It’s laughably ironic that the Atlantic is trying to convince us everyday, hard-working Americans, that the economy is doing just fine. Hold onto your hats, folks. It seems the mainstream media isn’t done with its rose-tinted number-spinning yet.
In an article dated June 10th, The Atlantic writer Rogé Karma painted a rosy, distorted image of our current economic affairs, suggesting they were in line with what we would consider “good”. He said, “Household wealth is surging, and wages are rising faster than costs, especially for the working class.” But I suppose someone forgot to tell Mr. Karma that a charade isn’t worth a dime when it’s built on half-truths and omissions.
His bigger gaffe was to boldly suggest that “the post-pandemic recession never arrived”. But any hard-hit American would roll their eyes at this. America definitely saw a recession in 2022, and was hit hard just like any boxer facing a left hook.
Now, allow me to stand and applaud his audacity when he acknowledged the rising cost of living only to refute it! Quite a work of art there! Karma wrote about higher than usual inflation rates over the last three years, making everyday essentials pricier than they were pre-pandemic. But then, without batting an eye, he added, “If prices go up, but people’s incomes go up faster, then the cost of living decreases. And that is exactly what has happened in the U.S. over the past five years.”
But let’s flip back the calendar, shall we? In June 2019, there was still time in Trump’s term, and wages were see-sawing with inflation rates. Which brings us to the real nosedive that started at the onset of President Joe Biden’s term leading to a calamitous 5.5% average monthly inflation. Did you know, as an undeniable fallout of uncontrolled inflation, Americans are witnessing a steady drop in real wages?
But Karma saves the punch for last, tossing in a meek acceptance of the housing crisis that haunts us today. He pointed out a few ‘truths’: Americans grew ‘wealthier’ from 2019 to 2022, largely owing to a crazy leap in home prices. But here’s what he missed: not only are housing prices skyrocketing, but interest rates are as well. Since Biden came to office, mortgage rates have catapulted by a stinging 156%.
Despite this daunting reality, Karma, astonishingly, continues to dismiss Americans’ fears about the economy. This raises a burning question: When will The Atlantic stop peddling fairytales and start giving the struggling American people the real picture they deserve?
It’s about time we demand transparency from our media, rather than sugar-coated nonsense that belittles the struggles of hardworking Americans.
