Elected officials throughout the country are failing to help their constituents, which is their job. Right now in the United States, too many people in power work instead to represent corporate interests, billionaire donors, and an oligarch class focused on preserving its advantages.
It is a betrayal that millions of ordinary Americans feel every day.
We see it at the store, as tariffs have caused the price of products to skyrocket. We feel it at the gas pump, where the national average price per gallon rests well over $4. We notice it in the costs of child care and health care, which are unaffordable for many working families.
On top of it all, President Donald Trump recently declared that it’s “not possible” for the federal government to fund Medicare and Medicaid and cover child care costs because “We’re fighting wars.”
The Trump Administration has escalated a war in Iran with no clear way out, and we’re all paying the price. Working people’s tax dollars are being poured into violence abroad while families here struggle to survive on their already-tight budgets.
For example, the war in Iran is estimated to have already cost the government $29 billion. Federal immigration enforcement funding has also climbed, with an additional $70 billion allocated to the forces as communities reel from raids and senseless killings in the streets. Operations in Venezuela, the Caribbean, and beyond cost $4.7 billion.
But instead of feeling the brunt of these decisions, our policymakers are finding ways to benefit themselves. Trump is criticized for using the presidency to enrich himself and his family to the tune of billions of dollars. Recently, his former personal lawyer Todd Blanche, now acting Attorney General, signed an agreement that the Internal Revenue Service is “forever barred and precluded” from examining, auditing, or prosecuting the tax returns for Trump, his family, and his businesses.
Meanwhile, we have Trump’s Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, promoting his reality TV series following his family’s road trips while families struggle to pay for gas to get to a job that barely pays for necessities.
Instead of paying for wars against other nations, policymakers should be reaffirming their support for Medicaid, Medicare, and child care. Instead of sending the National Guard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to U.S. cities, they should support affordable housing initiatives and paid leave and living wage policies that will allow families to support themselves and uplift the economy in the process. They should regulate large data centers and utility rates so that we don’t pay more than our fair share.
Implementing policies that benefit the working class requires listening to constituencies across local, state, and federal jurisdictions. It is crucial that our leaders refocus their priorities. They should reduce spending that only benefits the rich and powerful and instead invest in our communities.
As we approach the midterm season, we must evaluate candidates and elected officials closely. This is our chance to fight for our values. Everyone who is able should show policymakers that our priorities lie with the everyday working people and families who make the country run. We must call their offices to tell them we want robust investments in our communities. And finally, we must turn out at the polls to support the candidates and policies we want.
We will not be silent. As politicians turn their back on most Americans, we have a duty to speak up and show up in great numbers. Now is the time. Remember, our government works for us, and their jobs are on the line. If we show up in solidarity to demand investment in their constituents, lawmakers will have no choice but to listen to us.
This column was produced for Progressive Perspectives, a project of The Progressive magazine, and distributed by Tribune News Service.