Commentary
Listening to President Trump’s address from the White House in which he predicted an economic boom in 2026, I was reminded of the Al Jolson-Gus Kahn song of the 1950s – “You Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet.”
While Jolson sang of courting a young lady in the lyrics, Trump was reiterating his love of America – America First – that was essentially the theme of his address as he reminded Americans how the policies in the Big Beautiful Bill he signed on the Fourth of July, will reap financial gains for us next year.
There are those, I am sure, who believed his signing of the bill would bring about immediate price reductions, as Schumer & Co. would have you believe.
Wall Street Journal columnist Jason L. Riley knows better, but he too blames Trump for failing to bring down prices, writing, “The economy has gone from one of the president’s best issues with American voters to one of his worst.”
How many of the 76 percent unhappy with economic conditions, reported by Riley, expected prices to go down on the day Trump took office, and how many of them are listening to Schumer and Hakim?
The president referred to the largest tax cut in American history as he noted there were 12 different bills in that big bill that included no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security.
Since signing the bill, the president has talked about several of the features that will improve the cost of living for most Americans, like the increased child tax credit, Trump accounts for American newborn, and credit for buying an America-made car, but the messaging of these benefits by Republicans has been lacking.
Unlike Pelosi’s famous line, “we have to pass it to find out what’s in it,” we passed it knowing what’s in it for middle-Americans and our party just isn’t touting it.
While the price of gas at the pump has dipped nicely, the average American doesn’t understand how, in time, this will help bring down the price of goods in that it reduces product transportation costs.
Grocery store prices, too, are moving down. General Mills announced this week that it has cut prices across roughly two-thirds of its products, from Pillsbury refrigerated dough to Progresso soups.
Tired of paying $6.99 for a box of cereal? Costco announced that 16 common breakfast items cost 30 per cent less on average than at competitors Walmart and Target. Costco also announced that it’s chicken pot pies dropped from $4.29 to $3.99 and bacon to $ 16.99 a packet from $18.99.
This is just the beginning – “You ain’t heard nothin’ yet.”
There’s more. Executives from all the major pharmaceutical companies were in the White House Friday to announce favored nation prices to America. Previously, Americans paid much more than European countries for name brand drugs.
And Trump said he was going to invite insurance company execs in to discuss price reductions. But Democrats are pushing for more subsidy handouts for them in the not-affordable ObamaCare.
The president and vice president are going across the country with a message that could heighten expectations for the economy in 2026. I’m hoping members of Congress will be doing the same while visiting their districts over the holidays. Winning in the midterms depends on it.
May God continue to bless the United States of America
