Inflation: Indeed, It’s Changing People’s Lives
President Biden just visited Philadelphia to address the union convention of the AFL-CIO. The Politico piece covering the event was entitled “Biden strains for a message on deteriorating economy,” which aptly describes the challenge the President and congressional leaders are having while trying to navigate discussions on the economy. In his speech, President Biden dismissed the impact of massive new government spending on today’s historic inflation, saying, “I don’t want to hear any more of these lies about reckless spending—we’re changing people’s lives!” Americans for Prosperity’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Akash Chougle, noted the following in response to the President’s remarks:
“President Biden is right about one thing – peoples’ lives are being changed. They’re paying $5 per gallon for gasoline. They’re paying nearly $500 more dollars every month for groceries and other essentials. They’re scouring empty shelves and relying on family and friends for baby formula. They’re more concerned than they ever have been about the future of the country, trust in government is near all-time lows, and they’re tired of politicians telling them being worse off is for the better. The truth is, the president should be thanking every legislator that held the line against the additional $4.7 trillion they were working so hard to ram through in the fall. Imagine where we’d be if Senators Manchin and Sinema had buckled under the intense pressure to rubber stamp another so-called ‘rescue’ package. Leaders of this administration ignored every warning they received about the dangers of inflation and now they’re blaming everyone but themselves for the results. It’s clear to anyone outside of Washington that massive government spending contributed significantly to inflation – and it was happening long before Russia invaded Ukraine. We’re not going to be able to change course until we’re honest about how we got here.”
Earlier this year, in a paper asking “Why Is US Inflation Higher Than In Other Countries,” the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimated that the American Rescue Plan contributed to U.S. inflation by about 3 percentage points. For American families, this means inflation is costing the average household an extra $460.00 per month, essentially an additional tax of more than $5,500.00 this year. As the country’s largest grassroots organization, we prioritized a national legislative campaign throughout 2021 that focused on the need to “End Washington Waste” and demanded that congress “Stop the Spending Spree.” In Pennsylvania, we held large events in congressional districts from Pittsburgh to Happy Valley to Allentown. This campaign netted 800 events with over 2.6 million contacts into congress. Last month we launched our latest national campaign, “The True Cost of Washington.” Across the nation we’re hosting events at gas stations, lowering the price for an hour to Jan. 2021 prices, $2.38/gallon, when President Biden assumed office. We’re talking with folks about the policies contributing to skyrocketing prices and asking them to share the impact of the squeeze on their family. Be on the lookout for an event in Lower Burrell on June 22nd, an event in Pittsburgh on July 4th and an event in Latrobe on July 5th. Please visit www.truecostofwashington.com to learn more about the campaign and our solutions. When you select “Take Action,” you’ll be directed to a letter titled “Congress can stop inflation: Hold your legislators accountable.” Please help us eclipse the number of contacts we made to congress last year by signing and sending that letter to your member of congress today. Remember that they listened! They listened last year and we ensured Build Back Better and trillion in additional spending was staved off.
I’d like to end with an anecdote from a gentleman named Marcus that our team met at the Westmoreland Air Show this past weekend. Our booth was themed “Pay More Get Less” which allowed us to open the doors to hundreds of conversations with southwest PA residents about the true cost of many of the Biden/Shumer/Pelosi policies causing their lives to become increasing unaffordable. Marcus shared the routine he goes through to purchase gift cards at his grocery store to earn pump perks to lower the price of gas so he can continue to afford his groceries. He noted this America was one he never imagined in his wildest dreams. Americans for Prosperity will continue to connect the policies of the Biden Administration to the realities of communities across the Commonwealth. I’m Ashley Klingensmith, State Director with Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania. Find us on Facebook by searching @PAAFP and on Twitter by searching @AFPPennsylvania.
Ashley Sisca Klingensmith | State Director | Americans for Prosperity – PA
m: 412.915.1551 | e: [email protected] | @AFPPennsylvania
