High prices raise questions about campaign promises

To the Editor:

It is almost a year and a half into the president’s second term. Where do things stand for Mifflin County people? Wednesday, April 8, 2026, gas at the Giant in Burnham is $4.39 a gallon. At the Sheetz on Juniata Street, as well as at several other gas stations, it is $4.40. Is gas affordable for you? How about your groceries? Ground beef at the Giant is priced at $7.19 per pound. A 12-ounce bag of coffee can cost over $10. A five-pound bag of potatoes is almost $6. Paper goods are very expensive.

Compare this with what the president promised: the third item in the 2024 GOP platform is “End inflation and make America affordable again.” (https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2024-republican-party-platform) The president as a candidate said this:

“We’re going to have prices down — I think you’re going to see some pretty drastic price reductions.” (Associated Press, Trump holds a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, YouTube (Jan. 7, 2025).

He also said this: “A vote for Trump means your groceries will be cheaper” (Former President Trump Campaigns in Pittsburgh, C-SPAN (Nov. 4, 2024).

Many Mifflin County folks have loved ones in the armed services. I wonder how military families are feeling about the president’s war with Iran. As candidates, he and his vice-president repeatedly said there would be “no new wars” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BumE9rI6js) Operation Epic Fury started on Feb. 28, 2026, the night after a reportedly successful negotiation with Iran.

Thirteen American service members have been lost thus far in this war, as well as thousands of people in Iran. This conflict has resulted in the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, which is the primary cause of the recent spike in gasoline prices. It seems that we can put these high prices squarely at the feet of the president. It is time to consider how a vote for this administration in 2024 is affecting each of us now in 2026.

Lewistown