Financial Times: ‘Scraping For Crumbs’: Americans Squeezed By Affordability Crisis

December 3, 2025

Bethlehem, PENNSYLVANIA - As families in the Lehigh Valley continue to navigate price hikes this holiday season, the Financial Times met with some Pennsylvanians who highlighted the struggles they’re facing when it comes to the rising costs of food, housing, and healthcare.

Congressman Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07) has contributed to this affordability crisis, continually supporting Trump’s tariffs that are raising costs and voting for historic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in the Republican Tax Law that are devastating health care and threatening the very fate of federal food assistance in the Commonwealth. He has also failed to sign onto the ACA discharge petition for a three-year extension of health care tax credits that benefit 21,000 working Pennsylvanians in his district. Without action to extend these tax credits, Lehigh Valley families could see an 80% increase in monthly premium costs. Affordable Pennsylvania urges Rep. Mackenzie to sign onto the discharge petition and fight for lower costs for these families.

ICYMI: Financial Times: ‘Scraping for crumbs’: Americans squeezed by affordability crisis

• An affordability crisis is sweeping the US, as high prices of food, rents and healthcare force lower-income Americans to cut back on necessities just as Donald Trump’s administration curbs government supports.

• In the Lehigh Valley, resentment is building over the yawning wealth gap, as rising prices disproportionately hit lower-income Americans at a time when richer neighbours enjoy a housing and stock market boom.

• Food costs are another issue. Trump says he has driven down prices. But the data does not show this. Nationally, grocery costs keep rising, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Beef is up 14 per cent compared to last year.

• “The prices in groceries is ridiculous — that is the word that I’m going to use — it’s ridiculous,” said Aidalis Martinez, 26, an unemployed mother of two in Bethlehem. She is unable to work for health reasons.

• Martinez relies on the government food stamp programme, known as SNAP, to feed her daughters. The programme, which supports 42mn Americans, was disrupted last month during the federal government shutdown.

• The enactment of Trump’s sweeping spending bill means that, from next year, new work requirements will restrict the number of people eligible for SNAP and Medicaid, healthcare for low-income Americans.

• Healthcare costs have already surged — and are set to rise further for low-income Americans unless Republicans agree to extend tax credits provided by the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. They are due to expire at the end of the year.

• Annual premiums could jump by more than $1,000 on average and by much more for some users.

• The sense in and around Bethlehem of a deepening affordability crisis is echoed in polling across the country — and comes as wider economic forces turn negative for many Americans.

• Last Monday, demonstrators gathered outside the Allentown office of Ryan Mackenzie, the local Republican congressman, holding signs that read “Billionaires got richer, Americans get sicker”.

• Just 43 per cent of people approve of the job that Trump is doing as president, according to a polling average from Real Clear Politics, down from 51 per cent in January. On the economy, just 40 per cent approve. Surveys consistently show inflation to be Americans’ top concern.