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Previous The DSA Agenda; Costly and Dangerus	Affordability and the U.S. Ecomomy	Next: The Pencil, how the free maket works
Published by The Post Newspaper Published: October 28, 2026
Affordability! It’s an issue in the midterm elections: gas prices are up but falling; younger people often can’t afford homes; rents are retreating though still high. Inflation minus food and energy is stable at 2%. For the first time this decade, wages are out stripping inflation. So, what’s the “real story” about our economy and affordability? First, A Side Bar: Wholesale gas prices in Texas are now below $3 per gallon. Diesel fuel remains high and this impacts the price of food. Agriculture relies heavily on diesel fuel for its farm equipment thereby raising the cost for food itself. Additionally, the cost of getting these commodities and products to market rely upon diesel fuel. These factors are impacting the cost of food. There are two primary reasons for the shortage of diesel fuel and, by extrapolation, the high cost for it. First, Russia and Ukraine have been targeting each other’s oil and refining infrastructure taking refineries off line. Second, California Governor Newsom (D) has taken at least two refineries off line in the last 12 months. The reduction of the availability of these refining assets is directly impacting the availability diesel fuel. Most of the crude oil we are getting is “light” not “heavy” reducing the capability to produce diesel fuel. This is one reason why the importation of Venezuelan crude, which is “heavy,” was such an important move by the President. Now back to the story: So how strong and viable is our economy? Well, let’s start with inflation. The problem has always been Congress. It doesn’t matter which Party controls it. Both have an insatiable hunger for spending. The president doesn’t control spending, Congress does! That said, when a president encourages spending that isn’t tied to growth (i.e. productivity), and when Congress goes along with it, one of two things has to happen. First, more revenue needs to be generated through economic growth or -- God forbid -- by increasing taxes. Or second, if this does happen then the government must borrow what it doesn’t have, thereby raising the debt and its associated servicing costs or create money (i.e., “fiat money” that increases the money supply out of thin air). The latter results in high inflation. We are still experiencing the aftermath of the Biden-era out-of-control spending. The Washington Post recently carried an OpEd piece that clearly explained how 80% of the inflation in 2026 is still a residue from Biden spending. For many years the spending of “fiat money” is what we have been witnessing. During Democrat “rulers,” U.S. productivity failed, often embarrassingly, and the resultant inflation becomes out of control. With this as a backdrop, how is our economy really doing? Many are saying it’s strong and growing. Recently the Washington Times noted President Trump has brought home lots of jobs and billions of dollars in investment, even to bluest of blue states. He is delivering an economic windfall to political leaders who’ve spent years battling his agenda. In California, New York, Illinois and other democrat-controlled states, companies are pouring money into factories, technology centers, and other projects, creating opportunities for workers in places where Trump remains deeply unpopular. These investments strengthen our economy and increase our productivity. Since Trump returned to office, roughly $670 billion in announced, or completed, investments have gone into the 19 states that voted for Kamala Harris, most of these states currently have democrat governors. This number doesn’t include the $1 trillion for new investment projects in both red and blue states. Projects like a $500 billion Apple investment that will create jobs in California, Oregon, Texas and Kentucky. Another $50 billion investment in the U.S. to establish research centers here has also been announced with California, Massachusetts, Indiana and North Carolina being beneficiaries. The $670 million investment is estimated to create more than 400,000 direct jobs and potentially an additional 1 million indirect jobs. According to the national Association of manufacturers’ (NAM) data, 2.4 million manufacturing jobs were saved because of the tax incentives in Trump‘s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In Summation: So, even though gas prices are high; Trump‘s actions continue to grow the economy. Trump‘s tariff policies have also benefited the U.S. economy. Cleaning up the mess from the missteps made in the 1970s under President Jimmy Carter, and subsequent administrations, will take time. Unfortunately, the mess we are left with is masking what many incorrectly see as our real economy. The truth is, the “real economy” is getting better and the Trump economic initiatives are working; we need to continue the course he has set.


	About the Authors/Columnists 2026 Bill and Mark have written over 300 guest columns and editorials together over the last ten years for numerous publications across the country and they continue to do so. Bill lives in Texas and Mark, a former Texan, currently resids in Idaho. Both gentlemen ran against each other in the 2012 Republican Primary for Texas Congressional District 14. Since then they have become close friends and colleagues

Feedback from former employee of The Univesity of Texas Medical Branch currently living in Galveston County: As always, you guys are spot on. One of the simplest explanations of the inherent failings and shortcomings of Socialism involves an analogy about a swimming pool. Taxing the wealthy is like taking water from the deep end of the pool and pumping into the shallow end of the pool, and expecting the water level to rise. It's just not going to happen! I am reminded of what George Wills famously said, "England is an island made of coal surrounded by a sea full of fish. In less than 10-years of being under Socialism, there were both coal and fish shortages in England." 'Nuff said. Where I live on Galveston Island I've noticed a lot of Talarico yard signs. To me, it's like putting a sign in my yard saying, "I want to pay more taxes because the government knows how to spend my money better than I do." I just don't get it! Comments from a former Congressional Chief of Staff residing in Arizona Bill and Mark’s “Affordability and the U.S. Economy” raises a number of excellent points. The “In Summation” section captures the central argument: “the Trump economic initiatives are working, and we need to continue the course he has set!” While this article correctly identifies Congress’s “insatiable hunger for spending” as a major contributor to inflation, I would emphasize that Congress has also failed in one of its central constitutional responsibilities: passing regular appropriations bills. In 46 of the last 49 fiscal years, Congress has failed to complete this process for all appropriations bills. Only under the leadership of President Clinton and Speaker Newt Gingrich did we have a balanced budge. Also important, Congressional continuing resolutions (CRs) have allowed Billions of dollars in government spending to continue, including funding for programs and expenditures that the Trump administration has identified as wasteful, fraudulent, or abusive. Do you think that could have contributed to today’s inflation? The article failed to address a critical issue (gas prices). That is where the Legacy Media has focused relentless and overwhelmingly negative coverage of Trump, with more than 90% of major new coverage reportedly taking a negative tone. What happened to the principles of balance and fairness in political reporting, particularly when coverage focuses on portraying gas prices as Trump’s Achilles’ heel heading into the midterm elections? Their coverage ignores the fact that peak gas prices under Biden were 14.4% higher than current prices under Trump, while they give less attention to the broader issue of holding Congress accountable for inflation. Clearly Trump’s policies are expanding domestic energy production, reducing regulatory costs, encouraging domestic and foreign investment, and using tariffs and trade negotiations to pursue more favorable trade terms. Together, these measures aim to strengthen the economy, expand domestic production capacity, and ease inflationary pressures. In addition, securing the border against illegal immigration and prioritizing public safety are important components of the administration’s broader agenda, with potential implications for public resources, economic stability, and community well-being. But the legacy news coverage remains focused on high gas prices at the pump! The midterm elections will be a defining test of whether voters want to continue the America First agenda and the mission to Make America Great Again—or go backwards to the Biden-era. Texas will play a pivotal role in that decision!