Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) was confronted by a constituent who wanted to know what he had done to lower grocery prices, as President Donald Trump had repeatedly promised he would do in office — and gave a dismissive and confused response.
In particular, Brecheen seemed not to understand that the constituent asked him about reversing inflation, and rather thought she asked whether he could repeal Oklahoma's state sales tax on groceries, which was already repealed last year.
"I had a couple of related questions," said the constituent. "One is, I've heard President Trump say more than once that he has lowered drug prices by 1,500 percent. I'm not sure how that works. And the other is, can you tell me what specific bills we've passed or worked on that would lower grocery prices?"
"Ma'am, you're talking about things relative to state level. And so you're mixing federal and state," he said. "If you look at what the 18 enumerated powers say, the 18 enumerated powers that every Congressman holds up their hand and swears an oath to, to uphold and defend the Constitution. And most people who run for Congress don't know those 18 enumerated powers. And they don't know the Tenth Amendment that says the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, or prohibited by the states, are reserved to the states and the people respectively."
"And so what I'm saying to you is, Oklahoma, if you want to have that conversation about grocery taxes, they've been having that conversation," he continued, as the crowd stirred. "What we're allowed to do ... we are given tax status, right, but tell me the federal tax right now on groceries?"
So far, Trump has not significantly lowered grocery prices since taking office, and in fact, many items are spiking in price, with businesses blaming his sharp new tariffs on foreign imports.