Guest column: Your life shouldn't be this hard

By Shelley Allen, Chair, Brunswick County Democratic Party

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 10.15.26

I love the inflation,” said Trump, as inflation jumped and wages slumped. Trump has a 22% inflation approval rating because 95% of Americans have an affordability crisis. Three-quarters of Americans say Trump focuses on vanity projects, like his gilded ballroom, instead of them. Trump and his MAGA Republican enablers made your life unnecessarily harder.

REPUBLICAN TARIFFS COST YOU BILLIONS

The Federal Reserve Bank found 94% of Trump’s tariffs were passed on to you as higher prices.

Congress’ Joint Economic Committee determined Trump’s tariffs cost you $231 billion in 2025 — $1,745 per family, and $330 billion in 2026 — over $2,500 per family. The business-friendly Tax Foundation says Trump’s tariffs cost America 367,000 full-time jobs.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that tariffs are taxes only Congress can impose and ordered Trump to give back your money. Trump called the Justices “disloyal” and imposed new emergency tariffs which lasted 150 days. Then, Trump announced permanent tariffs, daring anyone to stop him.

The Wall Street Journal called it “The Dumbest Trade War in History.” After Trump’s new 50% tariffs against Canada, it said Trump’s trade war “got dumber.”

Trump’s unconstitutional tariffs cost NC $3.5 billion. NC Attorney General Jeff Jackson sued to block Trump’s latest tariffs, which will cost you another $1,100/year. It’s Jackson’s third time fighting Trump’s tariffs for you.

Sen. Tillis was the only NC Republican who opposed Trump’s tariffs — the rest supported tariffs or cowered like sheep while Trump drove Tillis into retirement.

REPUBLICANS’ IRAN WAR COST YOU MORE

On Aug. 14, 2024, in Asheville, NC, Trump vowed, “No more wars.” In his victory speech, Trump pledged, “I’m not going to start a war.”

But Trump let Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu talk him into blowing up peace negotiations and launching what 80% of Americans believe will be an extended war. Joe Rogan called it “insane based on what he ran on. This is why a lot of people feel betrayed.”

Trump’s war is killing Americans and costing you a fortune. In its June 22 report, the conservative American Enterprise Institute calculated “The Economic Costs of the Iran War” at $1,313 per American household — and counting.

Together, Trump’s unconstitutional tariffs and unnecessary war will cost your family over $3,800 this year. It gets worse — U.S. intelligence says Iran can close the Strait of Hormuz at will. Whether Iran blocks shipping entirely or charges tolls for safe passage, you will pay more — because of a needless war Trump’s MAGA Republican enablers lack the will and courage to stop.

REPUBLICANS MAKE YOUR HEALTHCARE UNAFFORDABLE

The MAGA-controlled House and Senate passed Trump’s Bonanza for Billionaires that cut taxes by over $14,700 per year for the richest 10% and over $50,000 per year for the richest 1%, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation. Forbes says Trump’s policies added $11.6 trillion to America’s record $40 trillion national debt.

Trump’s party added insult to injury by cutting $1.1 trillion from your healthcare. The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), representing 8,000 health professionals, reports MAGA Republican cuts will strip Medicaid coverage from 17 million Americans and another 7 million who relied on the Affordable Care Act.

Tillis voted “NO,” asking, “What do I tell 663,000 people in two or three years, when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off Medicaid?” Tillis warned Republicans they would pay at the polls: “Republicans are about to make a mistake on health care and betraying a promise.”

Tillis retired when his party voted for Trump’s devastating cuts. That included MAGA Republican Rep. David Rouzer, who expects you to reward him with another term!

AMCP warned that MAGA Republican cuts will close rural hospitals. Forbes reports they put 446 hospitals at risk — three in NC. Becker’s Hospital Review reports 24 hospitals closed after their cuts took effect.

DEMOCRATS THINK YOU DESERVE BETTER

Trump campaigned on “maximum affordability,” only to drive up inflation with his disastrous policies. Now, he calls affordability a “hoax.” He refused to sign a bipartisan housing affordability bill, which he called “a yawn” and “so unimportant.” Signing it would have called attention to America’s affordability crisis, making him look bad and contradicting his new message: you’re living in a “golden age.” When Trump says “this is the greatest we’ll ever be,” Americans desperately hope he’s wrong. They compare Trump’s gilded ballroom with their growing bills and cry, “enough is enough!”

Trump isn’t on the ballot this fall, but his MAGA Republican enablers are.

Michael Whatley is Trump’s hand-picked replacement for Tillis. Whatley lobbied for electric utility companies, including Duke Energy — he owns up to $445,000 in Duke stock. When Duke proposed an 18% rate hike, Whatley said nothing. Drinking water PFAS poisoner Chemours likes him, too — it’s bankrolling his campaign.

David Rouzer rooted for Trump’s war and voted against a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to end the war unless Trump got congressional authorization, as the Constitution requires.

Whatley and Rouzer will help Trump make your life harder. You can stop them.

Gov. Roy Cooper spent years defending you from higher electric rates and PFAS poisoning. His website, “Make Stuff Cost Less,” details his plan to lower the cost of food, utilities, housing, healthcare and childcare as your senator.

Dr. Kim Hardy spent years as an educator and social worker helping North Carolinians. When she replaces Rouzer in Congress, Dr. Hardy will join Cooper’s fight to lower costs.

Democrats believe you deserve better. You can begin to make it better today, Oct. 15, as early voting starts for the Nov. 3 election. Make Tillis’ warning prophetic. Elect Dr. Kim Hardy representative and Gov. Roy Cooper senator. Elect Democratic judges (Earls, Arrowood, Hampson and Walczyk) to uphold your Constitutional rights; Democratic General Assembly candidates (Combes, Nasiff and Breen) to fight for you instead of corporations; and Democratic county commissioner (Singer and Woods) and school board (Duncan and Rupp) candidates to help Brunswick County thrive.

Because your life shouldn’t be this hard.