Graves: Biden policies making life ‘much more difficult’

Polices enacted by President Joe Biden during the past 17 months in office have made life much more difficult for nearly all Americans, including those in agriculture, Congressman Garret Graves said last week.

The Republican representing the congressional 6th District spoke to approximately 20 farmers about the economic challenges and other issues during a town hall meeting at an agricultural supply store in the Pointe Coupee Parish community of Batchelor.  

Skyrocketing prices for gasoline and diesel have made life tougher for American farmers, but additional hardships have surfaced.

“Natural gas prices have nearly tripled, and that important fuel plays a role in the making of fertilizer, which has now seen a spike in price because of a shortage,” Graves said. “Yet, we are sending tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine.”

The use of domestic oil could bring down prices and ease the brunt on the economy, but it’s not in the cards for Biden, he said.

Instead, the Biden administration has adamantly refused to take any step toward foreign energy independence, he said.

“It’s not a supply problem, Graves said.

Graves said he will keep an eye on the mid-term elections, but the 2024 presidential race is higher on his priority list.

He said he never seen an administration with “such flawed policies.”

“We need someone else in the White House,” Graves said. “I don’t know who it will be, but we cannot go through eight years of what we have now … it’s maddening.”

The nation needs to cap social plans which have helped swell the national debt to $30.5 trillion, he said.

Graves said the debt service alone will exceed the entire amount the nation spends on military.

He expressed concerns over the effectiveness of social programs.

“Are they helping people out of poverty or just keeping them there?” Graves said.