Following the 230,000 ton Ever Given getting stuck in the Suez canal due to a 30mph gust of wind and poor visibility, the Colonial pipeline has been sabotaged by hackers. The pipeline depends on a complex computer program to determine whether its valve should be in the "on" position or the "off" position. A backup computer was available but it was switched off.

No explanation for how they managed to get the pipeline operational again is given. Presumably, they've used Homer Simpson's Dippy Bird to press the button:

Empty TEU containers are being held hostage as well as being reported as falling off ships.

The "stimmy-checks" are effectively a new and much higher minimum wage which adds to inflation pressures.