“And now for the BIGGEST LIE in the entire report. The have the balls to tell you that health insurance only makes up 0.753% of your entire annual budget and it has FALLEN by 0.5% in the last year. “
My healthcare costs, which include insurance premiums and the out of pocket expenses I pay until I meet the deductible, have doubled in the last two years while the range of services covered has decreased. Last year I spent 20% of my gross income on medical expenses as I am self employed, buy insurance in the market, and receive no federal subsidy. Looking at my bills cost of an office visit to my physicians in the first quarter of 2016 has been about 11% higher than last year. Drug costs are up about 10%.
20% for healthcare, another 35% for state, local and federal taxes. The gasoline cost reduction has been nice but gasoline comprises 5% of my budget so a 30% reduction in the price of gasoline results in only a 1.5% savings in my family’s total budget. Given food price escalation, I don’t notice the gasoline savings. In fact, the gasoline savings has been more than offset by the increase in my electric bill due to Administration policies resulting in my electric company shutting down coal fired plants.
The GOP could make issue of the government statistics lies. They could demand a return to real numbers, not the fake numbers we get today where the market basket consumers buy is changed to reflect what the government says are consumers switching from steak to hamburger to remain noodles over time in response to price changes. Yes, we rarely eat steak today in response to the high price but to claim there has been no inflation because I’ve replaced $5.00 per pound steak with $5.00 per pound hamburger in response to $10.00 steak prices gives a false picture of inflation (as intended).
Why won’t the GOP use this very real pocketbook issue to its advantage?
Transportation fuel prices affect everything you purchase. Costs to deliver raw materials are higher, as are costs to deliver the finished products to market. So part of the inflated prices for your groceries is driven by the costs to manufacturers to get them to stores. So too, manufacturers and retailers are hit by the same higher energy costs as you are. Higher utility bills (driven up by government policies) are showing up in the prices you pay at the retail level. In short, much of this administration’s war on energy is raising costs for most consumer products.
The GOP isn't the party it used to be. Looking to them for salvation is a futile endeavor. There is only one party today. The only difference is one wants to move fast and the other thinks if it moves slower and pretends to disagree people will be less apt to notice whats happening to them.
It doesn't matter what the politicians promise you. What matters is what they are DOING to you!
What has the GOP done FOR you over the last 6 years? Can you name anything?Anything at all?