Full Breakdown
Conservative Report Proposes Ten-Point Plan to Tackle U.S. Affordability Crisis
8/18/2026, 9:22:17 PM
Report Overview and Core Argument
A new study released by the Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise at Advancing American Freedom—a conservative organization founded by former Vice President Mike Pence—outlines ten proposals aimed at lowering household costs by reducing regulation and expanding production across multiple sectors. The authors frame “unaffordability” as the nation’s top concern, linking rising housing, food, and energy expenses to government policy. Richard Stern, vice president of the institute, argues that the crisis stems primarily from federal and local regulations rather than market forces.
Key Policy Recommendations
The blueprint calls for:
- Easing local zoning restrictions and tying roughly $50 billion in annual federal housing assistance to zoning reform, a move the National Association of Home Builders says could address the roughly 26 % regulatory component of new single-family home prices.
- Streamlining approval processes for projects that already meet existing standards.
- Expanding oil and gas leasing while rejecting state bans on hydraulic fracturing, with the expectation that greater domestic energy output would lower costs for goods and services.
- Shifting tariff authority back to Congress, criticizing President Donald Trump’s recent tariff expansions for inflating consumer prices and allegedly eliminating close to 900 000 jobs.
- Opposing a proposed 10 % cap on credit-card interest rates, which the report contends would render lending unprofitable for about 60 % of Americans.
Economic Rationale and Supporting Data
The authors cite Treasury data indicating that duties collected in the most recent month rose to $30.4 billion—about a 242 % increase from the previous year’s $8.9 billion—to illustrate the scale of recent tariff growth. They also reference the National Association of Home Builders’ estimate that government regulations account for roughly one-quarter of new home prices, suggesting that zoning reform could shave tens of thousands of dollars from the average purchase price.
Political Context and Potential Impact
The proposals arrive as both parties vie to address cost-of-living pressures ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. While the plan mirrors elements of former President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda, it diverges on trade and credit-card policy, positioning the institute’s recommendations as a distinct conservative alternative. Stern warns that sustained economic frustration could erode social cohesion, describing it as a pathway toward “socialism” if government intervention continues unchecked. The report’s emphasis on deregulation and production expansion aims to reshape the policy debate before voters head to the polls.
