiracy theories.  But the attacks by the left on anything they oppose have become so blatant that one has to wonder.  It would not be beyond the Biden administration to use the power of the government to intentionally force ammo manufacturers out of the civilian marketplace.

Just the rumors of a possible shortage may be enough to spur inflationary increases in ammo.  ______________________________________________________

And if you did not have enough unhappy news, NY State’s Public Service Commission has announced that NYSEG and RG&E will be enjoying large rate increases on gas and electric.

Gannett reports that: NYSEG customers will see a 22.1% increase in electric and a 6.1% increase in gas over 3 years; RG&E customers will see rate increase of 16% for electric and 10.9% for gas over 3 years.

Why? 

In addition to maintenance – which should have been an ongoing expense – Gannett states the rate increase will go to “transmission projects and other upgrades to help the state achieve its goals of a carbon free electrical grid.” And this is only a drop-in-the-bucket since taxpayers’ dollars are going into all sorts of subsidies for electrifying the state.

Can’t afford current rates?  Join the crowd.

Gannett also reports that there are 205,000 customers of these two utilities that are 60 days or more behind on their bills, amounting to $145,000,000 in past dues.

But Public Service Commissioner John Maggiore had these words of comfort, that this was the better option.

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The Lake City report is rumor but the utility report is fact.  What do they have in common?  Both would add to inflationary pressures and both are caused by the government forcing its priorities on us.