The Progress Report: February 19
Trump’s in Georgia talking economics—here’s the real story about how his policies have hit Peach State pocketbooks.
THE CASE
When Donald Trump heads to former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s old district today, he probably won’t talk about his economic approval rating standing 23 points underwater, the cost-of-living crisis hitting Georgians particularly hard, or that consumer confidence is at its lowest point since 2014. The state has been in a “jobs recession” since mid-2025. At the same time, Trump’s tariffs are driving up prices across the board and making it harder for people to find good-paying work. His cuts to programs that help Americans meet their basic needs are making it harder for people to afford groceries and health care. At the same time, Trump is enriching himself and his allies, doling out more than a $1 trillion in new tax breaks for the top 1 percent.
KEY FACTS AND DATA
Americans are not satisfied with the president’s handling of the economy.
71% of Americans say they are very concerned about the cost of health care, 66% about the price of food and consumer goods, and 62% about the cost of housing. [Pew Research]
Americans most associate Trump’s economic policies with tariffs – which they believe are increasing their costs. 56% disapprove of both Trump’s handling of the economy. 58% disapprove of his handling of inflation and the cost of living. [Navigator Research]
Trump’s policies are increasing costs across the country—Georgia is no exception.
Groceries: Thanks to the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill, 154,000 people in Georgia have been put at immediate risk of losing some or all of their SNAP benefits, and 1,800 grocery stores and other SNAP retailers will be put at higher risk of financial instability. [Center for American Progress]
Almost 1 in 7 Georgians struggle to afford groceries.
Georgia had 27 Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies in 2025, the second-most in the nation. Fewer food producers means higher costs for the American people at the grocery store.
Health Care: Congress’s failure to extend enhanced premium tax credits for people obtaining health coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces has caused insurance premium costs to skyrocket in 2026. A typical family of four in Georgia with a household income of $66,000 has seen their marketplace plan premiums surge more than $3,025 this year. [Keep America Covered]
As the cost of health coverage has increased, more than 200,000 Georgians have dropped their coverage – and many more will in the months ahead.
Utilities: Electricity costs are rising and Americans are falling behind on their utility bills, or have had their power cut off.
Georgia ranks 35th in energy affordability. [New York Times]
Since January 2025, Georgians have been paying 13% more for electricity. [CBS]
As he visits former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s old district, consider how she has described Trump and the Republican Party’s handling of the economy.
“You can’t gaslight people and tell them that their bills are affordable, and you can’t tell them that the economy is in A-plus-plus-plus-plus… You just can’t do that, and I think it’s insulting to people’s intelligence.” [The Hill]
“Affordability or the lack of ability of Americans to afford the cost of living is not a Democrat hoax. Credit card debt is at an all-time high right now. And there’s many other problems in the economy.” [PBS]
CALL TO ACTION
Share this post with your network to spread the word: Trump is making life MORE expensive.
