Commentary

Opinion: There’s good reason to be thankful: Democrats are no longer in charge of the People’s House

2 min
November 21, 2022
By Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA.)

The 2022 midterm elections are over. Inflation is at 7.7 percent. President Biden says he’ll do nothing differently.

That’s where we stand entering this Thanksgiving weekend.

But in true holiday fashion, there’s good reason to be thankful this year: Democrats are no longer in charge of the People’s House.

Biden may hope to do nothing, but we’ve put an end to his one-party rule.

Let’s look at how we got here.

During the Trump Administration, our economy boomed to unprecedented heights, strengthened by record-low unemployment rates for women, African Americans, and other minorities. Low-income and blue-collar workers saw a 16 percent increase in pay, and our national inflation rate was 1.4 percent. Americans also enjoyed an average of $2.39/gallon to fill their tank.

Under Biden’s leadership, families are shelling out $3.70/gallon or more at the pump, real wages have been significantly reduced by inflation, and the White House has failed to meet GDP expectations in all but one quarter of his presidential term. Americans have watched as their retirement savings fell by $34,000 in the past two years.

But it doesn’t stop there. Our nation’s cost of living is skyrocketing, with Americans paying the price to the tune of thousands of dollars each year. Pennsylvanians are also being hit hard by Biden’s inflation crisis, as they are forced to spend an extra $621 per month to make up the difference. Those are dollars that could have gone to setting the Thanksgiving table, which was already a near-record expense last year. On Thursday, it will be even worse.

Sadly, these are not just hypothetical situations. They are the reality for millions of Americans.

According to a poll from West Health and Gallup conducted earlier this year, nearly 40 percent of respondents — accounting for 98 million people — have had to cut back on travel, food, utilities, and skipped medical treatments due to Democrats’ self-inflicted inflation nightmare.

That is both outrageous and maddening.

As we approach the beginning of a new Congress, Republicans are ready to hold the Biden administration accountable for its many failures. Gone are the days of Nancy Pelosi’s endless spending sprees, taxpayer funded payoffs to liberal allies, and turning a blind eye to the struggles seen on Main Street.

Let’s be clear: Inflation will only go down if we stop Biden, Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader  Chuck Schumer’s wasteful spending — and that’s exactly what the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives will accomplish.

America has a lot of work to do, and it won’t be easy. While Republicans now control the House, Democrats still hold the Senate and the White House. That’s why our work in Congress is so vital. My colleagues and I are one of the last roadblocks preventing Biden and Democrats from continuing their destruction of the American Dream and the country we all know and love.