Despite what is described as "stupid" and "sclerotic" economic policies like tariffs and trade wars, the U.S. economy continues to grow. This resilience is not due to government strategy but to the relentless daily innovation of American businesses, which succeed in spite of, not because of, macro-level decisions.
A serious approach to the affordability crisis requires a multi-year strategy targeting the biggest cost drivers: housing (massive supply increase), healthcare (nationalization), and education (income-based tuition), combined with aggressive antitrust enforcement. Piecemeal solutions from either party fail to address the systemic nature of the problem.
The GOP is currently defending economic policies by pointing to macro indicators while ignoring public sentiment about unaffordability. This mirrors the exact mistake Democrats made in previous cycles, demonstrating a dangerous tendency for the party in power to become deaf to the lived economic reality of average citizens and dismiss their concerns.
The government's failure to release key economic reports (jobs, GDP, inflation) creates a dangerous information vacuum, forcing the Fed and businesses to operate without instruments. This void presents a significant business opportunity for private companies to develop and sell alternative economic data streams and forecasting models to fill the gap.
The debate over the Texas Senate race highlights a crucial lesson for Democrats: winning requires selecting the "right person for the right race." This prioritizes candidates whose profiles fit the local electorate over nationally recognized figures who might energize the base but alienate crucial swing voters in a general election.
Rep. Nancy Mace's op-ed criticizing GOP leadership in The New York Times is a strategic political maneuver. By intentionally placing it outside conservative media and positioning herself as a maverick interested in governing, she is laying the groundwork for a future gubernatorial campaign in South Carolina, differentiating herself from a dysfunctional Congress.
Democratic candidate Jasmine Crockett's Senate launch video focuses entirely on Donald Trump as a national foil. This strategy, while boosting her national profile, risks backfiring in Texas by neglecting local issues like affordability. It could allow opponents to frame her as a "left-wing caricature" disconnected from the state's specific concerns.