Everyone is facing the punishing effects of the current inflation crisis, which has been catalyzed by the Biden administration’s incompetence. Younger Americans like myself are especially concerned about what soaring costs and the growing threat of a recession could mean for our financial futures.
That’s why I decided to launch a congressional campaign to stop the unmitigated spending in Washington, roll back burdensome regulations, reduce red tape, and increase economic freedom. I’m running on behalf of concerned Americans, both young and old, who recognize that Democratic mismanagement is sending our economy into a downward spiral.
It started with the COVID-19 pandemic, when Democratic leaders kept their states’ economies shut down for months, leaving thousands without work.
Since then, things have only gotten worse. Last month, inflation skyrocketed to a 40-year high. The price of gas rose nearly 50%, used car prices rose 15%, and the cost of food increased by 10%. Perhaps most discouraging to my generation is the soaring cost of rent, with the average price of an apartment in cities like New York reaching $5,000 per month.
Democrats and their allies in the media have argued these crises were an inevitable consequence of the pandemic, but young people know that’s not true. It was Democratic states’ draconian lockdowns and the Biden administration’s continued push for restrictions like mask and vaccine mandates that did irreparable damage to our economy. Just look at the red states that rejected such measures. For example, Florida has a booming economy: Its unemployment rate continues to drop, thousands of new jobs are added to the private sector every month, and people from all over the country have moved into the state in droves.
The Biden administration has similarly tried to deflect blame for the soaring energy costs crushing low-income and middle-class workers. President Joe Biden has insisted that the reason people are paying more than $4 per gallon of gas is because of Russian President Vladimir Putin. But, again, young people know better. We understand that Biden’s shift away from domestic energy production and his embrace of radical environmentalism is driving the cost of gas upward.
Yet while we suffer, the Biden administration continues to lie to the public. First, Biden officials claimed that inflation was just “transitory.” Now, the administration is denying that the economy’s contraction indicates a recession.
But it doesn’t matter how the White House tries to spin the current crisis. Gen Zers see how much they’re spending at the grocery store and gas pump, and they’re feeling the pain. A recent survey of Gen Z and millennial voters found that 67% said the rising costs of fuel were their top worry — far surpassing COVID-19 or even career advancement. That same survey found half of Gen Zers are living paycheck to paycheck, and more than one-third of Gen Zers said they think it’s necessary to apply for second jobs to help brace their wallets.
Thanks to the Biden administration, young people trying to find their footing in the world are finding it difficult just to get by. The transition to adulthood is tough as it is, but Democrats’ policies are making it worse. Young Americans like myself should be planning the next steps in our lives, such as beginning to start a family or purchasing a home, but the American dream is becoming increasingly unattainable for the future of America.
If we are to reverse this trend before it’s too late, we must put Republicans like me back in the majority so that we can reimplement a robust economic agenda that prioritizes workers, lowers taxes, and puts a stop to the Biden administration’s reckless spending. Otherwise, we risk leaving an entire generation of young people unprepared to lead our nation moving forward.
Karoline Leavitt is a candidate for Congress in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
