The U.S. affordability crisis is multifaceted and has been growing for 45 years, caused by low pay and high prices. Many factors have been depressing workers’ pay including the failure to raise the minimum wage, the weakening of unions, globalization, gig work, and reduced competition for workers.

The affordability crisis in the U.S. has many factors pushing up prices, including premiumization of markets, profit-taking middlemen, and the failure to enforce antitrust laws. The Trump administration is doing nothing that affectively addresses the crisis, while many of its actions exacerbate it.

The affordability crisis (aka cost of living crisis) in the U.S. is multifaceted and has been growing for 45 years, due to low pay and high prices. There are many factors pushing up prices well beyond normal inflation, including profit-taking middlemen and privatization of public goods and services.

The U.S. affordability crisis is multifaceted and has been growing for 45 years, driven by low pay and high prices. Many factors push up prices including monopolistic price gouging, tariffs, personalized pricing driven by AI, profit-taking middlemen, privatization, and premiumization of markets.

Huge mega-companies are harmful because they have monopolistic powers. Consolidation in the media and news industry under billionaire owners is concerning because they control the information we receive. Biased “news” means voters don’t get the information they need for a well-functioning democracy.

Many Americans are worried about the cost of living. Government policies can reduce or control the costs of everyday expenses. If Democrats or others want to garner support and votes, they should aggressively promote such policies. Here are some examples.

An American oligarchy has battled for control of our country since its founding. In 1980, the American oligarchy re-emerged. Defenders of democracy are fighting back with growing protests against and resistance to King Trump. Please find and participate in an Oct. 18 No Kings protest.