Why the Cost of Living Crisis could be Democracy’s greatest threat
Tackling everyday costs is our best path to preserving freedom
When Your Budget Feels Like a Bad Game Show
Remember when filling up your grocery cart felt predictable, and not like getting the price of every item wrong on The Price is Right? Today, many Americans struggle with essential expenses like housing, food, healthcare, childcare, and education, turning each month into a strategic game of "What's getting cut this time?"
A recent LendingTree survey published in the New York Times this month shows a quarter of Americans are now paying for groceries with “buy now, pay later” plans amid high prices, economic uncertainty, and fear of recession.
And in 2024 alone, 73% of middle-income families tightened their belts so much they practically disappeared — choosing store brands, skipping restaurants, and praying the car wouldn't break down. About 59% of these same families say they couldn't handle a $1,000 emergency.
Promises, Politics, and a Punch in the Wallet
While disastrous trade policies, chaotic tariffs, and draconian deportations of critical workers is sure to drive up costs further, the current cost-of-living crisis predates Donald Trump, and Democrats are not blameless. The pain so many Americans are feeling is shaped by policies enacted by both major political parties. And its obvious that Trump tapped into something powerful for so many Americans when he called out loudly — and repeatedly — that life was just too expensive. But shouting the obvious hasn’t magically shrunk the price of eggs or cool housing markets where rents jumped 6.2% last year alone. The promises have proved empty.
It shows what’s possible when we embrace reality instead of ignoring it (Democratic leaders often seemed afraid to even say “inflation” for fear of being blamed for it leading up to 2024), acknowledge people’s fears, and tap into their hopes. But instead of empty promises — have a plan to deliver. The first party and politician to do that will have a hard time losing, so we’d better hope it’s one that cares about democracy, too.
Maslow and the Missing Middle
When life's basics aren’t secure, who has the mental energy to worry about abstract threats like losing democracy? Consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: when you're stuck worrying about food and rent, higher-order concerns like safeguarding democracy and institutions might as well be discussing alien life forms — intriguing but impossibly distant.
And yet, ignoring threats to democracy has real, immediate costs. Stability, safety, and prosperity rely directly on a robust democratic system. Dysfunctional democracy isn't an abstract risk, it's a practical disaster that makes your grocery bill look like small potatoes.
Time to Adapt the Conversation (and Focus on Solutions)
Sure, Bright America wishes far more Americans recognized how essential — and at risk — democracy is. But we get it. If you can't pay your electric bill, focusing on something abstract like “due process” or the “rule of law” could easily feel frivolous. So for those of us whose #1 issue is democracy, we’ve got to shift gears if we want to expand our coalition.
Let’s advocate for practical solutions that directly improve lives today — policies aimed not just at making housing, healthcare, food, and energy affordable, but also looking ahead to how the 21st century must evolve to address the very real pain AI could bring if we stay stuck in the economic status quo. If we meet these voters where they are, we’re dramatically more likely to help reconnect them with the importance of democracy, and thus achieve our goal of preserving it.
A Call to Action (Because We Need You)
Here's how you can help: Join Bright America in prioritizing practical, proven solutions and innovative new ones. We’re launching a new series on creative solutions to the cost-of-living crisis that will be surgically targeted with paid ads to reach voters primarily focused on the daily challenges they can’t avoid as they tune out everything else.
Your investment in Bright America won’t just continue to fuel high-profile lawsuits challenging the authoritarian actions of our government (we’ve raised nearly $500,000 for those lawsuits this quarter!), it will also help expand our movement to those who aren’t yet paying attention by meeting them where they are. Will you consider a donation today?
Together, let’s build a brighter, more affordable, and democratic America for everyone.
STOP THE STEAL I think they want us poor and uneducated We’ll make better slaves for them I see NO $ going to building factories or infrastructure in order to equalize Tariff effects
Welll, you are absolutely correct, but you forgot that COVID was a large driver of inflation during Biden’s term. That is a once in a century situation that proved costly in lives and prices. And both sides may have had an impact, bur republicans were bty far the main driver of crushing the poor, working class, and middle class in favor of the wealthy.
Dems fight for more access to Medicaid, SNAP, job training, reducing college costs through loan forgiveness, encouraging less expensive and planet protecting renewable energy – you can charge an electric car in FL for $38 a month. Dems also protected and encouraged unions that offer higher pay, dem states have much higher minimum wages than GOP states. Rent and housing are expensive, but much of that can be blamed on corporations buying properties and jacking up prices to try and satisfy their insatiable addiction for more money.
What party protects civil rights, women’s rights, voting rights, healthcare rights, labor rights and human rights? It sure isn’t republicans, unless you want to buy a thousand guns, since all they protect is gun rights to the extreme.
I am sure states like South Dakota and Arkansas might be less costly to live in, but then you are saddled with fewer medical options, abortion restrictions, gender restrictions, fewer hospitals, good paying jobs, and higher crime and murder rates. Your chances of getting murdered in AR are are more than twice as high as NY. ‘In 2023, Arkansas had a murder rate of approximately 9.4 per 100,000 residents, while New York's rate was about 4.5 per 100,000 residents..’
And when it comes to the wealthy, they just want more and more. Tax rates for the wealthy have fallen dramatically over the past 40 years while taxes on the middle class remain constant. With the wealthy paying significantly less in taxes, there is less to go around to those who truly need it. When was the last time republicans fought to help veterans improve their lives> Never. In fact, this Big Billionaire’s Bill of trump will slash veteran’s benefits and close hospitals. Trump has already ended the veteran’s suicide hotline because it cost too much and he needed to cut costs to feed his wealthy friends and his own fat face.
Please don’t fall for the CNN, corporate media both sides nonsense. America’s problems rest solely on the shoulders of republicans. The quality of life scores show that 9 of the 10 worst quality of life states are run by republicans. Ironically, OK voted in all counties for trump and has one of the worst quality of life score sin the nation. MA voted for Harris in all counties and has one of the highest quality of life score in the country. The more someone votes republican, the worse they want their lives to be. Dems are not perfect, butthey have a better record of helping those in need than republicans who toss the vulnerable into the streets and don’t give a damn.