With the effects of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic far from behind us, we all knew things would be tough financially for a while. I mean, months out of work and business doors closed don’t make up for themselves overnight, do they?
And, according to the liberal left, including the White House, that’s exactly what our financial situation is, a simple lull in our booming economy as we get back on the path to normal. But, of course, they would see it that way. Tucked away in the Washington D.C. mansions, shielded by the generous salaries doled out by taxpayers, they have no idea what living in the real world is like right now.
But what we’re seeing isn’t quite so simple or mediocre, is it?
Out here, where real American workers live and eke out a survival, things are as bad as ever. We have the receipts to prove it. And no, we can’t just say it’s all pandemic-related.
According to The Washington Post, consumer prices have increased by some 5.3 percent in August alone compared to this time last year. And while those same experts noticing the rise in spending have hoped that the upward trend will soon decrease, that’s not exactly what most of us are seeing.
Take Allison, for example.
According to the New York Post, who has followed her story, she’s a hardworking, married mother of two with a career in education. But that career, nor her husband’s job, seems to be making ends meet anymore. Even simple trips to the grocery store, which used to cost her only around $70, are now much higher.
She says, “I used to spend $70 a week, but all of the sudden this summer, I noticed that I couldn’t leave the store without spending at least $120.”
Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that bills aren’t getting paid for Allison and her family, at least not yet. For her, it simply means “no more splurges like going to Home Depot to buy an extra plant or eating out.”
However, a day soon may come that other things, more essential things, might need to be cut out of the family’s budget.
As I said, she’s one of the lucky ones. Unfortunately, for others, things are already to that point and worse.
And no wonder with consumer prices being what they are.
According to Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi, the average American family spends an additional $175 a month because of 30-year high inflation. That’s basically another entire car payment, full groceries, or even a utility bill.
Even shopping centers like Dollar General are being forced to significantly raise their prices. Coffee and milk are up by more than 10 percent, on average, nationwide in the stores. And in most Southwest locations, a 12-pack of Coke will cost you about 20 percent more than usual.
The same increase in prices can be seen in its competitor, Dollar Tree, where everything is supposed to be, or at least used to be, priced at a dollar or less. Here, prices are going up for the first time in over 30 years.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa noticed the change and immediately called it out for what it is: Inflation plain and simple.
He tweeted out, “Dollar Tree raising prices on some items to above $1 How can Pres Biden still claim inflation not happening? Pres Biden: u can’t spend $6 trillion it’s like throwing gasoline on the inflation fires.”
And speaking of gasoline, that’s another huge problem right now in spending.
According to the American Automobile Association, national gas prices on Wednesday were as high as they’ve been since October 2014, at $3.22 a gallon. And for natural gas and propane, the trend is not much different. According to the Epoch Times, natural gas prices haven’t been this high since 2008.
Of course, it’s only expected to get worse as we enter the colder winter months ahead.
At least Biden seems to be somewhat concerned about this, as he’s made several comments on it. Although, he continues to blame the pandemic and “profiteers” rather than his own ill-advised decision to make America even more dependent on foreign energy sources such as Russia and Europe, which, thanks to last year’s cold winter months, are already experiencing a shortage.
He might be fooling his fellow leftists and the media, but out here in the real world, we all know the truth. Biden and his ilk have continually put their own needs and wants ahead of America’s. And our rising receipts and gas bills are cold hard proof.
