Trump is actively tanking the economy. Why aren't Republicans stopping him?
Anyone who has watched the stock market over the past three months has to think that the tariffs are not having a positive effect on the U.S. economy. Trump asserts that it will be good for the country - all evidence to date to the contrary.
As the midterms come nearer and nearer this will become a bigger and bigger problem for Repunlicans in Congress, especially those in tightly contested swing districts.
It is time for the moderate Republicans in both chambers to stand with "the loyal opposition" and pull the emergency brake on Trump's out of control "wreck the economy express".
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Despite his promises to build a strong economy for Americans on the campaign trail, Donald Trump has done anything but since re-entering the Oval Office.
This month alone, the markets have seen major drops as Trump's economic policy takes hold. He actively made matters worse this week when he wouldn't rule out a recession. Not everyone has stocks, a little under two-thirds of American adults, but everyone suffers from the higher prices that tariffs bring.
In the face of a crumbling economy, Trump first doubled down and raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, then apparently changed his mind . This erratic behavior isn't leadership and is only making things worse. Trump is learning nothing from the past several weeks, and is too stubborn to listen to every economic indicator telling him it is a bad idea.
If Trump won’t listen to Wall Street, the voters and economists, maybe Republicans in Congress will. Congressional Republicans should halt his ability to set tariff policies, helping the American economy and their ability to win in upcoming elections.
Congress can stop this – if lawmakers have the courage to act
Congress could put a stop to this anti-economic insanity at any point. Trump is utilizing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( IEEPA ) to invoke these tariffs, meaning that Congress can rein in Trump’s authority to set tariff policy by repealing the act.
Tariffs are Congress' responsibility, the same way any other tax policy is. However, through the IEEPA, the president can do so in an emergency. The trick is the president has the power to create “national emergencies,” which is why you see Trump declaring national emergencies on “ electricity ” and justifying other tariffs through the border crisis.
The GOP is unlikely to mount such an effort. Still, Republicans like Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul who are publicly outspoken against tariffs should consider introducing legislation that removes the tariff powers.
If Paul and other Republicans care about their voters, they should put their money where their mouth is and do what they can to hinder Trump’s authority in order to help turn things around before it's too late.
When will Congress put Americans over Trump?
The only thing forcing the continuation of these tariffs is Trump’s stubbornness and a congressional lack of spine. Congressional Republicans know that these policies are hurting their constituents, but they simply don’t care. Trump’s economic illiteracy is going to drag the Republican Party down, and Republicans are refusing to unshackle themselves from it so far.
If the current trajectory continues, the GOP will not stand a chance in the elections of 2026 or 2028. While Trump may not care about this fact, given that he is ineligible to run for a third term, Republican legislators should.
At some point, Republicans are going to fear the consequences from their own voters more than they fear Trump’s wrath. A Trump-endorsed primary challenger is only a threat if you’re going to be able to win that seat in the general election anyways.
An economy that continues to plummet in the way that it has been will be a death sentence for swing district Republicans in the next election cycle.
Discuss the issue.......Provide facts to back up your position.....Wild speculation adds nothing to a discussion.......Limit the amount f hating spewed about.....Be civil to other contributors, especially if you disagree with them
And please follow the NT rules and regulations too!
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Congress could put a stop to this anti-economic insanity at any point. Trump is utilizing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( IEEPA ) to invoke these tariffs, meaning that Congress can rein in Trump’s authority to set tariff policy by repealing the act.
But that means the moderate portion of the majority will need to stand with the loyal opposition members and fix this problem!
Here's the thing with the House right now. First the right wing populist faction are supporting Trump in a cult-like fashion and they control the reelection purse strings. They have publicly stated multiple times they will go all out to primary anyone who doesn't toe the Heritage Foundation - Trump Admin line.
Second, in direct correlation with the rise of right wing populism the left is following suit. They are being whipped (the political term) by leadership to allow the pain. They will continue to point to every X post, every soundbite and every vote that negatively affects voters and claim it's not their fault and by Jan 2026 will start the mid-term campaign as only they can save the country from MAGA Trumpism.
I agree it's an abdication on both parties to govern. It's more than apparent to any who pay attention that this political tribalism is more about seats and control than it's about good governance. I don't see an easy or simple solution. If there were a third option for moderates they should be doing a full court press RIGHT NOW. They simply aren't.
evilone
You make some good points
I still think the time to act is now but you may be correc t about their strategy for the midterms.
Thanks for the viewpoints
Bob, why not give him more than 2 months to see if he's right?
why not give him more than 2 months to see if he's right?
Vic
I live in the country and over the past 7 decades I have come to be convinced that when one finds a pile of crap on the barn floor and decides to leave it their for a while it will still be a pile of crap when they come back to it.
You can't tank what was already in the crapper.
Brandon and Democrats went on a spending binge and cranked up inflation. Jobs created numbers were falling well before Trump even took office. The only reason no one called it a recession was because of the stock market; and the leftist media being in the tank for Harris during an election year.
The shear amount of fear mongering and hyperbole that Democrats and their media sycophants are dealing is sickening on every level.
Why not ask Brandon and Democrats why they bloated the federal government so damn much? Why not ask them why they wasted billions in tax payer dollars on projects and programs that did jack shit of nothing to benefit the US? Or how Brandon's EO's cost the US taxpayer 2 trillion dollars in Congressional unapproved spending?
Leftists are screaming when no one has been hurt yet. Terminations in the federal government are mostly those who were non permanent or who hadn't even been there six months. For that to happen Brandon had to do all of the hiring. Nothing like poisoning the waters for the incoming administration.
But rejoice- Democrats are not yet done wasting tax payer money with their hundreds of frivolous lawsuits trying to stop the Trump administration at every turn. Imagine if Republicans tried that- Democrats would lose their minds and turn their brown shirts against any judge that stood in their way.
Fox Business is not where I look to figure out what is going on with the economy. I know that the market has been crashing since inauguration day (and before he was elected Trump promised the market and the economy were going to "boom" (his word).
His wanton destruction of government departments might (I say might) be eliminating waste but the manner it is being done is hurting the people, the economy and the stock market.
The Trump administration doesn't want to waste money but each weekend Trump seems to head somewhere to play golf or party somewhere at the cost of millions.
The stock market was strong when he arrived in office in January and it is crashing now - the majority of Americans have retirement money tied to the market - they are not happy.
I am not interested in taking about the terrible thing s the Biden administration did or did not do, let's talk about the terrible things the Trump administration is doing now!
Here! Here!
No sense in dwelling in the past. The current administration is fucking things up
The current administration is fucking things up
Trout
Yes they are
Wow, literally nothing in your post is even remotely true.
oh I'm sure we would have been much worse off under harris now, isn't that right robert? /s
oh I'm sure we would have been much worse off under harris now, isn't that right robert? /s
devangelical
No I am not sure that it would be any better at all under Harris at this point
I don't think she would be tanking the stock market with stupid tariffs
Could be true - woulda, coulda shoulda speculation at this point
First, you have to convince the people that that the economy is tanking, and if so, are tariffs the ultimate cause. Trump is using them mainly to level the playing field and/or using them as bargaining chips, and probably will drop them if they start to harm him and Republican agenda to any extent
Let's see
Trump came into office
Trump starting dismantling the structure and function of the government
Trump started a tariff trade war with our trading partners and the bottom fell out of the stock market
That is Strike 1, Strike 2, and Strike 3
Which is what Trump ( and Bush before him ) did when the economy was cruising along just fine, with inflation in check,
and basically, nothing for Trump to do, much like his first term, except take credit for that which was already in place and doing fine.
Trump is using them to seed chaos amongst friends and foes alike for his imaginary theory of wealth from tariffs.
Here's a first for an American POTUS; the Chinese and South Koreans ( actually all Koreans) loathe the Japanese because of Japanese imperialism prior to, and war crimes committed during WWII. The Japanese loathe the Chinese because of post war retributions and the SKs hate China because of their intervention (again) during the UN war in the early 50's
Now for the first time ever, they have formed a trilateral economic trading sphere to eliminate US influence in the region.
Congratulations us. /S
JFC!
This was what Obama was trying to prevent with the Pan-Pacific Trade Agreement.
What are you talking about? George W. Bush took over an economy that was weeks away from a recession caused by the bursting of the dot.com bubble. Bill Clinton took over an economy that was "cruising along" Bush took over the opposite.
Tomorrow's an important day because Trump will announce what changes (if any) he's making to his tariff policy. Many smart people are trying to guess what he will announce, but most really aren't sure what he will do.
Whatever he does tomorrow will have a major effect on the economy...
But we know they WON'T. They know the consequences of not following ''der Fuhrer's'' orders. None of them want to end up being treated like Liz Cheney was when she put principle and integrity above politics. When they finally wake up to the fact that those who voted for them to be their representatives are going to realize that instead they are HARMING them, then maybe they will wake up as a group and stand on their two feet like MEN instead of chickens.
Buzz
As usual you make good points and I thank you
In my view - introduction of "the nazi factor" retards rather than improves the discussion of any point of the current political situation. Inflammation of a situation through rhetoric, to quote a boss from my past.
Thanks for the feed back
In addition to whatever Trump says tomorrow re: tariffs, another indicator of whats going to happen are the two "Special Elections" in Florida:
Florida’s special elections give Trump, GOP leaders more reasons to sweat slim House majority:
One race in the state’s 6th Congressional District is to replace national security adviser Michael Waltz — who has become a focal point of White House frustration over his role initiating a Signal chat, accidentally including a reporter, where top administration officials discussed sensitive plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Tuesday’s other winner will succeed former Rep. Matt Gaetz,
While Trump carried both Florida districts by more than 30 points in November, Republicans have lately expressed some alarm . . .
Thanks to Florida having the best election reporting system in the country, it's clear Republican candidates won both seats easily.
Democrats having a 21% approval rating gives Trump a lot of latitude.
"If the current trajectory continues, the GOP will not stand a chance in the elections of 2026 or 2028. While Trump may not care about this fact, given that he is ineligible to run for a third term, Republican legislators should. "
This is the fact that should drive the less radical members of the majority to act
Have you read any of the weekend media reports where Trump announced he exploring ways to run for a third term?
All talk.
Heave you read that the Constitution does not allow for a third term?
Unlike most liberals and progressives, conservatives are all about the Constitution and will not allow a third term unless, somehow, a 2/3 state ratification for the 22nd amendment to be abolished.
That's not gonna happen.
I may be wrong but I'm sure I was taught in POD that presidential term limits are set by an amendment that was passed after FDR died. Doesn't it literally take an act of Congress to overturn or change an amendment?
You forgot the sarcasm tag.
2.1.1 has your answer
No sarcasm tag needed.
My post stands as written.
The 22nd Amendment says -
It's not about whether he can or can't. It's that he would try and has his cult support.
Then as the leader of the Republican Party is tossing about constitutional crisis as if they were confetti it would be a demostrable lie.
Then why make a big deal of it?
"It's that he would try and has his cult support. "
See 2.1.1 for your answer
I really want to see him try and then have him blocked by the Supreme Court.
OR
The protestors on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue yelling obscenities at him
I'm not sure posting on a small social media site is making a big deal of anything.
I truly believe Trump wants to be the next Lincoln. I really want to watch Trump rail impotently against being nothing more than the asshole he is as all his plans continue to get dumped into the trash. The next person will use the same tools he's using now to erase any traces of MAGA shit from the executive branch.
I wonder if it's not more of him tossing red meat out there to the masses in order to take eyes off of the other stuff they are doing.
We all know the 22nd Amendment doesn't allow him to be elected for a third term and it would require a constitutional amendment to change it. With the current divide in the country, I doubt that this would ever pass a 2/3 state ratification. They have also thrown out some other wild ideas such as a Vance / Trump ticket where Vance would be elected president and immediately resign after taking the oath. Somehow I have a hard time seeing anybody willing to resign after winning the Oval Office.
It's for sure tossing red meat. I don't think it's offered as a distraction, but more to stroke his own ego. His cult followers have been tossing it out since the election results were counted.
Yes, we all know it...but does he?
... no. he thinks his EO's nullify the constitution, and so do most of his room temperature IQ supporters ...
I have and they are nonsense, he is deflecting (quite successfully) the focus of the public away from the crazy shit he is doing while they agonize and argue about theings that simply will never happen.
He is as you recall a reality TV star
He failed at business, failed at tv, has and continues to fail at politics... I guess he's succeeded as cult leader. I'll give him his dues there.
Why is that an either or statement?? I want it to be an "AND"
ok I like your idea better
Has Trump ???
Republicans don't care.
Take Trump at his word, he will never leave office. A third term is just the beginning of his kingship. And with all the executive orders directed at voting, with Musk in place, Republicans will stay in office forever too.
They have NO worries at all. There won't be any voting unless you vote for Trump and Republicans.
Musk just today has changed speech policies on X (twitter) that will suspend anyone speaking out against the Trump administration because Musk was Trump appointed and anointed. Musk is so terrified by his own drastic low approval ratings and the amount of worldwide protest against him he is shutting down free speech and dissent like trump wants him to.
Gee....I thought X was supposed to be this grand hall of free speech?
That would spark an actual civil war.
Small group of Republican lawmakers help Democrats to obstruct key procedural motion in setback for GOP
Mike Johnson speaks at the Capitol on Tuesday.
Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
An attempt by Republican leaders to stop new parents from voting by proxy sparked a bipartisan mutiny in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, during which a small group of GOP lawmakers joined with all Democrats to obstruct a key procedural motion and paralyze the chamber.
The revolt was the first legislative setback Republicans have faced since Donald Trump returned to the White House with the GOP holding a slim majority in Congress’s lower chamber. It also delayed consideration of House speaker Mike Johnson’s legislative agenda for the week, which included a bill to stop federal judges from issuing nationwide injunctions – as several have done for Trump’s executive orders – and to require proof of citizenship to vote .
Fueling the split was an attempt by the Republican Anna Paulina Luna and the Democrat Brittany Pettersen to force consideration of a measure allowing new parents to temporarily designate someone else to vote in their place. House leaders attempted an unusual parliamentary tactic to prevent the proposal from going forward, but were blocked by the votes of all 213 Democrats and nine Republicans .
“I think that today is a pretty historical day for the entire conference. It’s showing that the body has decided that parents deserve a voice in Washington,” Luna said after the vote, though it remains unclear when the chamber will consider allowing proxy voting.
Cradling her infant son, Pettersen referred to a fellow lawmaker who just announced she was pregnant: “I’m really excited to think that she will not go through what we went through on trying to make sure that we’re representing our constituents and taking care of our baby.”
“It’s all worth it – changing Congress for the better,” the Colorado lawmaker added.
The House’s then Democratic leadership allowed lawmakers to vote remotely after Covid broke out, but Republicans ended that policy after they took control of the chamber two years ago. In an interview with National Public Radio last week, Johnson described himself and the GOP as “pro-family” but said he opposed a return of proxy voting.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for young parents to be able to participate in the process,” the speaker said. “But proxy voting, in my view, is unconstitutional.”
Pettersen and Luna had managed to attract 218 signatures, including 12 Republicans, to a discharge petition, which forces a vote on a bill even if leadership objects. In response, GOP lawmakers on Friday inserted language blocking the petition in a rule that would have to pass the House in order to begin consideration of the bills targeting nationwide injunctions and requiring proof of citizenship to vote.
“Congress is defined as ‘act of coming together and meeting’. I’ve never voted by proxy, because I believe it undermines the fabric of that sacred act of convening,” said the Republican Virginia Foxx, the chair of the rules committee, who added she feared the measure would pave the way for a return of universal proxy voting if Democrats retake control.
“I know there’s a new laptop class in America that seems to operate increasingly in a virtual space, but that’s simply not a fact of life for most American workers, and I believe Congress should live by that standard.”
Elected in 2022 to a Florida gulf coast district, Luna was a member of the far-right House Freedom caucus, but reportedly left on Monday after several of her counterparts backed leadership’s efforts to block her petition. In a speech on the House floor, Luna called herself “one of the most conservative members of this body” but said she viewed the issue as important enough to risk upending the House’s business for the week.
“For almost two years now in this cause, I’ve met with leadership, and I’ve exhausted all tools in my legislative toolkit to to be able to bring this to the floor,” she said. “For a while we’ve had the majority, and we’ve had the ability to bring legislation to the floor on election integrity and also to call out rogue judges, and yet they chose at this point in time to tie this discharge petition killer to this rule that would also permanently paint me and the members supporting it.”
The episode was reminiscent of the infighting that gripped the House GOP during Joe Biden’s presidency, which climaxed when a small group of Republicans collaborated with the Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy as House speaker.
Democratic lawmakers, who are still reeling from their party’s underwhelming performance in last November’s elections, broke into applause in the House chamber after the rule was voted down. The House then announced that no further votes were expected for the remainder of the week, though Pettersen said that her petition must be voted on by Thursday, raising the possibility that lawmakers will reassemble.