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Although the morale of the Democratic Party is high after the victory in the midterm elections, it is still difficult to immediately solve the high prices and cost of living, which could become a concern for the 2028 election. Trump has vowed to use his veto power to block his opponents.
There have been few elections in modern American history like the 3rd.midterm elections This resulted in the Republican Party being widely rejected by voters. “The Atlantic” monthly e-newsletter reported on the 4th,democratic party There is indeed reason to celebrate, but there is often a hangover after the celebrations, and the issue of people’s cost of living will become a difficult problem facing the Democratic Party immediately after the election.
The article points out that launching an offensive against the opponent’s weaknesses is a wise electoral strategy, and responding to voters’ concerns is also a healthy political operation. So, it almost makes sense for the Democratic Party to put the burdens of life and widespread corruption at the core of the campaign. sincetrump Since returning to the White House, the price of orange juice has increased by nearly 25%, the price of Halloween candy has increased by 71% in five years, and the average price of gasoline in the United States exceeded $4 per gallon for the first time in history on Election Day.
The Democratic Party has long been recognized as the party representing workers, but in recent years voters have gradually come to believe that the Democratic Party cares more about elites and cultural issues than about economic issues. However, rising prices have increased the burden on American families, which has unexpectedly become a political stimulus for the Democratic Party. Democratic candidates across the country criticized Trump for the way he handled the economy and used it to win. But when Democrats take control of Congress next January, they may find they have few means of lowering prices directly.
Trump demonstrated the political power of focusing on inflation in 2024, when he attacked then-President Joe Biden and Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris over rising prices. Although Trump has never proposed any specific price-cutting plan, his continued emphasis on inflation as well as the Democratic Party’s confusing messaging on related issues have helped Trump overcome voters’ deep doubts about his personal character.
Although the president’s influence on the short-term economic situation is usually limited, Trump has lacked a clear approach to curbing inflation since taking office, and has not implemented policies to deal with high prices. In vain, they asked the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but low interest rates would only increase inflation. He also ridiculed the capability issue as a “hoax” and recklessly launched a war against Iran. Now he doesn’t understand how to end it. This not only increased inflation, but also caused losses to the Republican Party in the midterm elections.
If there were a credible way to lower prices in the short term, Republican members of Congress would have tried it earlier this year. Even if the Democratic Party wins landslide victories in both houses of Congress and can use Congress’s investigative powers to hold the Trump administration accountable for corruption, it will be unable to lower prices and can almost only propose political arguments and bills that fail to become law and are primarily used to deliver political messages. Trump has vowed to become “Mr. Number”. Democrats will also pressure Trump to end the US-Iran conflict, but as the United States has seen repeatedly this century, it is far easier to start a war than end it.
Gina Raimondo, a former commerce secretary in the Biden administration who is considered a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, said in an interview last week: “People are impatient. They want answers now. They are insecure about their economic situation.” She said: “If we’re still sitting here in a year and a half and haven’t done anything about the cost of living and prices, people might say, well, forget it, I’m going to try someone else.”
Presidents are often more sensitive to criticism from voters than from Congress, and Trump has always had to be the center of attention. Yet, even if voters don’t blame Democrats specifically, they may still become disillusioned with politics as all politicians fail to bring about change quickly enough. It also highlights another risk for the Democratic Party in 2028: Voters who voted for the Democratic Party in the midterm elections may not turn against the Democratic Party in the presidential election, but may lose their intention to vote, just as many voters who are disappointed with Trump chose not to vote in 2026 rather than switching to the Democratic Party.
The article concludes by pointing out that even if Democratic leaders are aware of these challenges, that does not mean finding an answer to the problem of the burden of living will be easy. They have no choice but to use high prices as their campaign appeal, but they may still have to pay a price for it.
Summary FAQ
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The article pointed out that although the Democratic Party won the election by relying on the issues of cost of living and corruption, the real sticking point was the issue of high prices. Even if Congress comes to power next year, there will be few direct means to bring down prices immediately.
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Because all Congress can do is investigate, propose resolutions, and make political statements, it cannot change inflation immediately. The article emphasizes that if there were any short-term price-cutting measures, the Republican Party would have used them long ago, which shows that it is difficult to solve the problem quickly at the policy level.
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If the cost of living does not improve significantly by 2028, voters may lose patience with politicians and may even stop voting for the Democratic Party. This is not necessarily outright defection, but a reduction in willingness to vote due to frustration.
