Joni Ernst: Under Biden, this Thanksgiving may break the bank.

Over-cooking the turkey. Making sure there is enough food for each guest. In-laws overstaying their welcome. These are the typical concerns we think about during the Thanksgiving holiday. But this year, because of President Biden and Washington Democrats’ reckless policies, skyrocketing inflation, and a supply chain crisis, families across the country celebrating the holiday will be facing new hurdles and historically high prices.

 

Last year, COVID-19 forced many families to shift toward smaller gatherings, and Thanksgiving dinner costs  dropped to a 10-year low. But now, as we come back from the pandemic and look forward to reuniting with extended family and friends for our usual holiday traditions, nearly  every ingredient that goes into the Thanksgiving meal is expected to cost more.

 

According to the  American Farm Bureau, this year’s Thanksgiving feast will cost an average of 14% more than last year. This includes key items like turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, rolls, peas, and pumpkin pie. The price of the turkey itself has risen to $23.99 for a 16-pound bird, an increase of 24% from last year. It’s not just Thanksgiving meals either—the price of nearly every good and service continues to rise, with inflation hitting its  highest point in more than 30 years.

 

If you travel for the holiday, that won’t be cheap either.  Gas prices continue to tick up and are currently at a 7-year high, and that trend is only expected to increase. And if the temperature drops and you or your host has to turn the heat on, it will cost  69% more to do so than it did last year.

 

While President Biden and his liberal allies  spending the holiday in Nantucket may not be impacted by these outrageous prices, hardworking Iowans will be forced to gobble them up. This may end up being the most expensive Thanksgiving ever, and Democrats in Washington aren’t the least bit concerned. They are riding the gravy train full-steam ahead and working to pass their reckless tax-and-spending spree that provides  tax cuts for wealthy coastal elites on the backs of middle-income Americans.  Many economists believe this pork-filled bill, the most expansive in history, will only make matters worse.

 

It’s time for President Biden and congressional Democrats to listen to the kitchen table—or Thanksgiving table—needs of every day Americans, like the  majority of adults who are concerned about inflation. Their inability to solve the supply chain crisis, stop the spending, and combat inflation is a recipe for disaster this holiday season.

 

Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate.