Letters

Republicans like Nick LaLota, who is running for Congress against Bridget Fleming, are trying to make inflation the No. 1 issue in this election. And they should. It’s a big problem, affecting all of us, Republicans and Democrats alike.

The difference is that Democrats are actually trying to do something about it, while Republicans are only complaining about it and casting blame. They have no plan.

A few months ago, a Democratic Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which, among many other good things, will hold down the cost of prescription drugs, reduce the deficit by making rich corporations pay their fair share of taxes, and speed our country’s transition to green energy, so we’re no longer dependent on foreign oil.

Every Republican voted against it.

And more: President Joe Biden’s program of releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve has helped bring gas prices way down from their peak a few months ago. And his student loan relief plan will help millions suffering under crushing student debt.

What is Nick LaLota’s plan to fight inflation? The same old Republican solution to everything: Cut government spending. But it was government spending that helped millions of families and businesses stay afloat during the pandemic and kept our economy from sliding into a disastrous recession.

Beware of budget-cutting Republicans like Nick LaLota, because they always want to do it on your backs. Republicans are already hatching plans to slash Social Security and Medicare — crucial programs that Americans depend on, and that Bridget Fleming will always protect.

Of course, Republicans want to blame inflation on Joe Biden — rather than a once-in-a-century pandemic and a catastrophic war in Ukraine that have disrupted the entire world economy. (Inflation in Europe is over 10 percent. Is that Joe Biden’s fault too?)

But it’s not about evading responsibility or assigning blame. It’s about rolling up our sleeves, working together, and coming up with solutions to get prices under control and keep our economy thriving.

That’s what Democrats are doing, and that’s what Bridget Fleming will do in Congress.

Deborah Burden

Southampton