{"id":2431923,"date":"2025-05-07T12:38:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T16:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T12:39:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T16:39:45","slug":"pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Pence&#8217;s Dollar Store Dream Is Killing The American Middle Class"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431923&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the implications of prioritizing access to cheap goods over domestic economic health, focusing on comments made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and former Vice President mike Pence. Bessent stated that the essence of the American Dream lies in prosperity and economic security, not just in the availability of inexpensive goods, a sentiment that faced criticism from those who value low prices over the welfare of American workers. Pence countered Bessent&#8217;s stance by asserting that cheap goods are essential to the American Dream.<\/p>\n<p>The piece argues that while cheaper products may appear beneficial, they come at a high cost, including job losses and decreased economic resilience, particularly due to outsourcing manufacturing to countries like China.from 2001 to 2018,approximately 3.7 million jobs were lost to China, predominantly in manufacturing sectors. The article highlights how this trend has contributed to the erosion of the American middle class and raised concerns over product safety, particularly with imports that may not comply with U.S. standards.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the author challenges the narrative that low prices are paramount, advocating for a re-evaluation of policies that prioritize immediate consumer savings at the expense of domestic job security and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/live-2-pm-et-house-oversight-committee-hearing-on-bidenomics-a-perfect-storm-of-spending-debt-and-inflation\/\" title=\"LIVE NOW: House Oversight Committee Hearing on &#039;Bidenomics: Spending, Debt, and Inflation&#039; at 2 PM ET.\">long-term economic stability<\/a>. The discussion reflects a broader debate about the balance between consumer interests and the health of the economy. The article is authored by Brianna Lyman, an elections correspondent at The Federalist.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/theblaze\/status\/1919836808055021899\">  The Blaze\/ X <\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/07\/mike-pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Mike%20Pence%E2%80%99s%20Dollar%20Store%20Dream%20Is%20Killing%20The%20American%20Middle%20Class&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/07\/mike-pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Mike%20Pence%E2%80%99s%20Dollar%20Store%20Dream%20Is%20Killing%20The%20American%20Middle%20Class&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/07\/mike-pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/07\/mike-pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Mike%20Pence%E2%80%99s%20Dollar%20Store%20Dream%20Is%20Killing%20The%20American%20Middle%20Class&amp;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/07\/mike-pences-dollar-store-dream-is-killing-the-american-middle-class\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>A few weeks ago, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rightly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/03\/06\/treasury-secretary-bessent-says-the-american-dream-is-not-about-access-to-cheap-goods.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pointed<\/a> out that &ldquo;Access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American dream. The American dream is rooted in the concept that any citizen can achieve prosperity, upward mobility, and economic security. For too long, the designers of multilateral trade deals have lost sight of this.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>His comments received backlash from folks who believe that cheaply made Chinese goods are more important than the health of the American workforce and the longevity of our domestic economy. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1460205857\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Former Vice President Mike Pence jumped on the bandwagon in an interview with CNN to declare that &ldquo;Cheap goods are a big part of [the American Dream].&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But cheap goods are actually expensive because they cost American jobs and economic longevity. <\/p>\n<p>Yet, Pence&rsquo;s statement underscores a troubling mindset that has long driven American economic policy: the belief that low prices are paramount &mdash; even at the expense of domestic industry and long-term economic resilience. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"7ih32f8XzqnvSD0YZ9BRGUdAjJQwN4H\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mike Pence rebukes President Trump&#8217;s tariff policy: &#8220;Cheap goods are a big part of the American Dream.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Is5vb0iVnm\">pic.twitter.com\/Is5vb0iVnm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; TheBlaze (@theblaze) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/theblaze\/status\/1919836808055021899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>While outsourcing manufacturing to countries with lower labor costs may result in cheaper prices for consumers, the short-term gain comes at a long-term cost. And <em>any<\/em> politician, let alone a so-called Republican, should welcome the opportunity presented by Trump&rsquo;s tariffs to reset and level the playing field to finally put America first.  <\/p>\n<p>The United States lost approximately 3.7 million jobs to China between 2001 and 2018, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/publication\/growing-china-trade-deficits-costs-us-jobs\/#:~:text=U.S.%20jobs%20lost%20are%20spread,district%20in%20the%20United%20States.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to the Economic Policy Institute. Roughly 75 percent of jobs lost between 2001 and 2018 were in manufacturing, according to the report. Manufacturing industries include &ldquo;computer and electronic parts, textiles and apparels, and furniture.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Outsourcing manufacturing jobs to China has allowed companies to capitalize on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >lower labor costs &#038;mdash<\/a>; including Uighur slave labor &mdash; and less stringent environmental regulations. The shift has surely resulted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/publication\/trading-manufacturing-advantage-china-trade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cheaper prices<\/a> for goods for U.S. consumers &mdash; but at what cost?<\/p>\n<p>One cost is the &ldquo;dangerous&rdquo; toys.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re tempted to buy kids&rsquo; toys at rock-bottom prices online this holiday season, consumer advocates want you to think twice &mdash; and maybe three times,&rdquo; a November <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/11\/26\/nx-s1-5197592\/cheap-toys-imports-de-minimis-rules-dangerous#:~:text=Shein%20and%20Temu%20face%20a,Flammability%20is%20also%20a%20concern.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">article<\/a> from NPR reads. &ldquo;The $8 gift might not meet U.S. safety standards that are meant to protect kids.&rdquo; Potential risks highlighted by the article include &ldquo;lead and phthalate exposure&rdquo; as well as choking hazards.<\/p>\n<p>This isn&rsquo;t an isolated incident, either. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled thousands of products from China over the years due to safety concerns. <\/p>\n<p>Still, economists have long told us that while Americans are losing their jobs, it&rsquo;s okay because access to cheaply made goods is apparently more important. But as Sanjai Bhagat, a Provost Professor of Finance at the University of Colorado at Boulder, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2020\/apr\/13\/outsourcing-manufacturing-to-china-endangers-us-se\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a> for The Washington Times, &ldquo;This argument is fallacious.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Less expensive consumer goods are primarily short-lived disposable items, while the losses in wages and benefits of workers shifted from factory to service-sector jobs have been permanent,&rdquo; Bhagat explained. <\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epi.org\/publication\/china-trade-outsourcing-and-jobs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a> from the Economic Policy Institute further points out that &ldquo;competition with low-wage workers from less-developed countries such as China has driven down wages for workers in U.S. manufacturing and reduced the wages and bargaining power of similar, non-college-educated workers throughout the economy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The erosion of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michael-keaton-posts-message-to-trump-and-musks-supporters-they-dont-really-respect-you-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Michael Keaton posts message to Trump and Musk\u2019s supporters: \u2018They don\u2019t really respect you\u2019 - Washington Examiner\">middle class isn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t just an economic issue; it&rsquo;s a national one. Communities have been gutted and left in economic despair all because people like Pence value &ldquo;cheap&rdquo; goods over American jobs and the longevity of our country.<\/p>\n<p>So sure, consumers may have access to cheap goods (that are cheaply made), but at what cost to the health of our nation?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Brianna Lyman<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/briannalyman2\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@briannalyman2<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/briannalyman\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/china\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">China<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/manufacturing\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">manufacturing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/manufacturing-jobs\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">manufacturing jobs<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/mike-pence\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Mike Pence<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/scott-bessent\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Scott Bessent<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/tariffs\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">tariffs<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/trade\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Trade<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/trade-deficit\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">trade deficit<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that &#8220;Access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American dream,&#8221; emphasizing that true prosperity involves upward mobility and economic security for all citizens. His remarks faced criticism from those who prioritize inexpensive Chinese products over the well-being of American workers and the domestic economy. Former Vice President Mike Pence echoed this sentiment, claiming that affordable goods are integral to the American Dream, but this perspective overlooks the job losses and long-term economic consequences associated with such policies. Outsourcing manufacturing has led to significant job losses in America, particularly in manufacturing sectors, while raising concerns about product safety and quality. The focus on low prices often comes at a steep cost to both workers and communities across the nation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2431924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Mike-Pence-scaled-e1746631026995.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[54785,54784,34402,4500,54786],"class_list":["post-2431923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-american-middle-class","tag-dollar-store","tag-economic-policy","tag-pence","tag-retail-impact"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Mike-Pence-scaled-e1746631026995.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431923"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431927,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431923\/revisions\/2431927"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}