Letters to the Editor | Nov. 27, 2025

Are you experiencing the Donald Trump/JD Vance boom? Vance recently said, “It’s gonna take a little bit of time for every American to feel that economic boom which we really do believe is coming.” How long does “every American” need to wait? Do you know who doesn’t have to wait? Do you know who is feeling a boom you or I will never see? The Trump family.

Since Trump has taken office, the family has made over a billion dollars. No waiting there. No deciding how they are going to pay bills. But the everyday American — who can’t afford rent, groceries, or healthcare — needs to wait.

How many vacations have you taken since this regime took office? Vance has taken how many? Last I saw was eight. That’s almost one a month. He’s not waiting for a boom. Does this administration even know what affordability means?

Trump and Vance imposed tariffs — “the most beautiful word” — that raised prices on everyday goods and services. Now they are retracting them to make life “affordable” again. That’s the only boom you and I will see. And they will expect you to be humble and ever grateful for their willingness to put out the very fire they started.

This is your economy. This is your mess. This administration is so out of touch with the everyday Americans they swore to serve. They ran on making life affordable, and the only ones who seem to be able to afford basic life needs are they and their oligarch cronies.

Ellen McGuigan, Clarks Summit

In 1992, James Carville coined the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid.” It’s still a priority today, but Donald Trump’s solutions to the pesky economic challenges are little more than trumped-up pigs in a poke to sell us a bill of goods. Can’t buy a first home? How about a 50-year mortgage? Lower monthly payments, but pay no attention to the fact that banks will likely charge higher interest, the total cost will increase 86%, and the first 10 years of payments cover interest and no equity. Need affordable healthcare? The Affordable Care Act is now offering catastrophic coverage (plans once limited to people under 30). Lower monthly payments (sound familiar?) but with a whopping $10,000 deductible. It’s gonna cost ya! Chris Bond, a spokesperson for AHIP, an insurance lobbying firm, cautions that “catastrophic plans … are not a replacement for affordable comprehensive coverage.” And let’s not even get started on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “miasma theory,” his blast us back into the past approach to medicine that Amesh Adalja, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said is “all just obfuscation to support his idea that vaccines are not valuable.” Pigs in a poke. A bill of goods. Don’t do us any favors. And the final insult? JD Vance, sensing Trump’s lame-duck status, is suddenly in the picture, all unctuous empathy, addressing our concerns about the high cost of living, assuring us, “We hear you,” and we just need to “have a little patience.” Yeah, right. They might hear us, but they are not listening. It’s still the economy, but it’s their lame brain “solutions” that are the epitome of stupid.

Deborah DiMicco, Newtown

The announcement that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will no longer fund permanent supportive housing is a disaster for homeless service providers like the Bethesda Project, Project HOME, and the women and men who live in HUD-supported rooms or apartments. The Bethesda Project operates 150 units of permanent, supportive housing for formerly homeless men and women. Most, if not all, of those units are supported by HUD subsidies that make up the difference between one-third of a resident’s income and the market rate for a permanent room or apartment. Absent the HUD subsidy, most residents cannot pay the market rate. Those residents will likely end up back on the streets of Philadelphia. This Trump administration policy is misguided, counterproductive, and stupid.

Angelo Sgro, Philadelphia

In another world, the demolition of the former Admiral Court apartment building at 237 S. 48th St. would never have happened. A sturdy four-story apartment building with 46 units, in a city that is in need of affordable housing, should have been a prime target for rehabilitation and reuse. Instead, the building is lost. Even after a devastating fire that investigators are treating as arson, there was still enough of the structure left that this building could have been saved. Now, the neighborhood will get an empty lot to look at, despite pleas from neighbors and from a member of City Council to see this building put back into service.

The current owners of Admiral Court also control 4710 Locust St., which is listed as having 56 apartments and has been vacant for many years. Hopefully, the city can intervene before another arson fire destroys this building, as well.

Katherine Dowdell, Philadelphia

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met with President Donald Trump. I hope no one thinks Trump promised Mamdani anything. President Trump talked only in generalities.

President Trump said he agrees that it would be great if Mamdani could make NYC more safe. He said it would be great if Mamdani could make things more affordable, and great if he could help the housing shortage. That means ab-so-lute-ly nothing. Trump just wished him well. President Trump did not promise to do or finance anything specific to help, for sure. Mayor-elect Mamdani’s methods may be way, way different from President Trump’s methods to help anything, and we will all wait with bated breath to see what the future brings.

Also, Mamdani is not a dictator. He can only pass laws with the majority agreement of himself and of 51 city council members from the five boroughs. That has never even been mentioned. How will the 51 members vote?

All President Trump really did was to say hello and good luck.

David F. Lipton, Toms River

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.