Across every state and every circumstance, Americans are telling us the same thing: They’re working hard, but the cost of living keeps rising.
That’s why Americans for Prosperity launched the Camp Prosperity Tour. We’re traveling across the country to listen to Americans, support local businesses, and hear how rising costs are affecting everyday life.
At every stop, the stories are different, but the message is remarkably consistent.
People are working hard and trying to build better lives. But too often, government barriers and rising costs are making it harder for them to get ahead.
The stories say it all
We’re hearing stories of hard work and red tape wherever we go.
In Tallahassee, Florida, AFP’s Clayton Rasche spoke with Benton, who is trying to start and build a business from the ground up.
His biggest challenge is not competition, but government red tape and the cost of living.
Benton’s story reflects what many entrepreneurs face. They are ready to work, invest, and create jobs. But unnecessary rules, long approval processes, and high costs can stop a good idea before it gets started.
That’s why AFP is working to cut unnecessary red tape and advance reforms that make it easier for entrepreneurs like Benton to start businesses, create jobs, and pursue their ideas.
Click on the video below to watch the whole story.
In Georgia, AFP’s Mary Beth Cirucci met Lindsay and her son Asher outside a local coffee shop.
Lindsay is a mother of six who worked hard to come off welfare and become self-sufficient. But instead of feeling like she is moving forward, she says inflation has erased much of that progress.
Groceries, utilities, housing, and other everyday expenses keep climbing.
Lindsay did what Americans are encouraged to do — work hard, take responsibility, and build a more independent future — but she’s feeling punished as costs continue to rise.
That’s why AFP worked hard to advance the Working Families Tax Cuts, rein in federal spending that fuels inflation, and remove burdensome regulations — including supporting a state REINS Act in Georgia that would give lawmakers greater oversight over costly new rules.
Take a minute to meet Lindsay here:
Mary Beth met another family in North Carolina dealing with high costs.
Jon, a father of four, said life is better there than it was in Pennsylvania.
But even with a good job and the lower state taxes, Jon still feels the harsh effects of inflation and the taxes he pays to Washington.
His message? Let Americans keep more of their paychecks.
That’s why AFP is working to protect and expand tax relief so families like Jon’s can keep more of what they earn and have greater control over their financial futures.
Here’s Jon:
Americans’ frustration is not limited to high taxes. It also stems from how much harder people must work to cover everyday expenses.
In New Hampshire, AFP’s Alyssa Baker met Julie, who now works on Sundays because one job is no longer enough to keep up.
Because of energy regulations, her utility bills keep climbing. And government-caused inflation leads Julie to spend more at the grocery store, when shopping for school supplies, and almost everywhere else.
Stories like Julie’s show what rising costs mean in real life: less time with family, less financial breathing room, and more work simply to stay afloat.
Those pressures are why AFP is urging policymakers to address government barriers and spending decisions that make housing, energy, transportation, and other essentials more expensive.
Julie and Alyssa explain it best:
Across different states and circumstances, we’re hearing the same thing: Washington is making it too hard to achieve the American Dream.
What should Congress do?
Hard work should create opportunity and financial breathing room — not merely keep families from falling further behind.
The stories we’re hearing on the Camp Prosperity Tour reinforce a simple truth: When government makes it harder to build, work, invest, and compete, families ultimately pay the price.
Congress can choose a better path. It can remove unnecessary barriers to building homes and energy infrastructure, restrain wasteful spending, make it easier to start and grow a business, and give Americans greater control over their own money and futures.
More housing means lower housing costs. More energy means lower energy bills. More competition means lower prices and better choices.
Remove the barriers. Lower costs. Restore the American Dream.
Click here to tell your lawmakers to support solutions that make life more affordable for every American.
