On Wednesday, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) not only fielded questions from adversarial reporters at a Michigan rally but also transformed their queries into powerful arguments against his opponents, energizing the crowd, while a question from a New York Times reporter about the nation’s economic situation ignited a particularly fiery response from the Trump running mate.
The reporter asked about the latest economic data, which showed inflation to be under 3%, the lowest since mid-2021. The question was meant to be a simple request for comment, but Vance used it as an opportunity to criticize the current administration. “I wanted to ask you about the latest economic news from this morning, with inflation now being under 3%, the lowest rate since mid-2021. What is your reaction to that news?” the Times reporter asked. (see video below)
“Well, I think the crowd reaction says it all,” Vance began, gesturing to the energized audience’s audible boos to the question. “Look, when they say that inflation is down, they mean from a baseline where groceries are already 30% more expensive than they were when Donald Trump was president. And they’re not saying it’s coming down, they’re just saying it’s not going up as fast as it was three years ago. That is not a reputation or a record to brag on, that’s a record to be ashamed of.”
Inflation moderated in July, showing a significant drop in prices for essentials like food, energy, and both new and used cars. The U.S. Department of Labor’s report on Wednesday indicated that the consumer price index, which tracks inflation, rose by 2.9% compared to the previous year — meaning Vance is correct, inflation still rose, just not as much. There would have to be a period of deflation for prices to go back to where they were before the Biden-Harris administration and two years’ worth of Democrat control of Congress.
“Why did it take them so long to get inflation to where it is, and why are prices so high? It’s because Kamala Harris failed to do her job,” Vance said. “So if they want to go around and this is, you know, it’s funny… Kamala Harris on the one hand will say on day one we’re going to tackle the affordability crisis and like I said earlier Kamala Harris has been the vice president for three and a half years, and I think, ladies and gentlemen, she’s in effect been the acting president because we all know Joe Biden isn’t home. So she’s been the one controlling government policy for three and a half years.”
“She says she wants to tackle the affordability crisis on day one, and then on the other hand, she’ll say, well, we’ve already got inflation under control. Well, which is it, Kamala? Which is it?” Vance asked. “The simple truth is America’s credit card debt is getting higher. Americans are finding the basic necessities in middle-class life less affordable. Americans are becoming, especially young people, are becoming paupers in their own country. If we don’t do better, our young generation, they’re not going to own anything, they’re not going to have anything, they’re going to be renters in the country that their parents and grandparents built. Inflation is a disaster.”
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Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.