Tax day was a few weeks ago and we have since heard Republican politicians like Michael Baumgartner bragging about how voters were getting larger tax refunds. Maybe, but let me share a personal anecdote. My shirttail cousin who lives near Burlington, Vt., is 67, on Social Security but still working as a long haul truck driver because his wife is younger, and her health needs costs more than they could afford if he retired. In a family Facebook thread, he related, “I was surprised at how much I got back on my taxes this year. The problem is, nearly the entire amount of that refund was spent on increased cost of diesel fuel on my last trip to the West Coast and back. That price increase began after Trump started the war with Iran. How am I to afford my next trip?” Incidentally, he is from the side of the family that supports Trump. And that increase in fuel prices will be passed along to the public in the form of higher prices on food and consumer goods. At events in his district last week, Baumgartner repeated his claim that higher tax refunds, as small as they actually are, makes America more affordable. Touting tax refunds without acknowledging the overall economy is typical of his out-of-touch relationship with the voters of this district. He continues to support the war and tariffs without any understanding of how they affect his constituents. He needs to be retired.