Easter spending to reach near-record $22 billion this year

NEWS AND OPINION:

Americans have not lost interest in one traditional holiday. Consumer spending is expected to reach $22.4 billion this Easter, according to the annual survey released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation.

The total figure is the second highest in the survey’s history — only eclipsed by last year’s record-setting $24 billion, when the holiday fell nine days later in the year.

A hefty majority of Americans — 81% — plan to celebrate the holiday in 2024. The celebrants will spend an average of $177.06 per person, according to an analysis of the trends, the third-highest per-person spend in the survey’s history, after $192.01 last year and $179.70 in 2021.

Easter breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner appear to be paramount.

“Consumers continue to spend the most on food ($7.3 billion), followed by clothing ($3.5 billion) and gifts ($3.4 billion). Additionally, spending on candy is expected to reach $3.1 billion while spending on flowers is expected to reach $1.6 billion,” the analysis said.

For those who wonder, 51% of households with children plan to have an Easter egg hunt at home.

“Each year, Americans look forward to the celebration of Easter and the renewal of time and traditions with loved ones,” said Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the federation, in a statement.

The Easter statistics here are based on a survey of 8,372 U.S. adult consumers conducted March 1-6.

CAMPAIGN REASONING

“The national security threat at the border is Joe Biden’s fault,” declared a brief statement released Wednesday by Make America Great Again, a political organization associated with former President Donald Trump’s campaign.

“Joe Biden’s own Border Patrol chief told the nation on Sunday that the wide open southern border is a ’national security threat.’ On Monday, when asked about Chief Jason Owens’ comments, White House spokesman John Kirby said, ’There’s only so much that he can do through executive action,’” the organization said in a statement released Monday.

“Joe Biden has actually done plenty through executive action. Joe Biden reversed the successful Trump policies that protected our nation from illegal immigration. As DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, ’We have rescinded so many Trump immigration policies, it would take so much time to list them,’” the statement continued.

“Executive actions taken by Joe Biden include halting construction of the border wall, suspending deportations, ending Remain in Mexico policy, and reinstating catch-and-release. The national security threat at the border is Joe Biden’s fault,” it concluded.

The group’s website is MAGAPac.org.

THE BIAS CONTINUES

A new in-depth study by Newsbusters.org — a conservative media watchdog — reveals yet another case of biased news coverage.

“Washington Week with The Atlantic — public television’s taxpayer-funded weekly political roundtable analyzing the major news stories of the week — is brazen enough to tout itself as ’objective, known for its depth, balance, and civil discourse.’ But a review of six months of episodes after the launch of Washington Week’s partnership with The Atlantic magazine proved liberalism still reigns over the public airwaves,” wrote Clay Waters, an analyst who monitors political bias on PBS and National Public Radio.

He found that 88 of the 157 topics addressed in the study period focused on Republicans, while 38 focused on Democrats.

“The panelists spent 149 minutes opining about Republicans,” Mr. Waters wrote, adding that 90% of the coverage was negative in tone or content.

“The Democrats received just 66 minutes of opinionated commentary, split much more evenly (57% negative vs. 43% positive). Republicans were branded as ’extreme’ 11 times over the study period, Democrats none,” the analyst said.

“The numbers reveal the show’s strikingly negative treatment of Republican figures and entities, coupled with a marked disinterest in stories involving Democrats besides President Biden,” he said.

“Comments about Republicans, of which there were 149 minutes worth, tilted strongly negative, with evaluative statements nearly 90% negative versus just 10% positive for the GOP. Panelists described Republicans as “extreme” or “extremist” 11 times over the study period, often in reference to the right flank of House Republicans. There were zero references to Democratic extremism,” Mr. Waters said.

“Republicans in Congress also received plenty of coverage, and near-universal condemnation, with a staggering 99% of commentary skewing negative,” he wrote.

Find this analysis and more at Newsbusters.org.

‘STARTLING STATS’

Well, here’s some more numbers to consider.

The House Committee on Homeland Security released a “Startling Stats” fact sheet on Tuesday, clearly detailing U.S. Customs and Border Protection border encounter numbers for February 2024.

Here’s what they found.

“Last month marked three years since Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ first month in office and the worst February in decades for border encounters – both nationwide (256,094) and at the Southwest border (189,922). In February 2024, the Biden administration officially surpassed a shocking nine million border crossings nationwide, not including the more than 1.8 million gotaways,” the fact sheet said.

And “gotaways,” of course, refers to those border crossers who indeed got away from law enforcement officers.

Curious? Read previous “Startling Stats” fact sheets at homeland.house.gov/border-startling-stats.

POLL DU JOUR

• 38% of U.S. adults say inflation is the issue which is most important to them personally; 42% of Republicans, 40% of independents and 33% of Democrats agree.

• 21% cite immigration as most important; 35% of Republicans, 16% of independents and 10% of Democrats agree.

• 10% cite crime; 9% of Republicans, 9% of independents and 13% of Democrats agree.

• 9% cite climate change; 2% of Republicans, 10% of independents and 15% of Democrats agree.

• 8% cite abortion; 4% of Republicans, 9% of independents and 11% of Democrats agree.

• 6% cite racial equity; 3% of Republicans, 8% of independents and 7% of Democrats agree.

• 5% cite curbing guns; 1% of Republicans, 6% of independents and 8% of Democrats agree.

• 2% cite parental rights in schools; 3% of Republicans, 1% of independents and 1% of Democrats agree.

• 1% cite Israel; 1% of Republicans, 2% of independents and 1% of Democrats agree.

SOURCE: A Harvard Center for American Political Study/Harris Poll/Harris X poll of 2,111 registered U.S. voters conducted March 20-21.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin, on Facebook @HarperUniverse.