Democrats’ dubious plans to deliver on their ‘affordability’ vows

America spoke loud and clear on Nov. 3: Voters want cheaper gas and groceries and proof that their electeds are laser-focused on improving economic life for everyone. 

Yet it looks like Democrats won’t take that message from their midterm triumph.

Nearly 90% of voters said cost of living was a “crucial or major” factor in their vote, per NBC; a CBS survey found nearly two-thirds say President Donald Trump worsened the economy.

Persistent inflation, much sustained by the Iran war’s energy disruptions, and prices boosted by Trump’s tariffs handed Democrats a stunning victory.  

Yet Dems’ ideas for the economy amount to what they tried in the Biden years: Tax more, spend a lot more — and call it “affordability.”

Witness the prescriptions that moderate Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Queens-Nassau) outlined in The Wall Street Journal last week:

• Drastically boost Obamacare subsidies.

• Reverse the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Medicaid reforms.

Those two planks alone mean adding hundreds of billions to the deficit, and not to protect the safety net so much as to enable fraud.

Other big ideas:

• Raise the minimum wage.

• Pass the PRO Act, which would effectively make it illegal for many workers not to belong to a labor union. 

Both are guaranteed to increase costs — and permanently, as opposed to temporary price hikes driven by energy inflation. 

• Remove the cap on Social Security taxes — adding at least seven percentage points of tax on incomes starting at $180,000.

Again, Suozzi’s a moderate: liberals have even bigger spending appetites, and of course the left wants Medicare for All, adding hundreds of trillions in new spending while outlawing today’s private insurance.

And while he advises against rushing to impeachment, other victorious Dems announce plans to spend the next two years on lawfare against Trump and anyone who works for him. 

“LAWYER UP,” posted Rep. Robert Garcia, who’s set to chair the House Oversight Committee.

Oregon’s Sen. Ron Wyden simply posted “Subpoenas”; Jersey Rep. Analilia Mejia was more expansive: “We’re going to toss out subpoenas like Mardi Gras beads.”

And Senate Dem leader Chuck Schumer crowed, “We will launch investigations, take [Trump] to court, and entangle him in legislative razor wire.”

However much Dems campaigned on the idea that “corruption” is driving up prices, all the energy spent on this lawfare won’t do a thing for affordability.

Not to mention issues they downplayed: Hasan Piker shrieked “WOKE IS SO BACK” on his popular Twitch stream. 

This, when voters in deep-blue Washington and Colorado passed measures ensuring “trans girls” (i.e. boys) can’t play on girls’ sports teams in school, while Arizonans passed a similar law keeping males out of girls’ school bathrooms. 

And Wisconsin voted to add a ban on government affirmative action to its constitution, while at least eight states opted for voter-ID measures. 

Oh, and California’s billionaire tax is set to fail. 

Democrats have been handed an unambiguous mandate: Govern with quiet competence and ease the country’s economic pain; give Americans concrete reasons for optimism about their material prospects. 

If they don’t deliver on those promises, 2028 could bring yet another wave back the other way.