Who Made America Poorer and Dirtier?

During the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Vice President Vance painted a grim picture of America's condition before the Trump administration took office. He complained about factories closing, drug overdoses claiming lives, unaffordability, and the presence of cartels and criminals. He insisted that these problems were largely due to the Democratic Party's policies, including bankrupting the country, weakening its safety, and leaving borders wide open.

However, the facts suggest otherwise. The Trump administration's environmental policies have led to dirtier air and water, while its health-care, tariff, and tax policies have worsened inflation and burdened American households. The Environmental Protection Agency under Trump has rolled back regulations on air pollution and has not provided adequate sanitation in some areas.

The Trump Justice Department has undermined legal protections like the constitutional right to clean drinking water. Trump's Iran war has caused energy prices to rise, thereby increasing the cost of goods. The administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act has led to rising health-care costs. Despite these issues, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans, and crime rates have been falling since the pandemic.

The Trump administration's policies have not contributed to the decline in crime. Moreover, the administration's cuts to public agencies have resulted in outbreaks of infectious and foodborne diseases. While the wealthiest Americans have seen their income grow, the bottom 50 percent have not. Hence, the country's state is worse now than it was in 2024, not due to Democrats or immigrants, but because of the people currently in power.