Gas prices are rising, store shelves sit empty, and companies cannot fill good-paying jobs. There's no doubt about it — Americans are suffering under President Biden's weak leadership. But instead of addressing the crises they’ve created head-on, Democrats in the White House and Congress are doing everything in their power to make our problems worse.

If you need proof, look no further than your local gas station. The Biden administration's intentional destruction of the Trump administration’s productive energy policy has resulted in an energy crisis. During his first days in office, President Biden signed executive orders killing thousands of jobs attached to the Keystone XL Pipeline project and signaling to American energy companies that climate panic trumps energy independence. Now, Americans are paying for it.

Prices at the pump are more than 42% higher than they were a year ago. This winter, households relying on natural gas for heat — nearly half of US families — can expect their heating bill to increase by 30%. American oil and gas producers have struggled to stay in business, but President Biden is leaning into a bait and switch scheme, pleading with world leaders to follow "green energy" policies while at the same time begging Middle East OPEC+ nations to boost oil production and waiving sanctions for the Nord Stream 2 Russian pipeline.

The White House's failures aren't limited to energy policy. We are paying more for groceries, school supplies, and family Christmas gifts. Although inflation has pushed prices higher than usual, the simultaneous labor and supply chain crises have resulted in American manufacturers lacking the resources they need to put their goods to market without raising prices.

If President Biden and the leftist radicals in Washington cared about the American people, they would be doing everything in their power to make our lives better. They would prioritize affordable energy solutions, bolster American manufacturing, and cut spending. Instead, they are trying to force through a social spending bill packed with nearly two trillion dollars’ worth of policies that will further damage the US economy and make life all the more difficult for Americans struggling to make ends meet.

This “Build Back Broke” budget was carefully crafted to put the Biden administration's agenda ahead of what the American people need. Instead of lowering utility bills, the package prioritizes an environmental agenda to drive energy prices up and create a slush fund to push "environmental justice" propaganda. The budget will exacerbate already critical supply chain issues and continue payouts to stop Americans from returning to work. This budget push will kick Americans who are already down and take away any hope we have for a swift recovery.

These liberal wish list policies are no longer theoretical proposals to be debated by think tanks and talking heads — they are a reality that Tennesseans are already paying for. Policymakers in the White House cannot ignore the consequences of their failures forever, but until Joe Biden and his party alter course, Americans will needlessly suffer.