‘Meaningless false dichotomy’: Democrats say they can investigate Trump and also lower costs for Americans

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Democrats realize they have to deliver on their promise of addressing affordability or risk the same backlash that led to the historic midterm wipeout of Trump and Republicans.

WASHINGTON — In the giddy days since midterm voters swept them into power, congressional Democrats have vowed to address not only the high cost of living that fueled their victories but the corruption they say is rampant in the Trump administration.

“Walk and chew gum at the same time” — that’s the mantra from lawmakers who assert they can both legislate and investigate effectively.

But they also are trying to link accountability and affordability, arguing that oversight of the executive branch will help reverse the price increases on gas, groceries, and other essentials that angered so many voters.

“We didn’t treat corruption as some abstract complaint about ethics in Washington,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat in line to lead the new majority next year. “We told people the plain truth: that your costs are high in no small part because the powerful in this town are too busy helping themselves at your expense.”

The House and Senate are empowered to make laws and serve as a check on the executive branch. Still, Democrats realize they have to deliver on their promise to ease prices or risk the same backlash that led to the historic midterm wipeout of President Trump and Republicans.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump promised to lower costs on “day one,” but his policies — including high tariffs and a war with Iran — pushed costs up.

He turned his focus away from lowering the elevated inflation that he successfully blamed on Democrats, helping him win in 2024, even arguing that immigration was a bigger driver of his victory than the economy despite exit polls showing that wasn’t the case.

“Donald Trump’s biggest weakness in this election was that he was elected to lower costs, and he was focused on things that were not lowering costs. And more importantly, voters saw him as someone who was not focused on lowering costs,” Democratic pollster David Shor said at a postelection event held by the progressive Center for American Progress Action Fund.

Democrats know…

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