ICYMI: Opinion: “View from a Medina, Ohio kitchen table: The Trump economy has created an affordability crisis”
March 26, 2026
COLUMBUS – Ohioans across the state are sounding the alarm on the stark economic reality that families are facing because of Donald Trump and Ohio Republicans. In a new opinion piece in the Ohio Capital Journal, a retired high school English teacher in Medina is slamming Trump and Ohio Republicans for failing to recognize “the reality countless Americans like me and so many others are experiencing,” and for pushing policies, like tariffs, that further raise costs, instead of proposing plans to actually lower costs and support Ohioans.
In case you missed it, check out this powerful read about the worry that Ohioans across our state are feeling – and the sad acknowledgement that for a President who spends more time “rubbing elbows with wealthy campaign contributors at Mar-a-Lago,” “we don’t seem to be his priority.”
Ohio Capital Journal: Opinion: View from a Medina, Ohio kitchen table: The Trump economy has created an affordability crisis
As a retired Ohio high school English teacher, I spent fourteen years grading essays. I know what a genuine “A” looks like. It isn’t earned with a loud voice or by writing in ALL CAPS; it requires proof, consistency, and a firm grasp of the facts.
In his State of the Union address last month, President Trump graded his own work, painting a portrait of America that felt more like fiction than a report card.
He echoed similar boasts to his “A+++++” grade for the economy, claims that he has “won affordability,” and that costs are “plummeting.”
But from my kitchen table in Medina, those grades look like they were handed out before the work was even turned in.
They don’t reflect the reality countless Americans like me and so many others are experiencing.
I’m a grandmother, a caregiver and an American who’s paying attention. I’m also the primary shopper and cook for my household.
When the president speaks of a booming economy, I find myself asking: “Booming for who?”
The only thing I feel is booming are the prices I’m paying at the grocery store, the increasing utility costs, and a deep concern about whether older Americans have saved enough to live a comfortable retirement after a lifetime of hard work.
Our costs are soaring thanks in large part to the president’s tariffs, which he enacted with the support of my congressman, Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller.
The president claims victory over inflation, but the reality for Ohio families is a constant exercise in stretching the dollar.
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When the president and his allies use words like “won” and “fixed,” they’re dismissing the struggle of the parents I see in Medina working two jobs just to keep a roof over their kids’ heads.
They’re ignoring the seniors forced to choose between their prescription co-pays and a full tank of gas.
And they’re ignoring the millions of young people across this country who see homeownership as a luxury they’ll never enjoy as they grapple with the realities of keeping a monthly budget.
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If the economy is truly deserving of a “plus-plus-plus” grade, why do so many Americans feel like we’re falling further and further behind?
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I don’t want a cheerleader-in-chief; I want a president who can look at my grocery receipt and say, “I see this, and I know we have more work to do.”
But that’s not what we heard from him. He presented no plans to cut my grocery bill. He ignored the fact that if his 15% global tariff is made permanent, it will cost families like mine $1,300 a year on average, even as his trade war fails to deliver the manufacturing renaissance we were promised.
[…]
If the president spent more time in Ohio and less time rubbing elbows with wealthy campaign contributors at Mar-a-Lago, he might appreciate just how much harder it’s become for everyday Americans to get by.
Maybe he’d understand why so many of us worry about the future our grandchildren will inherit.
But we don’t seem to be his priority.
Instead, he’s focused on building ballrooms, buying Greenland, and starting new wars.
If you were the parent of a kid failing in school and watched them spend all their free time going to the movies, sporting events, or playing video games, you’d probably demand a change in their study habits.
If the president and his allies refuse to do their homework, Americans should deliver a firm message about our experiences and expectations. I know I will.
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