Poll Finds Nearly Half Of Americans Struggle To Afford Basic Needs

Despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to label the affordability crisis “a hoax,” data continually show that more and more Americans are struggling tojust get by. A recent poll shows that nearly half of Americans can’t afford basic needs like groceries and health care. 

According to Politico, the POLITICO poll conducted last month by Public First found that 27% of respondents have skipped medical checkups in the last two years due to costs, with 23% saying they skipped a prescription dose for the same reason. 

When it comes to groceries, the issue Republicans have argued won Trump the election, half of the respondents said they have difficulty paying for food. The poll found that 55% of respondents blamed the Trump administration for the rising prices, with even 22% of people who voted for Trump laying the blame at his feet. 

Housing costs were another major concern for the respondents, with only groceries being ahead on the list of expenses they found “the most challenging” to afford. This aligns with recent data showing that 75% of available homes are unaffordable for the average American buyer. Black, Latino, and young adult voters have struggled to afford rising rents and mortgage payments. 

With Americans struggling to afford the basic necessities, it shouldn’t be surprising that people are being more discerning about how they spend their free time. The poll found that 37% of respondents couldn’t afford to attend a sporting event with their friends and family, while 46% said they couldn’t afford a vacation that included air travel. Just putting my own two cents in, I’m committed to not buying any new video games next year until I beat the ones I already own due to rising costs and trying to pinch pennies wherever possible. With housing costs and utilities 

Compounding the issue of rising prices has been the rising unemployment rate. This year alone, there have been 1.1 million layoffs, a number seen only during the Great Recession and during the mass furloughs in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The widespread layoffs, compounded by a contracting job market, have left half of Americans without confidence that they could find a new job if they need to. 

While people of all backgrounds have been affected by these changes, the economic impact has been disproportionately felt by Black women. 

Due to the mass layoffs in the federal government and the nationwide rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), the rate of unemployment for Black women has risen substantially higher than the national average. Many economists and lawmakers have called the disproportionate rate of Black women’s unemployment a warning sign for the economy at large, and the polling seems to indicate they were right. 

Despite Americans across all demographics struggling with the economy, the Trump administration and the GOP continue to sell the idea that everything is fine and the economy is perfect. 

From canceling an income-based student loan repayment program to driving up monthly insurance premiums by not extending COVID-era subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, the Republican Party has continually implemented policies that only exacerbate the affordability crisis. 

To paraphrase the movie Dodgeball: It’s a bold strategy, let’s see how it pays off in the midterms. 

SEE ALSO:

Unemployment Spike for Black Americans Signals Broader Economic Risks

Black Women Pushed Out Of The Workforce Is Economic Lynching