Chicagoans Aren't Buying Trump's Affordability Spin: "It's Not a Hoax"
President Donald Trump recently downplayed affordability issues in America, claiming they're nothing more than a "hoax" created by his predecessor, Joe Biden. However, ordinary shoppers like Patricia Young and Jeff Kap aren't buying it.
Young, a 49-year-old mother of three living in West Town with her spouse, just scored $250 worth of groceries that should last about a week for her family. When asked if she thinks affordability problems are a hoax, she shook her head. "It's not a hoax," Young said firmly. "I'm one of the lucky ones... but there's tons of people who aren't doing okay."
Kap, a Logan Square resident in his 30s, echoed Young's sentiments. He often gets caught off guard by the total cost of groceries at the register. "Every time I go to the grocery store and ring up at the end, I'm just like, 'Yeah, that didn't used to cost this much,'" he said. "I definitely wasn't intending to spend $100."
Young, who works as an aircraft cargo loader, is shouldering a heavy load of expenses herself. Rent, groceries, gas, and school costs are all on the rise, leaving her feeling overwhelmed. "They want us to work so much, but it's too hard," she said. "You have to have roommates, you have to have someone to help you with your rent and your kids."
Young and Kap aren't alone in their skepticism about Trump's claims of an economy turnaround. A recent Fox News poll found that three-quarters of voters view the economy negatively. For many Americans like Young and Kap, affordability issues are very real, and they're not buying Trump's spin.
"I'm fortunate to say... my family and I are doing OK," Young said. "But there's a ton of people that I know who are not."
President Donald Trump recently downplayed affordability issues in America, claiming they're nothing more than a "hoax" created by his predecessor, Joe Biden. However, ordinary shoppers like Patricia Young and Jeff Kap aren't buying it.
Young, a 49-year-old mother of three living in West Town with her spouse, just scored $250 worth of groceries that should last about a week for her family. When asked if she thinks affordability problems are a hoax, she shook her head. "It's not a hoax," Young said firmly. "I'm one of the lucky ones... but there's tons of people who aren't doing okay."
Kap, a Logan Square resident in his 30s, echoed Young's sentiments. He often gets caught off guard by the total cost of groceries at the register. "Every time I go to the grocery store and ring up at the end, I'm just like, 'Yeah, that didn't used to cost this much,'" he said. "I definitely wasn't intending to spend $100."
Young, who works as an aircraft cargo loader, is shouldering a heavy load of expenses herself. Rent, groceries, gas, and school costs are all on the rise, leaving her feeling overwhelmed. "They want us to work so much, but it's too hard," she said. "You have to have roommates, you have to have someone to help you with your rent and your kids."
Young and Kap aren't alone in their skepticism about Trump's claims of an economy turnaround. A recent Fox News poll found that three-quarters of voters view the economy negatively. For many Americans like Young and Kap, affordability issues are very real, and they're not buying Trump's spin.
"I'm fortunate to say... my family and I are doing OK," Young said. "But there's a ton of people that I know who are not."
Sorry, dude, it doesn't work that way. People like Patricia and Jeff are speaking truth to power, and it's refreshing to see them standing up for themselves. I mean, come on, $100 for groceries is NOT okay! 
Those prices are out of control, and it's not a hoax, it's real life. The economy might be doing better in some areas, but affordability is still a major issue for many Americans. Let's stop spinning the narrative and get real about what's going on 
. If $250 worth of groceries is supposed to last a week for Patricia's family, it sounds like a pretty tight squeeze 
. And Jeff's experience with grocery prices going up is relatable too - I've seen it happen myself 
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. It's about the cumulative effect of rising costs on everyday people, like Patricia and her family 
. The fact that he's downplaying these problems might work for some, but it's not gonna fly with those who are already struggling to make ends meet 
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. That tells me there's more to this issue than just Trump's spin 
. We need concrete solutions and data-driven answers, not just rhetoric 
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. And yeah, maybe you're doing okay Trump, but what about all those others who are barely scraping by 
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. He thinks affordability issues aren't a big deal just 'cause he says so? Like, um, yeah, it's real for the majority of Americans, trust me 
. I was talking to my friend from Chicago and she said that even with her decent job, she's struggling to make ends meet. And you know what's crazy? The prices of groceries have gone up like 50% in just a few years 
. i mean, the stories of ppl like patricia and jeff rly sound like reality checks. its all about perception i guess... when u have a family and bills to pay, you start to feel the strain 
. people are struggling to make ends meet, and trump's downplaying it? not buying it 
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at all. The prices of everything are going up, like crazy! it's not just groceries either, rent and gas are super expensive now too 
. and don't even get me started on the fact that he's making all this stuff up about joe biden... come on! 
. Young's got three kids to feed, Kap's struggling to keep up with those grocery prices... that ain't a hoax, fam 
. And if a Fox News poll is saying 3/4 of voters are negatively viewing the economy, then yeah, affordability problems are real 
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. The numbers don't lie, and a Fox News poll showing three-quarters of people viewing the economy negatively? That's like, pretty much all of us 
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. Trump needs to listen to us, not just some Fox News poll. We need real solutions, not just spin 
. My mom used to say, "you can't put a price on happiness," but now it feels like you gotta have a million bucks just to get by