Nov 22, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving! Before the celebrations commence, families across the country confronted grocery store sticker shock. We run the numbers. We were on the scene when the jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse and offer our own verdict on the proceedings. Heritage experts also weigh in on the $1.8 trillion ‘Build Back Better’ bill the House passed on Friday, and we look at how the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will make the supply-chain problems even worse. There’s more to explore in The Agenda.

Thanksgiving Dinner Prices Climb Twice as Fast as Wages

Full stomachs, empty wallets: Waistlines aren’t the only thing to increase on Thanksgiving. This year’s Thanksgiving meal will cost on average 8% more than last year’s, nearly double the growth in average weekly earnings.

What the experts say: The blame for this lies squarely with the Biden administration’s reckless economic and federal spending policies, which are fueling inflation, according to Heritage research fellow Joel Griffith. “Families that experienced a rise in the cost of living exceeding their income this past year,” Griffith writes, “will continue to feel the consequences of this so-called transitory inflation for years to come.”

Learn more: Read Griffith’s commentary and don’t miss his fact-check of blatantly false claims made by the New York Times.

Kyle Rittenhouse Deserves Better

The Acquittal: Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted Friday on a slew of serious charges—multiple counts of murder and recklessly endangering the safety of others—stemming from a violent protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year.

On the scene: The Daily Signal, Heritage’s news outlet, was on the ground as it happened.

Our Verdict: The jury made the right decision. Unfortunately, the prosecutors were determined to bring this case forward no matter the cost, consequences, or the lack of evidence. “Kyle Rittenhouse deserves better than what happened here,” Heritage legal fellow Zack Smith says. “And, frankly, our criminal justice system requires better than what happened here.”

Read more of Smith’s analysis and watch his “Heritage Explains LIVE” video moments after the verdict.

House Approves Budget-Busting ‘Build Back Better’

What’s the news: Democrats in the House voted Friday for the $1.8 trillion spending bill, which would come on top of the trillions already approved this year. The vote came after the Congressional Budget Office reported that it would add more than $300 billion to the deficit.

On to the Senate: The action shifts to the Senate, where the only hope of stopping this spending monstrosity is for one Democrat to vote against it.

Go deeper: Matthew Dickerson, director of Heritage’s Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, weighs in on the damage this bill would do, and policy analyst David Ditch exposes four lies told by the Biden administration to sell it.

Infrastructure Bill Will Make Supply Chain Crisis Worse

The pitch: President Joe Biden signed a trillion-plus infrastructure bill on Nov. 15. Anyone affected by the national supply chain crisis, which is everyone, might be tempted to hope that this gargantuan bill will do as Biden says: fix this gargantuan problem.

The catch: Belay your jubilation. Far from fixing the supply chain crisis, Biden’s plan will make it far worse. Instead of addressing supply chain issues, the bill simply authorizes generous handouts to special interest groups, unions, and radical leftists.

What should be done? “Go where the problem is,” writes Heritage research fellow Peter St. Onge. “Namely ports, truckers, and lack of workers.”

Learn more: Read about the effects of the infrastructure bill here.

DID YOU KNOW?

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Preparing for Office. Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James met with Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears to talk strategy and transition work. James is serving as co-chair of Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin’s transition and Lindsey Burke, director of Heritage’s Center for Education, is a member of the transition team. Learn more.

Interns Wanted. Widely regarded as Washington’s best internship, The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program is currently accepting applications for our spring semester. Apply today!

Attention Law Clerks. Those who’ve been hired as law clerks for federal judges with start dates in 2022 can now apply to attend Heritage's Judicial Clerkship Training Academy. Learn more.

ICYMI: Sen. Rand Paul spoke at Heritage about abortion providers that took PPP loans they weren’t eligible to receive. Watch the event.

This week on Heritage Explains, Jeff Smith, a research fellow in Heritage’s Asian Studies Center, breaks down who the new kingmakers are in Afghanistan. Listen to the episode.

Joel Griffith, a research fellow in Heritage’s Roe Institute, joined CNBC's ”Squawk Box” to discuss the Democrats’ massive tax-and-spending package that would throw $79 billion taxpayer dollars at the IRS. Watch the interview.

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