As voters prepare to go to the polls, inflation has ballooned under President Joe Biden’s policies. That is not something Jake Ford, a Pennsylvania high school social studies teacher, had considered in past elections.
“When times are good, it’s easy to forget. Like the past four years, pre-pandemic, the economy was roaring, and we never really questioned it,” Ford told The Epoch Times at a rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. “We never really had problems with gas prices and we never noticed the troubles that we are now having with high grocery costs. I feel like these tough times expose everything.”
Now Ford says he feels the tightening economy every day.
“Just as all Pennsylvanians are struggling, I am too. A lot of people are paycheck to paycheck. We see it when we pump our gas. We see it at the checkout at the grocery store. It’s ridiculous. And we know that all the policies that the left is supporting are doing us no good.”
Elect People ‘Who Didn’t Shut Us Down’
Angela Miller has seen the struggles of small businesses firsthand. She owns her own business helping other businesses lower their credit card processing fees.“I see lots of businesses that are struggling because of the high inflation prices on food, especially restaurants and market stands,” Miller told The Epoch Times.
In Lancaster County, many farms and farmer’s markets sell fresh cooked barbecue chicken meals on Saturdays, but the cost of a case of chicken has tripled or even quadrupled in price, she noted.
Unfortunately, she said, some businesses have closed.
“I absolutely believe the economy should be playing into your decision of who you decide to elect this coming election, and even in 2024,” Miller said. “We really need to be mindful that we’re electing people who didn’t shut us down, that supported opening us up, and allowing the people to make the choices.”
Inflation Can Steal the American Dream
Rebeca Lazar is a single mother and a blogger feeling inflation on all fronts.
“It definitely affects the groceries. It affects the gas. It affects even going places with my children,” Lazar told The Epoch Times. “My son who is in wrestling now, coming up this season, it’s going to affect all the travel, with all the tournaments going on. It affects our light bills and affects every part of my house.”
Her faith in God keeps her from being fearful about the future, but Lazar says inflation makes her more proactive in thinking about how she can help her community.
“One of the greatest things about America is we always thrive,” Lazar said. “My family came from Romania, which was a communist country, in ’85, and we got to have the American dream because of such a good economy.”
People Are Struggling
Gilbert McDonald, who is retired from finance work, says that for now, he has been able to afford inflation, but he worries about those who can’t.“I don’t like spending 80 or 90 dollars to fill up my car. But I feel tremendous empathy for people that aren’t in my situation, that can’t afford inflation,” McDonald told The Epoch Times. “Like my mother who’s 96, who is on Social Security and makes it paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes I have to help her. My kids are 35 and 32. I know they’re both struggling.”
McDonald said he doesn’t know how low-wage earners are getting by and that the economy is the No. 1 issues for voters. McDonald, who is pro-life, says issues like abortion don’t affect people every day, but the economy does.
“We need a drastic change in this country, like big time, right now.”
