Sharice Davids: Trump called affordability a ‘hoax.’ But Kansans are struggling | Opinion

This month, President Donald Trump called affordability a “hoax,” a “con job” and a “scam.” Meanwhile, Kansas families are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing costs, especially during the holidays.

In Washington, too many decision-makers simply don’t feel these price increases themselves. When you’re wealthy and insulated, affordability becomes just another message in a polished campaign ad — not a reality you have to live with.

And we see it from both parties. Just this week, after promising signals — even from the president — about extending Affordable Care Act health care tax breaks, both parties fell back into partisan bills that were never going anywhere. Meanwhile, families face premiums that could double on Jan. 1. I’m supporting bipartisan legislation to actually get this done, but that’s not what we’re seeing from politicians who have never had to worry about a health insurance bill.

Too many in Washington are out of touch. They don’t get what it feels like to choose between groceries and a medical bill. But Kansas families do. And they are the ones paying the price.

I grew up watching my single mom count every dollar at the grocery store and put items back on the shelf when our budget went over. She negotiated with utility companies for a few extra days to pay the bill. Each morning, she hoped the car would start because we couldn’t afford a repair.

That’s real life. Tens of thousands of hardworking Kansas families live like this today — even if many lawmakers in Washington have never had to.

And while families like mine were scraping to cover basic needs, billionaires were adding zeros to their bank accounts — a gap that has only grown as Kansans struggle just to fill up their gas tank today.

The numbers tell the same story. In 2024, a Kansan needed $85,000 to live comfortably. Today, just one year later, that number has risen by more than $3,000. Kansas had the sixth-highest rent increase in 2023, and home electricity costs have risen by 30% since 2021.

At the same time, billionaires continue to enjoy unfair tax breaks and hardworking families are pushed to the edge. People delay medical care, work multiple jobs, skip child care and see the dream of owning a home slip further away. These aren’t abstract statistics — they are everyday realities that too many in Washington simply don’t experience.

Fixing affordability is hard, but it’s possible when we listen and stay grounded in what families actually face.

Take grocery prices: I’ve urged the administration to roll back reckless tariffs that make food more expensive, worked across party lines to help Kansas farmers grow and deliver food more affordably, and supported the Price Gouging Prevention Act to stop corporations from exploiting families.

These aren’t slogans. They’re action. And families need action now.

That looks like making sure large corporations earning record profits finally pay their fair share in taxes.

It looks like strengthening apprenticeships to get people into well-paying jobs now.

It looks like banning inside stock trading by members of Congress.

It looks like supporting farmers and agricultural programs to reduce food waste and lower prices.

It looks like investing in early childhood education and day care programs so parents can work.

It looks like helping first-time homebuyers and ensuring seniors keep more of their investment when downsizing.

Talking about affordability has its place — it shows we hear the challenges families are facing. But too many in Washington can only talk about it. They’ve never felt it. And therefore, they don’t take it seriously.

Words alone aren’t enough. We need leaders who understand what rising costs actually mean for real people — and who are willing to do the work.

Families don’t need empty promises. They need action. They need it now. And I will fight every day to make sure Washington finally delivers.