Thanksgiving Is Here: But For Many Minnesotans, Affordability Isn’t Something to Celebrate

Thanksgiving is supposed to be a season of comfort, a chance to slow down, gather with family, and appreciate what we have. But this year, as Minnesotans prepare for the holiday, many are feeling the strain. Food prices are up, heating costs are up, and the simple act of putting a Thanksgiving meal on the table is noticeably harder than it used to be. Families aren’t imagining it; affordability is becoming a real crisis.

Democrats at the Capitol can try to shift the blame to global trends or vague economic forces, but Minnesotans know the difference between bad luck and bad leadership. And the truth is, the decisions made in St. Paul over the last two years are exactly what pushed the state into this position. When lawmakers increased Minnesota’s budget by an astonishing 47% in a single biennium, they weren’t thinking about the families budgeting for groceries or heat. They were thinking about expanding government programs, growing bureaucracy, and spending at a pace that Minnesota taxpayers simply can’t sustain.

Then came the $19 billion surplus, the biggest in state history. Minnesotans rightfully expected meaningful relief, especially as household costs kept rising. Instead, the surplus was burned through almost immediately. And when that spending spree created uncomfortable questions, Democrats rushed to rewrite the rules by changing how the state calculates future surpluses, excluding inflation so the numbers would look less alarming on paper. It didn’t make life any cheaper for Minnesotans; it just made the bookkeeping more convenient for politicians.

At the same time, billions in taxpayer dollars have evaporated through fraud and mismanagement. From massive scandals to ongoing failures in oversight, Minnesota has watched public funds disappear with little explanation and even less accountability. While families are cutting coupons and tightening budgets, state agencies have allowed money to flow out the door with almost no guardrails. The cost of fraud isn’t abstract; it’s paid by every Minnesotan who wonders why taxes are high, why services fall short, and why those record-breaking budgets never seem to improve anything that actually touches their lives.

So yes, this Thanksgiving costs more. Minnesota families are struggling to afford what used to be simple. But there is still one thing Minnesotans can be grateful for: a new election is coming. And with it, the chance to choose new leadership, new priorities, and hopefully a renewed commitment to what families have been asking for all along, real affordability. This year, the turkey may be overpriced, but the possibility of change is very much on the menu.