This week on Politix, Matt and Brian step back from the news cycle to examine Donald Trump’s policy agenda, and the weird extent to which he’s getting a pass on toxic ideas:
* His plan for an across the board 10 percent tariff would make Americans pay more for virtually everything, including groceries;
* A big immigration crackdown like the one he’s promised would raise prices further;
* But since these ideas are coded as pro American-worker, he faces little pushback for the terrible consequences they’d entail.
Then, paid subscribers get a deeper look at whether the threat of these consequences will eventually catch up with Trump, and hear an extended analogy between the politics of tariffs (which would cause more hardship) and the long saga of Medicare for all. Why did Medicare for all lose popularity over time? Might the same thing happen to Trump’s plan to raise banana and coffee prices? And if the key to selling policy is to cloak it in populist language (tariffs, Medicare) could Biden shake up the race by updating his agenda with ideas that unite the Democratic base and appeal to the public more broadly? We hope you’ll upgrade to paid so you can enjoy the whole episode, especially if you’re listening from the White House or Biden campaign headquarters!
Further reading:
* Matt on House Republicans’ (bad) plan for America.
* Brian with a reminder that the 2024 election is about real things.
* CAP: “Trump’s Tariff Would Cost the Typical American Household Roughly $1,500 Each Year.”