World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
EJ ANTONI: Overseas wars put affordability on hold, but that’s only temporary
The article argues that US families’ cost of living was improving after January 2025, but conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine have pushed energy and other costs higher, slowing that progress. It says the setback may be temporary and that affordability could improve again when the wars end.
It reports that average weekly pay rose about 17% during Joe Biden’s presidency, while its purchasing power fell around 4%. From January 2025 to February 2026, inflation-adjusted weekly pay increased roughly 2%, but oil prices then climbed from about $60–$70 to $100–$120 a barrel. The article links higher fuel costs to more expensive food, transport and manufactured goods, and says housing affordability has declined since reaching a three-year high in February.
In short
- US cost-of-living progress has slowed amid overseas conflicts.
- Oil climbed from roughly $60–$70 to $100–$120 a barrel.
- The article expects affordability to improve once the wars end.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the article’s argument can point to rising inflation-adjusted weekly pay in early 2025 and the way higher oil prices feed into transport, food and manufacturing costs. They may argue that conflicts have temporarily interrupted gains in affordability, and that easing energy pressures when fighting ends could allow those gains to resume.
The case against
A sceptical view is that affordability depends on more than overseas wars or oil prices: housing costs and other domestic pressures may persist even if conflicts end. The reported pay and price changes cover different periods, so they do not by themselves establish that families were broadly better off or that recent setbacks are temporary.
Explained simply
Affordability describes how far household income goes towards essentials such as housing, food and energy. Pay rises do not necessarily leave families better off if prices rise faster, while higher fuel costs can feed through to transport, farming and the production of goods.
The figures cited compare pay and prices during Joe Biden’s presidency with the period from January 2025 to February 2026. The article links later increases in oil prices to conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine, and discusses how those increases may affect US households.
Oil prices can change quickly, and housing costs are shaped by factors beyond energy. The article presents the recent pressure on household budgets as potentially temporary, with affordability depending in part on how the conflicts develop and how prices respond.