The results of the altoonamirror.com Web Poll that appeared in the Jan. 10-11, 2026 edition of the Mirror caught my attention with particular reference to the word “affordability.”

Affordability, as mentioned in the poll, was used to describe the economy and rising prices with the question as to whether people are able to easily pay their monthly expenses. Operative word being “easily.”

Before examining the results of the poll, keep in mind that Donald Trump recently referred to the term affordability as a “con job,” a “false narrative” and a “hoax,” especially by the Democrats.

Now to the results of the weekly poll. Forty-two percent of the respondents indicated they had no problem paying their bills with money let over. But 58%, almost six in ten, indicated that, while they could pay their bills, they had little leftover. Sixteen percent responded that they were living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Granted, this poll is far from scientific, but it does suggest that affordability is a major issue with many in the Mirror readership population. And fortunately, Donald Trump has stepped back on his criticism and has sought measures to address this major economic issue.

As one of the richest nations in the world, how can we morally and ethically allow anyone to live paycheck-to-paycheck, particularly considering that the number of billionaires has increased dramatically in recent years?

Help us to close the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Jay D. Buchanan

Huntingdon