Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s candid warning on Saturday in America should be a wake-up call to every voter who still believes the Democratic Party cares about the everyday American family. From skyrocketing health care premiums to runaway housing and grocery prices, Van Drew bluntly called the party “the cause” of the affordability crisis, and he’s right — because their policies prioritize big government experiments and special-interest giveaways over working people’s paychecks. For years the left has sold compassion as more government, and the result is predictable: less choice, higher costs, and Americans squeezed harder every month.
The congressman’s own journey from Democrat to Republican in 2020 lends real weight to his criticism, not just partisan talking points. He left because he saw the party lurch toward socialism and radical policies that undermine individual freedom and economic prosperity, and he’s watched those policies poison towns and cities ever since. That kind of firsthand experience matters — it’s a reminder that party labels don’t change reality; policy choices do, and liberal policy choices have consequences for everyday families.
Health care costs are the perfect example of how Democratic promises of “universal” solutions turn into pocketbook punishments. Every step toward government-run health care or aggressive price controls strips away competition and innovation, then blames the market when shortages and higher prices follow. Real conservatives want reforms that increase transparency, drive down costs through competition, and keep doctors and patients — not bureaucrats — in charge.
What’s especially alarming is how Democrats have branded these failures as moral victories, then doubled down with more central planning when the results go south. They celebrate control while Americans suffer, and too many in the media look the other way. Van Drew called it out plainly: the left’s experiment in big government is not about helping people — it’s about grabbing power.
Across the country we’ve seen Democratic socialist candidates and activists win local elections by promising freebies and easy answers to complex problems. But free stuff from government always comes with strings: higher taxes, fewer freedoms, and a future debt bill for our kids. Conservatives must keep hammering home the truth that prosperity comes from hard work, private enterprise, and limited government — not from expanding the state.
This is not just political theater; it’s a test of which vision will deliver a future where Americans can afford to raise families, buy homes, and retire with dignity. Van Drew’s voice is a useful bridge for disillusioned voters who see the damage and want an alternative that respects families and freedom. We should welcome those who reject the left’s failing model and join the fight to restore common-sense solutions that actually lower costs and boost opportunity.
If conservatives want to win this argument, we need to offer bold, practical policies that solve problems instead of demagoguing them. Cut needless regulations that raise prices, unleash energy and domestic production to bring down bills, and reform medical liability and licensing so care is more affordable and accessible. The choice is clear: continue down the Democrat path of expanding government control and watch affordability crumble, or rally behind a pro-work, pro-family agenda that makes America prosperous again.
