Florida Republicans’ latest rallying lie, er, cry: They’re coming for our gas stoves | Opinion

“Liberals” are coming for your guns. For your gas-fueled cars and pick-up trucks. Not even your sugary sodas will be spared.

At least, that’s the line from Republicans — even though it’s safe to say there are plenty of weapons, large vehicles and Coca-Colas left in America.

Now, according to social media, the federal government and Democrats are coming for your gas stove, too. Once a topic of discussion mostly among foodies and home improvement aficionados, the kitchen appliance turned into a rallying cry for freedom this week. It suddenly ranks, next to God and guns, as a symbol of America’s greatness.

The government will have to pry it from Florida U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz’ “COLD DEAD HANDS!” as he wrote on Twitter. “Secure yours now,” Gov. Ron DeSantis declared. Even Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a darling of the fossil-fuel industry, jumped on the don’t-tell-me-how-to-cook-my-dinner bandwagon.

“When we say Don’t Tread on Florida... that includes OUR GAS STOVES!” DeSantis wrote on Twitter.

Despite all the exclamation points and capital letters, the federal government isn’t coming for your gas range. The partisan internet furor began after a commissioner of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission suggested — in light of research on the links between gas stoves and pollution-related health issues — his agency could take some regulatory action.

“Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned,” Richard Trumka Jr. told Bloomberg on Monday.

After his words echoed at an American Petroleum Institute event, Trumka quickly took to Twitter to say that the CPSC “isn’t coming for anyone’s gas stoves” and that any regulation would only apply to new products. The commission’s chair, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, also said no bans are in sight. Instead, the agency will seek public comment on gas stove hazards and potential solutions for reducing risks. The White House also said that President Biden “does not support banning gas stoves.”

In fact, regulations on gas stoves and hookups have usually come from local governments, in places like California and New York. We can say with confidence that Florida, under Republican control, will not follow suit. DeSantis signed into law a bill, backed by the fossil-fuel industry, that prohibits cities and counties from blocking natural gas hookups in new construction.

We must also wonder whether the hysteria over gas stoves is truly about freedom for consumers or for the natural gas industry to continue to profit regardless of the harm its products may cause to human health or to the world’s climate.

The possibility of a gas stove confiscation frenzy by Democrats — if it even existed — would have limited impact on the Sunshine State. Only 8% of Florida homes use gas stoves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The states that rely on it the most are the ones Florida Republicans usually admonish for their progressive leanings, like California, New York, Illinois and New Jersey.

It turns out gas stoves are a better indicator of liberalism than of the “Don’t tread on me” conservative crowd.

But facts usually don’t get in the way of Gaetz, DeSantis and company pontificating. Their political brand is predicated on drumming up outrage and coming up with the next “liberals are coming for (fill in the blank).” Meanwhile, the important discussion about the risks of gas stoves, and how to avoid them, gets lost in the memes and social media anger.

The risks associated with the kitchen appliance have been known for decades but more evidence has surfaced recently. A study published in December in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that the use of gas stoves in American households “is associated with an increased risk of current asthma.” Using them with poor ventilation can surpass the national standard for safe hourly outdoor exposure to nitrogen oxides within just a few minutes, the New York Times reported. Experts recommend plenty of ventilation and using the exhaust hood to lower your risks.

Shouldn’t that be the kind of information elected officials distribute on their social media platforms? Nah. Outrage gets more retweets.

This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 12:58 PM.