Democrats rode a blue wave to victory in the United States midterm elections, winning control of both chambers of Congress. Now comes the question of whether they can deliver on their promises. The party campaigned on bringing down the cost of living, ending the war on Iran and holding President Donald Trump accountable, as well as pushing back against his immigration crackdown.
But Democrats won’t take control of Congress until January. Even then, there’s only so much they’ll be able to do without Republican cooperation. Most bills need 60 votes to get past a filibuster in the Senate, and even if Democrats manage that, Trump can still veto their legislation.
He has already threatened to do just that, telling a podcast on Monday, “I’ll veto everything.” But the Democrats now also have other tools at their disposal, including power over Senate confirmations and control over committees that can launch investigations. So what can Democrats realistically accomplish over the next two years, and where might they struggle to make good on their promises? Affordability was one of the biggest issues for voters heading into Tuesday’s midterm elections, and Democrats seized on that, promising to bring down the costs of energy, housing, healthcare and groceries.
Dean Baker, an economist and cofounder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a US-based think tank, said one of the most effective things Democrats can do to bring down costs is push for an end to the war on Iran. Since February, the conflict has driven up energy prices, as Iran has restricted commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the oil and gas trade. Baker argued that Democrats could use congressional investigations and oversight to pressure the Trump administration to end the war, potentially helping to give consumers relief.
Foreign policy is an area where some Republicans could find common cause with Democrats, said Baker. Another area, he added, might be healthcare, an issue that similarly hits voters in the pocketbook. The expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies in 2025 has left many Americans facing higher insurance premiums.
With their new congressional majorities, Democrats could push to restore those subsidies and reverse cuts to Medicaid, the government healthcare programme for low-income Americans. A possible path to accomplishing that goal would be to include those measures in government spending bills that Congress needs to pass, according to Baker. That would also make them harder for Trump to reject.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
