Tag: kentucky

[Outgoing Mail]

[Dec 13, 2025 | Postscape #043]

President Trump’s administration is aggressively rolling back workplace safety rules and other regulations under the banner of deregulation. This means cutting laws and protections designed to keep workers safe on the job and ensure fair wages. The Department of Labor has proposed weakening more than 60 regulations that cover everything from mine safety, farmworker protections, and construction site rules to protections for home health care workers and people with disabilities. These rollbacks include limiting what employers must do to protect workers from known dangers and giving workers less say in choosing safety gear. Critics say this puts workers at greater risk of injury or illness because some regulations protect people from harmful substances or dangerous conditions that haven’t changed. Meanwhile, the administration argues these rules hold back economic growth and burden employers too much.​

For Kentucky, a state with many workers in industries like coal mining, manufacturing, and agriculture, these deregulations hit home hard. Many Kentuckians rely on strong safety rules to prevent accidents and illnesses—without them, hospital visits and workplace injuries are likely to increase, costing families both health and income. Coal miners, farm laborers, and construction workers in Kentucky are among those most at risk from looser federal protections because their jobs involve exposure to dangerous conditions every day. Additionally, wage protections for home health workers—important in rural Kentucky—are being rolled back, which means fewer hours, less pay, and less support for some of the state’s most vulnerable workers. In everyday terms, these changes mean Kentucky’s workers face tougher, more dangerous jobs with fewer safeguards while their incomes and quality of life may suffer, deepening inequalities and making Kentucky’s working families more vulnerable.

[Sources]

https://www.epi.org/blog/trumps-department-of-labor-is-dismantling-key-workplace-protections/

https://tcf.org/content/commentary/trumps-department-of-labor-continues-its-onslaught-against-workers/

https://www.livenowfox.com/news/trump-labor-deregulation-rules

https://www.morganlewis.com/pubs/2025/07/oshas-aggressive-deregulatory-efforts-begin

https://thedailyrecord.com/2025/07/22/labor-department-worker-safety-regulations-repeal/

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[Outgoing Mail]

Nov 20, 2025 | Postscape #039

In 2025, President Trump has frequently complained about the high cost of living and blamed previous administrations, especially Biden’s, for the inflation and price hikes Americans face. Trump claims he has “defeated” inflation and is working to bring prices down, but many experts and everyday people disagree. Tariffs imposed by his administration on imports like furniture, lumber, and electronics have raised prices not just on foreign goods but also on American-made products, pushing costs up by as much as 50% in some areas. This has forced many families to dip into savings, use credit cards, or skip meals just to get by. Despite these realities, Trump promotes policies rolling back regulations, arguing it will boost energy production and jobs, though critics say this worsens costs in the short term.​

Kentucky offers a clear example of these struggles, especially for average working families. The state, heavily reliant on energy and manufacturing jobs, has seen steady price increases on everyday essentials like groceries, gas, and healthcare, making life tougher for many residents. For Kentuckians living paycheck to paycheck, the rising cost of necessities often translates into difficult choices—between paying rent, buying food, or accessing medicine. Public polling shows that a majority of Kentucky voters worry about their ability to afford basic needs and increasingly blame national policies for their financial stress. While Trump tries to paint this period as a new economic “golden era,” most Kentuckians’ experiences tell a different story marked by financial strain and skepticism about promises that prices will soon fall. This disconnect influences voter attitudes and adds pressure on politicians to address the high cost of living that is shaping everyday life across the state.

SOURCES

Trump says he ‘defeated’ inflation — so why do prices keep going up? 

https://tcf.org/content/report/the-hidden-costs-of-trumps-economy-skipped-meals-rising-debt-and-the-impossible-choices-facing-american-families/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/12/business/inflation-data-prices-rising-trump-policies

https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/americans-unhappy-direction-cost-living

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