If life feels more expensive than it used to, that’s because it is. Groceries, gas, and back-to-school supplies all cost more than they did a few months ago. These higher costs make one thing clear: Democrats work to ease the burden on everyday Idahoans, while Republicans protect the ultra-wealthy, no matter the consequences.

When the pandemic disrupted global supply chains and drove inflation up, Democrats acted. They knew working people and small business owners were doing their part and deserved leaders willing to do theirs. Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act with zero Republican votes, expanded the child tax credit, sent direct relief to families, made health insurance more affordable, capped insulin at $35 a month for seniors, gave Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, and invested in infrastructure and manufacturing to create good jobs here at home and jump-start the economy.

The result? Inflation in the U.S. fell faster than in every other major economy, and job growth hit its highest rate in 50 years.

Now, just six months into Republican control, that progress is slipping away. Inflation is skyrocketing, and job growth is slowing. This time, it is not a global problem. It is the direct result of Trump’s reckless economic agenda: mass firings, chaotic strongman tactics that scare off investment and crush consumer confidence, and tariffs that tax businesses and families alike. Companies pay more for goods, pass those costs on to customers, and you end up footing the bill.

In the first half of this year alone, Idaho companies paid $41 million more in tariffs than during the same period in 2024, a 150% jump. For a Moscow shop that makes tool belts, it meant a $78,000 tariff bill on a $50,000 order of materials. For a Boise family importing curry paste, costs jumped 25% overnight. And still, Idaho’s Republican senators refuse to join Senate Democrats working to end Trump’s tariff mess.

Instead of fixing the problem, Trump is trying to hide it. He fired the Commissioner of Labor Statistics for reporting accurate job numbers, nominated an unqualified loyalist to replace him, and even floated the idea of suspending the jobs report altogether to keep bad news out of the headlines.

Idahoans are seeing through the cover-ups. Last November, 67% backed Trump at the polls. Today, barely half approve of his handling of the economy.

We don’t have to accept higher costs as a fact of life. Right now, they are the result of political choices, and Republicans in power are making the wrong ones. We can choose leaders who tackle problems head-on, invest in our communities, and put working families first. That choice starts at the ballot box.

Onward,

Lauren Necochea
Idaho Democratic Party Chair