Washington, DC's perspective vs. the heartland's perspective

Newt Gingrich's latest article highlights the thinking difference between Washington, DC and the rest of the country. It opens with "Washington reality reflects the fevered conversation over lunch, cocktails, and dinner between the Washington press corps, lobbyists, and government officials. Washington reality reflects the narcissistic self-absorption of the Imperial Capital. Rep. Liz Cheney’s fate consumes days and days of gossip and speculation. Is her dismissal as House Republican Conference Chair a sign of House Republican unity or an alienating event that will weaken the GOP?"

Then it continues, saying "Washington says when 35 House Republicans bolt to vote with Democrats for the Pelosi Commission to investigate Jan. 6, it brings into question Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s control of the House GOP. Of course, when McCarthy gets Senate Republicans to agree to block the investigation, it highlights Speaker Pelosi’s partisanship and failure. Which narrative is more important?

All these Washington-centered conversations are like a mild spring rain behind which a mammoth hurricane is building. That hurricane is the concerns and attitudes of the American people over what’s happening in the American reality."

Next, Newt drops the sledgehammer on DC 'reality': 

The fiercest band of the hurricane is the looming acceleration of inflation. One report compared the average price of various commodities in May 2020 under President Donald Trump to those in May 2021 under President Joe Biden. Here are some staggering numbers: 

•  Gasoline: $1.77 under Trump vs. $3 under Biden.
• Lumber: $332 per 1,000 board feet under Trump vs. $1,570 per 1,000 board feet under Biden. 
• Home sales: $283,500 under Trump vs. $329,100 under Biden.
• Coffee: $0.96 a pound under Trump vs. $1.50 a pound under Biden.
• Wheat: $5 a bushel under Trump vs. $7.42 under Biden.
• Corn: $3.19 a bushel under Trump vs. $7.22 a bushel under Biden.
• Copper: $2.33 a pound under Trump vs. $4.76 a pound under Biden. 

This is an exhaustive list – verging on overkill because I want to drive home that the rising inflation is across the board. Yes, some of the increase in prices is due to pent up demand and hamstrung supply chains. However, the sheer volume of cash the government has poured into the economy over the last year-and-a-half is now driving rising costs. The inflation rate has tripled from 1.4 percent in January to 4.2 percent in April.

Voters don't care about the latest palace intrigue. They care if their kids are in school, their dollar goes as far as it did a year ago, whether they feel their personal information is secure and whether their children are being taught to be racists. Further, violent crime is up in major cities, too. That means people don't think this nation is on the right track.  

Inflation has sometimes been described as a "hidden tax." I'd prefer thinking of it as a menacing thief. It steals money that someone else has earned. Whatever you call it, it limits buying power.