High Prices Leaving Dark Mark on Families

Feb. 25, 2024

A sizeable number of families across the country are hurting financially – no matter if the experts and certain media observers insist the economy is booming.

“It’s hard times for most folks I know.” – Independent from Middletown, Ohio

“My family is drowning and we aren’t alone.” – Democrat from Black Canyon City, Ariz.

“It’s defeating and incredibly sad to work as hard as we do, get raises, but are struggling. Food costs are almost unbearable.” – Independent from Bishopville, S.C.

The common thread running through these and many more statements, all collected from Our Common Purpose’s just completed nationwide survey on the 2024 presidential election, is the higher cost of living.

Respondents say they are stressed not only by the high cost of food but also housing, utilities, gasoline, all types of insurance. A large number of their comments, which in the past have been referred to here as “Voices of America,” were plaintive. More than a few were desperate. One respondent talked of doing something drastic. Another, unfortunately, was openly suicidal.

The hardship and angst they’re feeling isn’t accepted by the liberal media observers who staunchly believe any negative assessment of the economy is off-base. This is the know-it-alls telling people what they should be thinking rather than going to the trouble of looking into what they are thinking. How, they ask, could anyone reasonably complain with employment so high, the stock market at all-time highs, and inflation supposedly now so under control? They mockingly describe the condition we have not as the recession that was feared but as a “vibe-cession.”

No question, there’s plenty of bad vibes going around. It’s hard to explain away data such as that coming out of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard that claims 650,000 people are homeless and 42 million households are “cost-burdened” – meaning they pay more than one-third of their income for housing.

Much to the dismay of President Biden, the crisis of high costs might be the best thing going for Donald Trump. A near majority of the respondents to the poll feel they are worse off today than they were three years ago. And of those with that negative outlook, two-thirds say they will vote for Trump.

Overall, the just-completed Our Common Purpose poll shows Trump leading Biden, 47% to 39%, with 10% favoring third-party candidates and 5% undecided. The nationwide canvass of 1,550 voters, conducted by Survey USA Feb. 10-12, has a margin of error of +/- 3.2%.

An important caveat bears mention. Up to one-third of the electorate say they are wavering or undecided. In particular, supporters of third-party candidates might re-evaluate their votes. Based on past experience, Survey USA believes those voters will eventually opt for a candidate who can feasibly become President.  Things could change before November, but for now Trump has a distinct edge.

The comments provided by poll respondents show that in some corners, partisanship is alive and nasty. Some statements are pure GOP animus, occasionally expressed with gutter profanity. In their minds, Biden has never and will never do anything right. Conversely, other respondents acknowledged they are doing just fine financially, in part due to the booming stock market. They gave credit to Biden.

For example, just to highlight the difference, these two responses came in one right after the other:

“I hate it and can’t wait til Biden gets out.” – Independent from Laurel, Miss.

“I don’t think enough has been said of the accomplishments of Pres. Biden.” – Democrat from North Babylon, NY.

Even putting aside those who are eager to assess blame or credit, there’s no getting away from the elephant in the room. A full 92% of voters responding to this poll consider the economy to be a very important or critical issue. Their biggest beef is with inflation – or rather the increased prices that came from inflation.

This angst isn’t exclusively owned by one political party or the other. To the fortunate, high prices are simply aggravating. To those without a financial safety net, the implications are far more serious.

“We don’t have enough money to survive or to pay our bills.” – Republican from South Portland, Maine

“We can’t afford groceries anymore. You have to choose which bills to pay and sometimes you have to choose whether you’re going to pay the bills or buy groceries.” – Independent from Louisa, Ky.

“If prices of rents and food don’t drop, I will have to do something drastically.” – Democrat from Lawrenceville, GA.

Among the hardest hit are the elderly. The cost-of-living increases in Social Security aren’t keeping up with the cost of living.

“Just feels like I can’t afford to live and, being elderly, this scares the hell out of me!” – 73-year-old Democrat from Bakersfield, Calif.

“People on fixed incomes have to choose to eat or pay bills. We get very small COLA in our social security checks, and what little we get is sucked up by Medicare.” – 69-year-old Republican from Uvalda, Ga.

But it’s not just the seniors. Young people are also feeling the pinch.

“Utilities are up $110 from last year. Gas for the car is up. Insurance is up. Food prices way up on needed items. I just can’t keep up any more.” – 19-year-old Republican from New Richmond, Wis.

“Makes getting groceries a tooth-pulling miserably stressful task, knowing you’ll have to blow a ridiculous amount of money for far less groceries than you would even a year ago.” – 20-year-old Democrat from Midland, Mich.

Few if any are buying that this is over.

“Food prices keep rising even though the government says differently.” – Republican from Gipsonburg, Ohio

“I keep hearing inflation has dropped but the $0.49 can of vegetables increased to $0.79 and is now $0.89. That is NOT going down!” – Independent from Merritt Island, Fla.

“Need some de-flation.” – Democrat from Farmingville, N.Y.

To be clear, these laments do not reflect every reply to the survey.  A sizeable number do not offer any further comment. As outlined earlier, a number of others either attack or defend the President’s record. A few mention being laid off and the difficulties of finding work.

But the theme repeated over and over is the damage done by higher prices. The litany of complaints makes clear that many across the country have been and continue to be impacted. While certain media observers might not want to hear it, here’s the bottom line:

“Grocery prices are just way too high. Until those come down, nobody is going to have a good attitude about the economy.” – Democrat from Opelika, Ala.

The consequences, quiet as they might be, are felt every day.  As such, they will bear heavily on the 2024 presidential election.