For nearly two years, we’ve been told that we need to put celebrations on hold. Families have stayed at arm’s length, missing out on traditions and cherished time with friends. But this year, it’s President Biden’s economy, and not the pandemic, putting a damper on Thanksgiving dinner.

We already know that nearly every dish on the Thanksgiving table will cost more this year than it did last year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Bidenflation'' has pushed the price of turkey up 6.1%, biscuits and rolls up 5.2%, and pies up 5.1%, forcing normally happy hosts to make tough choices at the grocery store. If you plan on traveling for the holiday, be prepared to face similar sticker shock at the pump: drivers will pay $1.23 more per gallon of gas compared to last October. Gas prices in Tennessee have already surged to their highest level in nearly a decade, and prices for plane tickets and rental cars continue to skyrocket. 

How could this have happened, just weeks before the start of the holiday season? The fault lies entirely with President Biden and his push for multi-trillion dollar spending packages that amount to a socialist takeover of America. He promised that his “Build Back Better” agenda would cost “zero dollars,” but even the Washington Post fact-checkers gave that claim two Pinocchios. In reality, his agenda will add $367 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade. The administration knows this will make inflation worse, but jamming through radical social spending policies and tax breaks for the rich is their top priority.

What is their strategy to address inflation, you ask? Deny and double down. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters recently that “no economist out there is projecting” high inflation. But Tennesseans don’t need the White House to confirm what we can see with our own eyes. In October 62% of registered voters knew Biden was to blame for high prices. Still, Democrats continue to deny the causes of inflation and prop up the claim that burning through even more cash is the only solution.

Despite the left’s insistence, only a return to fiscal responsibility will fix what Biden and the Democrats broke. Since my time in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have pushed for a constitutional amendment to keep spending in check by requiring a balanced budget. We should also embrace policies that favor the people and businesses that move the economy forward. In 2017, I was a strong supporter of President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This legislation lowered taxes for American workers and encouraged business owners to create more well-paying jobs on U.S. soil.

As we gather around the Thanksgiving table this week, I encourage all Tennesseans to pause for a moment of gratitude not just for the things we do have, but for our future blessings. It’s true that, until Joe Biden adjusts his priorities, Tennesseans will continue to pay for his mistakes; but I find comfort in the knowledge that the path forward is clear. It’s time for the administration to walk down this path, and meet people where they are — not where they think we should be forced to go by their increasingly destructive and out-of-touch socialist agenda.