"The political winds are at the backs of those ready to actually deal with the cost of living — whether Trump admits it or not."

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) wrote in Newsweek about the economic failures of Trump’s first year back in office and Democrats’ agenda for correcting course. 

You can read the entire op-ed HERE or below:

The Affordability Crisis Defined Trump’s First Year

By Katherine Clark, U.S. Representative and House Democratic Whip

"Donald Trump is really going through it.

"He recently asked a gathering of House Republicans to explain 'what the hell’s going on with the mind of the public.'

"In Trump’s mind, prices are down '1,500%' amid a long-promised golden age of American prosperity. He has, after all, given himself an 'A+++++' on the economy.

"And yet, so few outside his circle of sycophants seem to agree. Consumer sentiment has collapsed to a nearly record low, while a majority of executives expect a recession within the next year. 

"It’s not a mystery why. During his first year back in the White House, Trump has delivered three inputs to the American economy:

"Massive price hikes via tariffs.

"Cuts to health care, food assistance, utility assistance and other essential programs that would have otherwise helped people manage those price hikes.

"And huge tax cuts for the billionaire class.

"The consequences have been swift.

"The average family has already coughed up an extra $1,200 in expenses since Trump took office. Over the next year, they’re expected to lose another $2,100.

"Most family budgets simply cannot accommodate those increased costs. As a result, household debt spiked by half a trillion in the first three quarters of 2025. With shoppers forced to borrow their way through a wildly expensive holiday season, that number will rise even higher.

"None of this is encouraging for hiring managers. As a result, the job market has tightened at the precise moment when families could use a raise. 

"In 2025, job creation fell to less than a third of what Democrats delivered the year before. Layoffs hit their highest level since the pandemic. Wage growth slowed to a crawl, especially for those already making the least. And hundreds of thousands of women were pushed out of the labor force entirely — largely driven by the cost of child care.

"All of this adds up to a weak and fragile economy where the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans account for half of consumer spending.

"These indicators paint a picture of egregious mismanagement by a Republican Party whose only agenda is a hyper-concentration of wealth in the billionaire class.

"But what these numbers can’t capture in full is the sense of anxiety that has settled onto American life.

"The pervading sense that the best is behind you. That relative comfort is the stuff of nostalgia. That things aren't going to get easier.

"Trump insists that the cost-of-living crisis is a 'hoax' — while suggesting Americans should simply buy their children fewer toys and school supplies.

"Democrats have taken a different tack, and have been running and winning on solutions to bring down the cost of living.

"This economic stagnation is solvable, if we make some different choices. If we stop slapping tariffs on groceries, stop prioritizing billionaires and start passing some commonsense ideas.

"We can cut the cost of child care to $15 a day with the Child Care for Working Families Act.

"We can cut premiums with a permanent health care tax credit.

"We can cut housing costs with new affordable units, tenant protections and a feasible path to home ownership.

"We can cut utility bills by investing in affordable energy sources — while making corporate users pay their fair share when they pull from the grid.

"And we can empower working people to win bigger paychecks with a union. 

"That’s how you spur growth — by building a country where everyday people can afford to live, work and save. 

"The political winds are at the backs of those ready to actually deal with the cost of living — whether Trump admits it or not."

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