The Candidate
MEET ADAM
Get To Know Adam!
Adam is a business owner and candidate for Congress to fill the vacant seat in Florida's 3rd district. Born in Olathe, Kansas, Adam was raised in Palm Harbor, Florida pre-recession before moving to Indiana, where his father got a job for Eli-Lilly. Following his graduation from high school, he attended and graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia as a 3-sport athlete with a degree in Biology.
Following college, Adam decided to move back to Florida and started his first company with $3,000 in his pocket. Two years later he and his business partners started a second company in Gainesville, Fl which they recently sold. Having grown up a republican in a deep red state, he saw first-hand what can happen to communities hit hardest by financial greed. Rising drug costs, the opioid epidemic, and the housing crises affected every part of the state.
Learn More About Adam!
Another formative experience happened after being mistakenly arrested in Central Florida while coaching a high school soccer game. During this experience, he saw firsthand the harm that over-policing, private prisons, and the predatory cash bail industry do to our communities. This experience helped him form the belief that systems that are designed to prey on the poor and middle class should not exist in a just or moral society, and that the greed of these systems is what has caused the majority of the issues and hurt that we have today in Central Florida.
Adam currently lives in Gainesville Fl, with his pomsky puppy Pummel. He is ready to be a champion for the working class as a member of Congress.
Lower Inflation
We aren't paying more because products cost more to make. We are paying more because we are getting ripped off.
We are all being taken advantage of because giant companies are not being held accountable for their actions.
That's Price Gouging.
Food Prices
Price Increases
Beef: 27.8% Increase
Chicken: 16.9% Increase
Pork: 11.7% Increase
The three largest food and drink production companies in the U.S. are PepsiCo., Tyson Foods, and Nestle. [1]
Tyson Foods is the largest producer of many protein sources in America, notably beef and chicken. [2] It contains the brand's Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, and others. They are also one of the largest culprits contributing to the problem of what many Americans label "inflation."
The price increases are self-reported by Tyson in their Six Months Ended report of May 9, 2022. [3] The same report also shows a significant increase in revenue compared to the same time a year ago, despite price increases. They report that their net income is over 1 billion, earning more than double what they did at the same time last year. (1,950 million in 2022, compared to 943 in 2021). Nevertheless, they continue to raise prices to increasingly unaffordable levels.
27.8%
Beef
16.9%
Chicken
11.7%
Pork
Record Profits
We Are
Paying More
For Less.
What Can
We Do?
The Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner can go after companies who are harming consumers.
Smaller Sizes
Less Product - Same or Higher Cost
Frito Chips: 14.8% Smaller - Higher Price
Doritos: 5% Smaller - Same Price
Quaker Life Cereal: 10% Smaller - Same Price
Gatorade: 12.5% Smaller - Same Price
PepsiCo is the largest producer of food and beverage in North America. [1] They own many brands, including Quaker Oats, Tropicana, Rice-A-Roni, Frito-Lay, and many bottled beverage brands. The size of this giant, and its influence on the American citizen's food, cannot be overstated.
They report 9.3% net revenue growth in the first quarter of 2022 and a profit rise of 128%. [2] However, PepsiCo CFO Hugh Johnston explains to expect price rises of up to ten percent. He says they “...have been investing heavily in our brands and heavily in product innovation…I think people are generally finding it worth paying a few pennies more for.” [3] However, PepsiCo has recently faced criticism of “shrinkflation": the shrinking of packaging without lowering, or even raising, prices. They attempt to take advantage of the consumer by hoping they fail to acknowledge the new size. [4]
[2] https://investor.pepsico.com/investors/financial-information/quarterly-earnings/
[4] https://investorplace.com/2022/06/what-is-shrinkflation-5-shrinkflation-examples-in-2022/
Statistics from information reported by retail stores.
Nestle is another food and drinks producer giant, having stakes in almost every market, including baby food, bottled water, cereal, coffee, dairy, high-sugar foods, frozen foods, and pet foods.[1] This diverse portfolio allows them to control virtually all aspects of the American food processing system, collectively raising prices. Their price increase of 8.5% led to an organic growth rate of 9.9%, almost reaching double digits. Unless action is taken, Nestle will contribute further abuse, shown by their history of the unethical promotion, mislabeling, and price-fixing.[2]
Ultimately, it is clear that the increase in food and drink prices stems from the sole desire of food production giants to increase profits, and should not be dismissed as occurring for other market reasons. There is a direct relationship between increasing their prices and profits, and it's hurting Americans. Unless action is taken against these companies, prices will continue to rise, persistently hurting American families.
[1] https://wyomingllcattorney.com/Blog/Everything-Owned-by-Nestle
Lower Inflation
A barrel of oil costs the same now as it was 3 years ago. The only thing that's changed is the profit margin of the oil Companies.
Inflation Is The Result Of
Wide-Scale Theft
Can It Be Fixed?
Until we have someone in this office who recognizes the actual problem and decides to do something about it, we will continue to have our money stolen.
And if we elect Wilton Simpson, he'll continue to give handouts to the same companies causing all our problems.
Gas Prices
Price Increases
Shell: 180% Profit Increase - 5,000 Jobs Cut
ExxonMobil: 220% Profit Increase - 9,000 Jobs Cut
BP: 140% Profit Increase - 2,000 Jobs Cut
Chevron: 280% Profit Increase - 5,000 Jobs Cut
According to the Center for American Progress, the five largest oil companies of Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips have grown by over 200 percent in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 2021. "In fact, these five companies' first-quarter profits alone are equivalent to almost 28 percent of what Americans spent to fill up their gas tanks in the same time period."
These numbers were retrieved from a study conducted by the Center for American Progress, based on numbers reported by companies.[1]
The relationship of increasing price correlating with an increase of profit proves that there is no desire for large oil companies to reduce price, or consider the financial hardships they are imposing on the American public. Unless these companies are stopped, the opposite will happen. For instance, the CEO of Shell, Ben van Beurden, announced in a call with shareholders that the war on Ukraine has enabled them to triple their profits. [2] Further evidence of these oil companies failing to comply with environmental regulations despite profits illustrates a future of continued price gouging unless necessary action is taken. [3]
[2] https://twitter.com/ClimatePower/status/1522237670243635201
[3] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263596
Profit Increase In The Last 4 Months
180%
$9.1 Billion
220%
$8.8 Billion
140%
$6.5 Billion
280%
$4.3 Billion
So, What Can We Do?!
Chapter 507, section 37 of the Florida Statutes, the Commissioner of Agriculture has power to protect consumers from this economic warfare.
The Statute outline that if “the interests of the consumers of this state have been damaged or are being damaged, or that the public health, safety, or welfare is endangered or is likely to be endangered by any consumer product or service, to commence legal proceedings in circuit court to enjoin the act or practice or the sale of the product or service and may seek appropriate relief on behalf of consumers.”
By highlighting the attack of predatory marketing, with the purpose of deception, the Commissioner of Agriculture is able to protect Floridians by legally pursuing dominant companies such as the ones mentioned previously. This would set a precedent in order to ensure the future protection of Florida citizens. The companies not only damage the interests of consumers but endanger public welfare.
Past Commissioners of Agriculture have attempted to combat gasoline prices by slightly lowering the required fuel standards in the face of an emergency. However, this has been ineffective in reducing Floridians' gas costs as prices continue to climb. It is necessary to address the wrongdoings of these companies.