Rural Caucus Newsletter, October 16 2026

Written By Butler County Democrats .

We could only shake our heads, Rural Democrats, when Trump stood on a Wasilla, Alaska stage with the clapping seals behind him, and bragged he had “reduced prices very substantially.” Trump Claims the Economy Is Alright. But the Numbers Tell a Different Story. – Mother Jones even though over 40% of Americans say otherwise: As inflation rises, more than 40 percent say they struggle to pay for basic necessities: Pew. So we took some time and checked the numbers and here’s what the data (with sources) actually says:

  • Inflation: As of Sept. 2026, inflation has risen at 3.7% - FactSet

  • Groceries: Up an average 3% - continue to rise due to gas/diesel prices. - Consumer Price Index

  • Gas: Up 47% since Feb. 27 (Trump’s war with Iran blew up global oil markets) - AAA & Energy Digital

  • Health Insurance: Average monthly premiums are up 58% from 2025. - Nonprofit health group KFF

  • ACA deductibles: Up 37% after Republicans in Congress allowed a tax subsidy to expire last year. - Nonprofit health group KFF

  • Energy/Electricity: Over the past year, electricity went up about 6–7%. - U.S. Energy Information Administration

  • Home heating oil: Up 39% from 2025 - National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA)

  • Housing: Mortgage rates are now 7.28 -7.40%; up from 7.04% when Trump took office. - Freddie Mac

  • Cost of a home: Up 4% since Jan 2025 - Zillow & Freddie Mac

  • Airfare: Up 17% - 22% since Jan 2025 - Consumer Price Index

  • Jet Fuel: Up 35% since Jan 2025 - U.S. Energy Information Administration

  • Paychecks? Shrinking for six straight months. Real wages? Down. Families? Paying $3,772 more thanks to cumulative inflation under Trump - Joint Economic Committee (JEC)


What was interesting (to us) was the reaction when we posted that information on social media. The other side got surprisingly quiet - no "But Biden..." responses, which is usually their go-to deflection. Even more interesting was a recent Fox poll showing a slight shift on key issues. The sample size was only 1,202 people, but the fact that Fox even published the results at all caught our attention. Voters see government corruption as top concern: Fox poll. People are taking notice because there's no getting around it: Just. So. Much. Corruption. - by Catherine Rampell


Missouri News



National News

  • The FDA is now floating the idea of exploiting a loophole to allow toxic compounds into the food supply as long as they don’t cause cancer & without safety reviews: FDA may allow some toxic chemicals to be added to food without safety review. Experts are alarmed | Trump administration | The Guardian. Which is ridiculous. But sure - slap a “not carcinogenic” sticker on it and call it food safety.


  • Trump announced that the U.S. would suspend sanctions on Russian diesel, a move that surprised many U.S. allies. For years, the United States, Ukraine, and European countries have worked to limit Russia's energy revenue to reduce funding for its war in Ukraine. The decision is drawing criticism from even Republicans: Trump faces growing backlash over plans to import diesel from Russia. So let's see...Trump starts a war with Iran. Russia supports Iran. Trump buys diesel from Russia. This financially benefits Russia & Iran. Trump is funding a war against the USA. Yeah...that pretty well covers it. Questions?


  • The Trump administration is holding back detailed data showing who actually benefited from the Republicans' 2025 tax cuts, while trying to sell the law to voters ahead of the midterms: Administration delays release of IRS data showing impact of GOP tax cuts - POLITICO. The reports break down which tax breaks went to which income groups and how much people actually paid in taxes. If the results looked great for working folks, they'd have released them back in July when they're typically released. The fact that they're dragging their feet suggests the picture ain't pretty. OK...taking it a step further... we'll bet a caramel macchiato the data shows the ultrarich effectively sidestep this system.


  • Most data centers are being built in red, rural areas and they’re helping to push voters to the left: Voters Near Data Centers Are Ditching the GOP in Droves – Mother Jones. "...in droves" might be a slight exaggeration but there's an encouraging shift. A recently launched website Data Center Opposition Report - tracking opposition to data center development across the country, counting at least 268 local opposition groups across 37 states. There are quite a few in Missouri.


  • Does this really surprise anyone? Trump breaks 20-year tradition by rejecting international election observers. Election observers. Transparency. Independent monitoring. Yeah, those are the pro-democracy issues Trump doesn't promote.


  • Trump is actively working to strip a sitting congresswoman's citizenship and deport her, and senior DOJ leadership signed off despite the department’s own guidance against public moves on candidates in the final 60 days: What we know about the criminal investigation into US congresswoman Ilhan Omar. It's a disgrace. If Trump succeeds, there will be no end to his tyranny.

In closing...

Just one-third of Americans say they trust the federal government - less than Watergate-era figures: Americans’ Trust in Every Branch of Government Hits a Low - Newsweek. Reading that really drove home an important point: winning the midterms is only the beginning. The harder job is rebuilding faith in our institutions and restoring trust in our democracy. That won't happen overnight, and it won't happen by itself. It will take all of us sharing the results, highlighting the work Democrats are doing, and showing people that the government can still work for them.






Joshua Dunne
Chair

Jacqueline Farr
Vice-Chair

John Parks
Treasure

Butler County Democrats .
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Rural Caucus Newsletter October 9th 2026