If you’ve felt like your paycheck doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, you’re not alone. Families across the country are finding that grocery prices, gas costs, and even utility bills are putting new strain on their wallets. It’s not just that prices are higher — it’s that the pace of the increases feels relentless.

Inflation isn’t an abstract economic term. It’s the frustration of working hard yet still feeling like you’re falling behind.

In today’s episode of This Week’s Economy, we’ll break down what’s really driving inflation, how the Federal Reserve is involved, and, most importantly, what can be done to fix it. When we understand the problem, we’re empowered to demand better solutions — ones that protect our paychecks, rebuild trust, and help every household breathe a little easier.

For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network.

If you’re trying to understand why starter homes have vanished, why marriage and birth rates are falling, or why your kids can’t afford to move out, you won’t find a clearer guide than Dr. Emily Hamilton. Her latest piece in Governing, “To Support Families, Repair the Housing Ladder,” is a must-read. It makes a simple but devastating point: We’ve eliminated the low rungs of the housing ladder—and now we’re shocked people can’t climb it.Starter apartments? Outlawed. Manufactured housing? Zoned out.SROs? Gone. Family-friendly rentals? Blocked by NIMBY politics. And now the U.S. is flirting with population decline for the first time ever. This conversation explains why—and what to do about it.👉 Subscribe on vanceginn.substack.com to get shows and show notes in your inbox and follow my handle on X at @vanceginn for more pro-growth policy content that doesn’t pull punches.

As we close out 2025, the economic and policy landscape isn’t slowing down for the holidays. This final news brief of the year brings a flurry of developments that will shape the year ahead — from sinking consumer confidence and major antitrust rulings to DOGE shutting down, to state budgets sliding deeper into the red, to new scrutiny on algorithmic pricing tools.It’s a fitting close to a year defined by big economic questions — and even bigger opportunities to return to the principles that let people prosper. Understanding basic economic fundamentals is essential for lawmakers to make decisions that allow Americans to thrive.In This Week’s Economy, we examine the nation’s economic health, new developments in competition and innovation, how the end of the government’s DOGE initiative fits into the broader fight against waste, and the warning California’s budget crisis sends to other states.For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. Please share with your friends, family, and broader social media network.