Questions The Media Should Be Asking Democrats About Affordability

Democrats promise to lower costs, but journalists rarely ask them to explain their policies—or account for the soaring prices under Biden.

Jack Hellner | October 30, 2026

Two things are missing from almost every media report attacking President Trump over affordability: acknowledgment that Democrats supported Biden’s policies during the inflation surge, which left Americans paying substantially higher prices, and any serious examination of which Democrat policies would actually make life more affordable.

If Democrats regain power, their policies could make things worse.

According to a recent article, House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries promises to lower grocery, gasoline, housing, and health care costs. “We are explicitly promising to fight for an affordable America,” he said.

Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer similarly promises to lower costs while keeping Trump in check.

Wouldn’t good journalists ask Jeffries and Schumer which Biden policies they would change and what new policies they would propose? Since journalists seem reluctant to ask these questions, here are some suggestions.

Let’s start with the economy and inflation.

Didn’t Obama preside over one of the slowest economic recoveries in modern American history?

Wasn’t the American economy recovering rapidly during the final months of 2020, with approximately 12 million jobs restored after the COVID shutdowns? And wasn’t annual inflation only 1.4% in December 2020?

Why, then, did Democrats portray Biden as inheriting a disastrous economy to justify their $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, despite the recovery already underway?

Why didn’t the media run endless stories about affordability and Biden’s policies during the 2022 election, when inflation reached 9.1%? The inflation surge helped force the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, making houses, cars, and other major purchases less affordable.

And why do journalists rarely explain that lower inflation today doesn’t mean prices have returned to their previous........

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