Rep. Jason Smith Criticizes Democrats’ Affordability Rhetoric as “Rich”

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., said that Democrats attacking President Donald Trump on affordability is “so rich,” on Monday. He criticized Sen. Elizabeth Warren for flying on her private jets while trying to rebuke workers for flying business class, noting that she and her party represent the richest of all Americans. Smith highlighted that under Democrat President Joe Biden, years of massive inflation have created unaffordable conditions in blue states and Democrat-run cities, which are the most unaffordable places in America. He admitted that affordability is a big issue to most Americans, caused by Democrats not fixed by them. In his congressional district, which is one of the poorest in the nation with an average income of just over $40,000 a year, the price of food and clothes has been a struggle for people to maintain. Smith praised Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill for “delivering on the working-families tax cuts,” noting that “no tax on tips, no tax on overtime.” He stated that the president has focused on lowering the price of eggs, which are now much lower than when President Biden was in office, and that inflation right now is at 2.5%, the lowest it’s been in four years. Smith lamented that Democrats are digging up dead talking points with Jeffrey Epstein smear campaigns, saying that Epstein’s been dead for years and this is the topic of conversation. He emphasized that while people in Missouri care about the affordability crisis, they should release all information about who’s connected and who’s not connected with Epstein to move on and solve real problems.