Two weeks ago, a Biden-appointed Consumer Product Safety commissioner sparked controversy when he said that using a gas stove is a “hidden hazard” linked to asthma and that “products that can’t be made safe can be banned.” Naturally, many on the far left fell into formation to defend the idea, even if it meant embracing total hypocrisy. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suddenly insisted that gas stoves can affect “cognitive performance”; ironically, this hasn’t stopped her from using one in her own home. 

Like many Tennesseans, I initially thought the proposal to ban gas stoves was a joke cooked up by the Babylon Bee. No administration would go so far as to dictate how Americans cook their breakfast – would they? 

Think again. The Democrats have consistently shown they will go to great lengths to insert big government into every part of our lives. Take a look at liberal California, where several cities including San Diego and Los Angeles already have plans to prohibit gas stoves. Last fall, the Golden State moved to ban the sale of all natural gas-fired space heaters and water-heating appliances by 2030 in the name of combating climate change. The month before, they approved a ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. 

This time, the Democrats quickly realized Americans weren’t going to follow them down this latest winding path to socialism, and supposedly put their plan on the back burner. But make no mistake: they had every intention of regulating what kind of stove you use, and they will bring it up for debate again in the near future. 

It’s a debate restaurant owners are ready to take on, and for good reason. According to the National Restaurant Association, 76 percent of U.S. restaurants use natural gas, and 94 percent of those users say a ban would negatively impact their business. One restaurant owner, in response to proposed bans in his own state, explained they would “lose 40% productivity by using electric [stoves],” and their bills would be “six times higher.” Prohibiting gas stoves will tank the restaurant industry; but for Democrats, even disastrous ends justify the means if they can check another box off their “green” energy agenda. 

The left simply can’t help it; the words “ban” and “control” have become a part of their daily vocabulary. They want to ban gas cars, plastic straws, incandescent light bulbs, fracking, and offshore drilling. They want to control your guns, your child’s education, your health care, your vaccination status, your small business, and your speech. From Joe Biden on down, Democrats think they know what’s best for you and your family, and they will continue to force their big government agenda until they control every aspect of your life. 

They have proven that for every inch of power they seize, they will take a mile of our liberty. While we might be able to hang on to our gas stoves for now, it’s only a matter of time before they find a way to force the idea on us. And if it’s not the gas stove, it will be something else. That’s why I am sending a clear message to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: their proposal will not be tolerated. We must fight back against the left’s quest for total control if we want to maintain the freedom that makes the United States of America the greatest country on earth.