Making Life More Affordable: A Realistic Plan

Everywhere they look, prices are high.

Politicians promise solutions, but can they deliver? Economists say no, not if they mean slashing prices across the board. That would take a major economic downturn. But people still want relief.

What Can Politicians Do?

They can focus on key areas where prices are high because the market isn't working right.

• Child Care
• Housing
• Health Care
• Electricity

These are big-ticket items that many people struggle to afford.

Child Care

In some places, it costs more than $20,000 a year. That's a lot, even for families with decent incomes. Young parents, who need child care the most, often don't earn enough to make the market work properly. The government needs to step in and help.

Housing

A lot of people spend too much of their income on housing. Zoning rules and other regulations make it hard to build affordable homes. Plus, tariffs are driving up construction costs. The government needs to step in and boost the supply of affordable housing.

Health Care

The U.S. spends twice as much as other countries. There are ways to cut costs, like loosening rules that restrict the supply of medical professionals and allowing the government to negotiate lower drug prices.

Electricity Costs

Politicians are starting to talk about capping rates and making big energy users pay their fair share. Plus, reversing the rollback of renewable energy projects could help lower costs.

All of these ideas are realistic. The party that promises and delivers on this agenda could really make a difference.