The simple fixes conservatives say could make life cheaper for Americans

Key Points:

• A new report from the conservative Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise, founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, outlines 10 proposals to reduce the cost of living by cutting regulations and increasing production across various sectors, including housing, energy, and business.
• The report criticizes government policies for contributing to an affordability crisis, calling for easing zoning restrictions, expanding oil and gas access, and reforming Social Security and SNAP eligibility to improve economic conditions.
• Unlike former President Trump’s approach, the report opposes tariffs, arguing they have raised prices, harmed U.S. alliances, and cost nearly 900,000 jobs, while calling for tariff authority to be returned to Congress.
• On housing, the report highlights zoning restrictions as a major factor driving up home prices and recommends linking federal housing aid to zoning reforms to make homeownership more accessible.
• The energy proposals emphasize increasing domestic oil and gas production and opposing state fracking bans, with the goal of lowering costs across the economy, while warning that economic frustration should not lead to blaming businesses or entrepreneurs but instead focus on government reform.