Changing the Definition Doesn’t Fix the Problem

Dear Friend,

The United States entered a recession today—despite the best efforts of President Biden and his team to change the definition of recession over the last couple of weeks. I’m sure they’ll keep talking themselves in circles, but the reality is that our economy is shrinking, wages are down, and Americans are struggling to get by. It doesn’t matter how you slice it—that’s a recession.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of us though. The Biden Administration has been trying to redefine everything under the sun. They’re doing the exact same thing with the Waters of the United States rule, or WOTUS—trying to change the definition to their own benefit, to give bureaucrats control over virtually every square inch of American farmland.

Now, they’re even trying to quietly redefine the job of FEMA—or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and for years their job has been to take care of Americans and help folks get back on their feet after flooding, tornados, and other disasters. In fact, federal law specifically bars using FEMA resources for any other DHS mission if that takes away from FEMA’s ability to do their job.

Still, in April, FEMA quietly changed their description of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program—a program Congress explicitly created to help homeless Americans—to include “families and individuals encountered by the Department of Homeland Security.” In plain English, that means illegal immigrants.

That’s unconscionable, especially when so many Americans aren’t getting the help they need from FEMA. President Biden created this mess at the border, and he should fix it by finishing the wall and enforcing our laws, rather than robbing Peter to pay Paul and plug the holes in his sinking presidency.

At the end of the day, changing the definition of recession, WOTUS, or FEMA’s job isn’t going to fix anything, it’s only going to make matters worse. Actions speak louder than words or definitions.

If we really want to get out of this mess, we have to start taking real actions to fix these problems. We need to stop Biden’s spending spree that’s fueling inflation. We need to stop this executive overreach attacking farmers. And, we have to stop the Biden Administration from diverting FEMA resources away from disaster victims to deal with their mess at the border.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves