Slay the inflation dragon

Elections are rarely about one issue, but there’s no question that economic worries motivated voters this year. Polls, both before the election and exit polling, show that inflation is their No. 1 concern.

The next Congress needs to slay the beast of inflation. While that is a straightforward task, it is not for the weak-willed. Once let out of Pandora’s box, inflation does not go quietly.

The winning formula has three parts: Spend less, drill more, and liberate capital. These are the sword, shield and steed Congress must take into battle.

The primary weapon of the next Congress is their power of the purse. Today’s inflation is ultimately driven by excessive government spending. Cutting that spending will reduce inflation. They must take their sword to the budget and enact the painful but necessary cuts that will cut off the beast of inflation from its lifeblood.

Next, the new Congress must do everything in its power to end the war on reliable American energy and protect our domestic producers of coal, oil and natural gas. The attacks from the Biden administration and the outgoing Congress have reduced output from our domestic producers and driven up prices.

The next Congress should use its shield to protect these American energy sources, not out of favoritism, but because doing so will bring down costs for Americans.

Lastly, the incoming Congress must remove those artificial disincentives that are holding back capital investment.

The steed to ride into battle is one of deregulating, lowering taxes and counter-thrusting the Biden administration’s executive regulatory overreach.

Conservatives must govern on offense if they are to maintain the trust of those who sent them to Washington. This means taking a strong, uncompromising stance on key issues like inflation. There is no ground to concede here — either we’re a nation of sound money, or we aren’t. We either have strong banking and energy sectors, or we don’t.

The Biden’s administration’s misguided policies in these areas have been destroying people’s lives and livelihoods. Conservatives in Congress must hold the line on these issues, both for their own sakes come reelection, but more importantly for the sake of their electorates and the fate of America.

We can’t just keep spending our way to the poorhouse. The inflation dragon can’t be tamed. It has to be killed. Let’s hope Congress is willing to do what it takes.