Iowa GOP accuses anti-meat Democrats of hypocrisy for steak fry

The Iowa Republican Party took a swing Friday at 2020 Democrats for planning to campaign at “Steak Fry” Saturday in the Hawkeye state after previously proposing ways to deter meat and dairy consumption.

Democrats in the presidential primary will gather at the Polk County Democrats Steak Fry fundraiser, where meat is expected to be plentiful, but the Iowa Republicans noticed that many of the candidates who will attend have called for Americans to eat less meat or tax the meat industry as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Iowa GOP said in a statement that the “2020 candidates have turned themselves into a laughing stock with their outrageous ‘misteaks’ and out-of-touch proposals.”

“The Steak Fry will be a great opportunity for caucus-goers to grill 2020 Democrats on their extreme policies that would limit Iowans’ freedoms and liberties,” said Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, in a press statement.

He added, “As they continue butchering their positions, it’s clear the Democratic agenda would steer us in the wrong direction.”

California Sen. Kamala Harris, who is seeking to jump-start her campaign in Iowa, previously proposed a plan to create government incentives to encourage Americans to consume less meat.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a vegan, claimed that eating meat would “destroy” the Earth. In an interview with Veg News, Booker said, “The tragic reality is this planet simply can’t sustain billions of people consuming industrially produced animal agriculture because of environmental impact.”

He added, “We will destroy our planet unless we start figuring out a better way forward when it comes to our climate change and our environment.”

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg prefer to impose a meat tax as a way to fight climate change.

“We change the economic signal and bring it into balance, and balance is what we have lost when it comes to our relationship with creation, with the Earth, that sustains our ability to live,” Buttigieg said during CNN’s climate change forum.

During an interview on CNN’s New Day, Buttigieg also accused individuals who ate cheeseburgers and used plastic straws as “part of the problem” when it came to combating climate change.

However, the meat and dairy industries are prominent in the Hawkeye state, and according to Iowa State University professor Lee Schulz, Agriculture and agriculture-related industries added $777 billion to the U.S. GDP in 2012, a 4.7% share.

Schulz points out that “U.S. farmers and ranchers make an important contribution to the U.S. economy by ensuring a safe and reliable food supply and supporting job growth and economic development.”