If Dems want to maintain their majority status in the US Congress in 2023, they cannot cede winning the debate on US economic issues to GOP MAGA candidates. They can message primarily on the 2 major issues of saving our US democracy from devolving into a Fascist style autocracy and the restoration of women’s access to legal abortions, but they also have to educate Americans on how they’re fighting like hell to alleviate their financial suffering due to rising inflation costs and what more they’ll be able to do if Dems can maintain their majority positions in the US Congress, post the November 2022 elections.
Two things that Dems can do to successfully tackle economic issues head on are first, they can start by trusting the intelligence of all our citizens, even GOP MAGA voters, and second, they can educate folks about how the US economy including inflation can become much worse if GOP MAGAs prevail in winning majority power in US House and Senate. Dems won’t move the needle by much, but any movement can make a difference in close elections.
Just look at what happened in 2022 when a conservative UK politician enacted a favorite right-wing solution to any economic problem, widespread tax cuts which was the catalyst for a major financial meltdown. As per a 10/17/2022 Reuters report, “Under the new policy, most of (former PM) Truss’s 45 billion pounds of unfunded tax cuts will go…”
The Washington Post reported this week (Oct 17, 2022):
“Republicans plan to push to extend key parts of President Donald Trump’s tax cuts if they take control of Congress in this fall’s elections, aiming to force President Biden to codify trillions of dollars worth of lower taxes touted by his predecessor…. Many economists say the GOP’s plans to expand the tax cuts flies against their promises to fight inflation and reduce the federal deficit, which have emerged as central themes of their 2022 midterm campaign rhetoric. Tax cuts boost inflation just like new spending, because they increase economic demand and throw it out of balance with supply.”
See: What Kevin McCarthy can learn from Liz Truss – The Washington …https://thewashingtonnow.com/ 10/20/2022
Truss resignation in the U.K. should have Republicans’ …https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
Explain reality to voters:
The happenings of fire, floods and pandemics, etc. can be classified as “Acts of God.” The best any government can do is to act to prevent and reduce the harm from these forces of nature wherever and whenever possible and to help folks in the recovery process.
This period of US inflation in 2022 resulting from worldwide decrease in consumer demand during 2019-2021 COVID pandemic shutdowns followed by a sharp increase in demand after COVID restrictions were eased; Russia’s war on Ukraine limiting oil supplies, falls into the category of “Acts of God.”
The GOP MAGA candidates have been blaming POTUS Biden and Dems for rising inflation rates as voters have been paying more monies on basics like rent, food, fuel, etc. while none of them have lifted a finger to effectively reduce this suffering by average folks.
They’re like local GOP MAGA officials who refuse to adequately fund its fire department, who don’t ensure that the fire trucks have easy access and the tools required to put out a fire. Yet they’re the first ones to pontificate on how government doesn’t work when the house burns to the ground. GOP MAGA candidates plan to win in 2022 by focusing on divisive culture war issues versus presenting any viable solutions.
POTUS Biden and Dems have been working hard to reduce the negative impact of rising inflation on US consumers via multiple plans with no help from GOP MAGA lawmakers.
As per the 8/23/2022 Forbes report, “The Inflation Reduction Act Is Now Law—Here’s What It Means for You,” by Kelly Anne Smith, here are the big provisions in just one of Dems’ plans, Inflation Reduction Act of 2022:
- “Creation of a 15% corporate minimum tax rate: Corporations with at least $1 billion in income will have a new tax rate of 15%. Taxes on individuals and households won’t be increased. Stock buybacks by corporations will face a 1% excise tax.”
- “Prescription drug price reform: One of the most significant provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act will allow Medicare to negotiate the price of certain prescription drugs, bringing down the price beneficiaries will pay for their medications. Medicare recipients will have a $2,000 cap on annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, starting in 2025.”
- “IRS tax enforcement: The IRS has been sounding the alarm for years about being underfunded and being unable to deliver on its duties. The bill invests $80 billion in the nation’s tax agency over the next 10 years.”
- “Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy extension: Currently, medical insurance premiums under the ACA are subsidized by the federal government to lower premiums. These subsidies, which were scheduled to expire at the end of this year, will be extended through 2025. Approximately 3 million Americans could lose their health insurance if these subsidies weren’t extended, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”
- “Energy security and climate change investments: The bill includes numerous investments in climate protection, including tax credits for households to offset energy costs, investments in clean energy production and tax credits aimed at reducing carbon emissions.”
“According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a federal agency that provides budget and economic information to Congress, the bill will have a “negligible effect on inflation” in 2022, and in 2023 it will change inflation somewhere between 0.1 percentage point lower and 0.1 percentage point higher than it is currently.”
“Even if it won’t move the needle on inflation, the CBO also estimates the bill will decrease the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next decade. The federal government ran a deficit of $2.8 trillion in 2021, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center; the bill’s estimated deficit reduction will wipe out about 4% of that.”
Though the bill may fall short of bringing immediate price relief to consumers, it’s monumental in other ways. According to The Wilderness Society, a nonprofit land conservation organization established in 1935, the Inflation Reduction Act is described as a “breakthrough” on climate policy.
This bill was passed in August 2022 in the US Senate without any GOP MAGA lawmakers’ support under reconciliation rules.
Not only have the GOP MAGAs done absolutely nothing to help the average American with inflation woes, but if they succeed in winning in 2022 elections, their future plans will make the cost of inflation much worse for most Americans. Instead, they keep fixating on divisive culture war issues to attract voters.
As per an October 17, 2022, Washington Post report, ” If the GOP becomes the majority in November, they’re looking to extend provisions from former President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, specifically focused on tax rates paid by individuals and corporations.”
See: GOP lawmakers are bashing Biden for driving up inflation, but they could make it worse by extending Trump’s tax cuts …https://www.businessinsider.nl
Don’t forget Florida’s GOP MAGA leader, Senator Rick Scott’s plan to sunset every federal program following a review conducted every 5 years. This proposal includes placing Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block based on another GOP MAGA lie that both are financially untenable.
In short, it’s in most GOP voters’ best interests to vote for Democratic Party candidates if they want to see any relief with regards to rising inflation.
Note: In the next few blogs, I’ll be discussing how GOP MAGA policies will most likely worsen US economy post US November 2022 elections.
Note: This blog was last updated on October 21, 2022
Gronda Morin 
Hi, sweet friend!! Long time no see!! Hugs … 🫂
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Dear Horty, I’m thrilled to see old friends like you again. I was keeping up with you a bit on Twitter until I was permanently banned for referring to Gov DeSantis as being Castro-lite and that for pointing out that Florida rates from 3rd to 5th out of all US states in COVID deaths.
Frankly, I don’t want Floridians being in the tank for GOP candidates.
For example, many homeowners are suffering from insurance companies like United Property & Casualty Insurance Company being allowed to drop 160,000 policy holders in FL. When they sign up with another company, they are being charged at least 100% premium increases. This is a real tax on FL consumers.
I want to know why FPL had millions of folks going without power, a larger % of consumers than other FL utility companies like TECO. FPL is a major contributor to GOP Gov Ron DeSantis. I have yet to see any news stories regarding this issue.
Hugs, Gronda
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Oh how I’ve missed you, Gronda!!! I have a big smile on my face just seeing you here! I’ll comment on the content a bit later, and re-blog this evening, but I just wanted to tell you “WELCOME BACK!!!” first thing!
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Dear Jill,
Thanks for your gracious welcome. I’ve missed you as well. I’ll be back on a regular basis for the next few months.
Politics in my State of Fl sucks. At least Tim Ryan is in a competitive race against JD Vance in Ohio.
Hugs, Gronda
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I was happy to see you, and now I’m ecstatic to know you’re back in the saddle and will be posting regularly for a while anyway! We really have missed you, my friend!
Oh yes, I’ve kept up with Floridian politics. DeSantis sets my teeth on edge almost as much as Trump did! Yes, at least Tim Ryan is holding his own … but I still fear the red wave will shove Vance down our throats here. I did my part to send Vance packing, though … mailed my ballot yesterday!
Hugs dear friend … HUGE HUGS!
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Dear Jill,
Thanks a million for the reblog. I appreciate your support.
It’s been a rocky couple of years for me but life for me has gotten much better. I’m so happy to be blogging again.
Hugs, Gronda
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It’s gonna bite these low Information republican voters in the long run, but they refuse to see it and to understand.
Good to see you!
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Dear MaryPlumbago,
If and when GOP MAGA voters start losing social security and Medicare benefits, they’ll be screaming bloody murder even though GOP candidates told them what was in the cards.
Hugs, Gronda
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Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
Our dear friend Gronda has returned!!! I don’t know about you all, but I’ve missed her so very much! And after her hiatus, she is primed and ready to go, her usual fiery self, as her post today shows us! Let’s listen to Gronda telling us what the Democrats need to do to get the attention of the people in the coming three weeks.
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There are no intelligent GOP Maga voters. They are hate filled white supremest and there fear of falling from the top of the hierarchy is what drives them.
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I take your point. However, as a former very successful salesperson I learned the hard way that my chances of making a sale is nil if I treat a potential buyer like a loser, even if this evaluation has merit. The sales relationship process doesn’t mean that I want a personal connection to a buyer that I don’t like.
A politician is selling their ideas, policies, etc. to potential voters. Dems should be selling the concept that voters who support GOP MAGA candidates will end up voting against their own self-interests. They are being subjected to the bait and switch sale tactic. While the GOP MAGAs sell their voters by spouting culture war issues, these same voters will end up with less monies in their own pockets and worse living standards if GOP MAGA lawmakers prevail in 2022 elections.
Hugs, Gronda
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I know you asked long ago that I not comment on your blog, Gronda, but I feel it necessary to point out MAGAts do not care about what happens to them. They think they have little to lose already, so what if they lose a bit more. But owning the libs is all they care about, and that is what the Repugh Party lets them think they are doing.
Of course they are shooting themselves in their own butts, but you cannot sell them what they are not ready to buy. They are not ready to buy truth. Fiction is more believable.
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I can’t remember why I would’ve asked you not to comment, so please ignore my previous request along these lines. Welcome!
You are right. My suggested tactic of addressing hard core GOP MAGA voters won’t change their cult-like obeisance to the defeated ex-president but a seed is planted for those in the margins who might do some rethinking. We’re back in the situation where every vote counts.
They’ll end up ruing the day that they were duped to knowingly giving up the power of their votes. As soon as autocracy sets in, those in GOP MAGA positions of power will make the average Americans’ economic wellbeing much worse.
Hugs, Gronda
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Gronda, it is so great to see you posting again. Your well researched opinions mean a great deal to me and others. A couple of add ons here:
– Democrats have always been lousy marketers on the economy, often ceding incorrectly positions the Republicans stake out as being better stewards. As an example, under an even split of 22 White House terms since 1922, which party has overseen the most job growth? Even Democrats get this wrong, but the answer is not even close with job growth under Democrats dwarfing that under Republicans.
– In 2012, Republicans were told to always say the “failed stimulus” in any speech or comment. The truth is this statement is not correct, even though Democrats believed it as well ceding the GOP position. Per six econometric firms, the stimulus was accretive to GDP growth.
– In 2016, Trump told of how bad things were and when elected he touted at the economy he created. Both statements were simply untrue. When Trump took office, we were in the 91st consecutive month of economic growth, the third longest in history, and we had six straight years of 2 million plus job growth. To his credit, the economy continued to do well, got a little better for a little while with the sugar rush of a tax cut, then fell back before going into a recession with the poor reaction to the pandemic.
– Now, we hear it is all Biden’s fault for inflation. You cite several reasons, but leave off one – the Trump tariffs. Tariffs have been proven not to work very well as they upset supply chains. This was said before the Trump tariffs. The country impacted will find new markets and new suppliers. As a result, supply lessens which drives up prices even more. This impact was exacerbated with the pandemic and the Ukraine invasion by Russia.
Truth be told, presidents get too much credit and blame for the economy. It is actually bigger than their reach. Yet, they do provide headwinds and tailwinds. Trump provided both, with the brief tailwind of the corporate tax cut which subsided over time as companies pocketed the gain buying back shares and did not invest it, but the tariffs on friends and adversaries were a definite headwind that continues. He also got us out of the Trans Pacific Partnership to help eleven nations compete better with China. It should be noted the TPP went on without the US, as did the Iran Nuclear deal and the Paris Climate Change accord.
As for Biden, he has done both, as well. It is good to see the Inflation Protection Act do something definitive. I would have preferred the third stimulus have been more targeted to those in need, as many folks did not need it. I also would have preferred he abated healthcare debt rather than student debt, as far more people are impacted by the former.
As an independent and former Republican (and Democrat) voter, I have noticed something bad this campaign season. With too many Republican candidates genuflecting to Donald Trump and his Big Lie, all bets are off on the truth. Both sides embellish the truth, but with the Big Lie in their holster, the gun the GOP candidates are firing is not loaded with much truth.
If that were not enough, note the Republican party did not vote on a platform in the 2020 presidential election. Senator Rick Scott created one, but it did not get endorsed by vote. So, we should be asking both sides, but in particular Republcians, OK what do you plan to do about it?
Sorry for the long comment. Well done, my friend. Don’t stay away as long. Keith
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Dear Keith,
I’m so happy to be hearing from my longtime blogging family of friends like you. I’ve always been grateful for your support and input.
The content of this lengthy commentary is important information to share with potential voters.
I’m one who’s very frustrated with the GOP MAGAs being severely truth challenged even as their candidates are great in messaging. I despair over what I perceive to be the impotence of the democratic party leaders’ failures with messaging. Dems policies are much more favorable to average Americans and yet we’re losing this current messaging war.
Hugs, Gronda
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Gronda, the key message the GOP is delivering is to blame inflation on Democrats. I think Dems could run commercials in every market of concern with one question. “Candidate So and so” says he or she is concerned about inflation and is blaming Joe Biden and Democrats. One question, why did he or she then vote against the Inflation Reduction Act? Some unscrupulous incumbents are taking credit for bills they did not vote in favor of. Keith
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