Economic Security Project

ESP co-founder @nataliefoster recently spoke with journalist @LaurenGoode for @WIRED about what AI means for working families, and why our political response needs to match the scale of the change it will bring. As she put it: “If AI is going to be one of the most significant advances in human civilization, then we should have an equally advanced political response.”

That means giant, no-regrets moves that give people and families the economic resilience to withstand what’s coming. Guarantees like universal childcare, affordable housing and healthcare.

Americans are tired of the affordability crisis, and the 2026 midterms showed it.

Rising prices on the basics like food, gas, healthcare, and childcare were a key driver, sending young people and families to the polls for change. Before Election Day, 84% of voters said the economy was very important to their vote. Exit polls confirmed this, with 89% of voters saying the cost of living was important to their vote.

Across the country, a relentless focus on kitchen table costs powered winning campaigns, here’s how:

- Calling out a broken, expensive healthcare system and making the case for care that works for families boosted campaigns in South Carolina, Michigan, and Ohio.
- Universal childcare and ideas to lower costs for families proved popular in Iowa, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California.
- Fighting high prices and grocery consolidation proved popular in Illinois, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
- The Child Tax Credit and direct cash took center stage in Georgia, Texas, and Ohio.

Young voters were at the center of the shift. After drifting towards Trump in 2024, they swung more than 20 points toward Democrats in 2026, the largest shift of any age group. This seismic swing was driven by concerns that the cost of living is preventing Gen Z from achieving major life milestones, like buying a home and having kids.

Americans can’t afford this economy. And newly elected statehouses and Congressmembers must meet the moment with real solutions to the affordability crisis, from expanding the Child Tax Credit to guaranteeing healthcare for all families.

The cost of living is on the ballot today. 🗳️

Here's what rising costs look like for families across the country:
- Healthcare: The cost of a benchmark ACA plan jumped from $497 in 2025 to $625 a month in 2026.
- Housing: Rent for a new lease is now nearly $2,000 a month nationwide.
- Gas: Prices reached a national average of $4.27 a gallon in October 2026.
- Groceries: Since December 2024, coffee prices have risen 37.7% and ground beef prices have climbed 21.2%.
- Childcare: Prices increased 7.1% between December 2024 and September 2026.

With paychecks losing purchasing power and the costs of everyday essentials continuing to rise, families are feeling the pressure.

That's why election day matters. Everybody deserves a say in our economic future. Find your polling place and vote today: vote.org

Having a third child is becoming a luxury.

Research from @mtkonczal finds 49% of top-1% families have 3+ kids, versus 40–43% across most other income groups.

The takeaway: families need more financial stability and support to afford the kids they want.

The OpenAI Foundation is worth over $200B, making it the largest nonprofit in the world. But it has disbursed an infinitesimally small fraction of what it has publicly pledged.

They’re getting a D on this subject AT BEST.