The American Dream Has a New Price Tag

Do you know what makes me angry?

Millions of Americans have done exactly what they were told to do.

They worked hard. They saved what they could. They showed up every morning to the job, paid their bills, raised their families, and tried to build a better life.

Yet the finish line keeps moving further away.

This country gave me my chance. I came to America from Great Britain in 1987 with $150 in my pocket and built a life I could barely have imagined as a kid.

That’s why it’s so hard for me to watch the promise of America slip out of reach for people who have done everything right.

Since I arrived here, the U.S. dollar has lost roughly two-thirds of its purchasing power.

Think about what that means.

A million dollars in 1987 had roughly the same purchasing power as $2.9 million today.

It’s not like the government sent you a letter saying your money was worth less. You noticed it when the same cart of groceries cost more, your insurance bill jumped again, or a trip to the doctor took a bigger bite out of your paycheck.

Maybe you’re earning more than you did a few years ago, and your retirement balance is higher, too. But when you buy groceries or open your insurance bill, it sure doesn’t feel like you’re getting ahead.

Years of reckless spending in Washington and money printing at the Fed have made every dollar you worked for worth less.

And if you’ve been lying awake wondering where you went wrong, hear me when I tell you: It’s not your fault. You worked hard. You saved what you could. You did your best to make responsible choices.

While you were working hard to earn those dollars, they were buying less and less.

The American Dream Has a New Price Tag