Support for socialism among youth often stems from economic exclusion, not pure ideology. They back taxes on billionaires and property because, as renters and non-billionaires, they perceive these policies as affecting "other people" with no direct negative impact on themselves.
The housing affordability crisis is primarily a supply issue, not a mortgage rate problem. Regulations, permits, and zoning delays significantly inflate construction costs and timelines, adding an average of $93,870 to the price of each new house.
There is a fundamental conflict in housing policy: making homes affordable by increasing supply would lower prices, devaluing the single largest asset for the massive voting bloc of current homeowners. Politicians are therefore incentivized to maintain high prices.
Societal prosperity relies on harnessing the competitive drive of the hyper-ambitious few who sacrifice everything to build extraordinary things. Disincentivizing this small group with heavy taxes or regulations stifles the innovation that pulls the broader population, including the middle class, forward.
The Supreme Court striking down Trump's use of the IEEPA for tariffs is more than a policy loss. It creates a constitutional crisis and opens the government to a flood of lawsuits from companies seeking refunds for billions paid under the now-unconstitutional tariffs.
During the State of the Union, Trump baited Democrats by asking who believes the government's first duty is to citizens, not "illegal aliens." By remaining seated in opposition, Democrats provided a powerful visual that can be easily weaponized in campaign ads to portray them as unpatriotic.
Trump's "golden age" rhetoric during his State of the Union was ineffective because it clashed with the lived reality of most Americans, 64% of whom feel he's out of touch. To be persuasive, leaders must first acknowledge why people feel anxious before presenting metrics of success.