Peter H. Bell: “I rise today because working people in St. Louis and across this country are getting squeezed from every direction.…”

“I rise today because working people in St. Louis and across this country are getting squeezed from every direction. Groceries cost more. Rent costs more. Childcare costs more. Healthcare costs more. For too many families, every month feels like a math problem they can't solve. For generations, the American Dream meant that if you worked hard, you could build a stable life, you could afford a home, you could raise a family, and you could retire with dignity. Today, that dream feels farther away for millions of people, not because they stopped believing in it but because it is becoming impossibly unaffordable. Affordability is not just an economic issue. It is a trust issue. People don't just feel broke. They feel shut out. Under President Trump, influence isn't just whispered behind closed doors; it is put up for sale. Money flows in and policy flows out. That is not normal. That is not acceptable. In this administration, access is bought instead of earned. If you are a billionaire or a special interest, you get a seat at the table. If you are a nurse, a warehouse worker, or a parent juggling two jobs, you are out of luck. That is how we end up with policies like tariffs that raise costs for Missouri families by $600 a year. It is how we end up with an economy that works great for the people at the top and barely works for everyone else.”