What contributed to the baby formula shortage?

No blame was attributed to a specific agency by the Food and Drug Administration. Why? Steven M. Solomon, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, is reported to have said the whole department is in disarray. Again why?

The FDA’s report put the blame on external factors outside of the agency’s control. But why the FDA would allow that to happen? If the department cannot manage critical food product supply chains, the government should step in and fire all the responsible people in the department.

A superpower like the United States waiting for shipments to arrive from overseas is an insult to the American people. Shortage crises should never ever happen again in America. So why do we have a microchip shortage that is plaguing the automakers? These chips allow computers, appliances, smartphones and electrical devices to function. As a result of the chip shortages, many automakers were forced to idle factories and stopped making some vehicles.

The chip shortage is an issue of national security. So why does our country still get chips from Taiwan and China? The chips must be made in America. Why does our country not support a chip factory to make equal and better chips than those it imports?

After elections, politicians head to Washington. Before they start any business, they swear to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. They swear to defend the country — not their own political party, whether Republican, Democrat or Independent. All parties should work together to make sure we will not have any future shortages and stop being mum about China and Russia stealing our technologies. Washington, please wake up!

— Joseph J. Jacob, Utica

Joseph J. Jacob is a former corporate controller for Hamilton Digital Controls, Inc., former president of the National Association of Accountants in the Mohawk Valley, former president of Upstate NY Regional Council of NAA and former national director of NAA. In 2022, he authored the book “Saving Democracy.”