Facing growing public pessimism about his handling of the economy, US President Donald Trump has fired off a flurry of proposals to address consumer concerns.
Trump previously downplayed concerns about cost of living, insisting the outlook had improved during his nine months in office. He said affordability was a new word, and a con job by Democrats.
But he has focused on the issue with some urgency since his Republican Party's poor performance in last week's off-year elections across a handful of states.
He is again proposing an idea to give most Americans a $2,000 (£1,500) subsidy. In reality, the payments would operate more like a rebate for federal revenue generated by his tariffs on foreign imports. The rest of the tariff revenue, he has said, would go to reducing the federal budget deficit.
According to economists, however, the tariff revenue isn't nearly enough to cover the $2,000 rebate plan, even with the most generous assumptions and a narrow definition of those with incomes to qualify.
Many in his own party, however, view it as a boon for lenders who will collect bigger fees and more interest. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed her disapproval of 50-year mortgages as a solution to the affordability crisis, arguing that it would ultimately reward banks and mortgage lenders while people pay far more in interest over time.
All of these proposals would likely require congressional implementation, which is far from guaranteed with narrow Republican majorities in both chambers. Trump's political rallies and public appearances might offer him a platform to test these ideas, but successful implementation remains uncertain.
Trump previously downplayed concerns about cost of living, insisting the outlook had improved during his nine months in office. He said affordability was a new word, and a con job by Democrats.
But he has focused on the issue with some urgency since his Republican Party's poor performance in last week's off-year elections across a handful of states.
He is again proposing an idea to give most Americans a $2,000 (£1,500) subsidy. In reality, the payments would operate more like a rebate for federal revenue generated by his tariffs on foreign imports. The rest of the tariff revenue, he has said, would go to reducing the federal budget deficit.
According to economists, however, the tariff revenue isn't nearly enough to cover the $2,000 rebate plan, even with the most generous assumptions and a narrow definition of those with incomes to qualify.
Many in his own party, however, view it as a boon for lenders who will collect bigger fees and more interest. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed her disapproval of 50-year mortgages as a solution to the affordability crisis, arguing that it would ultimately reward banks and mortgage lenders while people pay far more in interest over time.
All of these proposals would likely require congressional implementation, which is far from guaranteed with narrow Republican majorities in both chambers. Trump's political rallies and public appearances might offer him a platform to test these ideas, but successful implementation remains uncertain.
