So, we hear a lot about 'affordability' as something that is terrible, and the DSA dems will work to solve and it is all Trump's fault. But how accurate is that narrative?

U.S. import and export prices collapse into negative territory pic.twitter.com/WEBU9NUVCc

— Latinx Adjacent Doctor PhD (@TonerousHyus) August 18, 2026

Is the economy actually in a good or poor shape?

The US economy keeps setting records, but it has almost stopped hiring.

Payrolls grew 1.2% a year over the previous decade. Since the start of 2025, they are up just 0.2% annualized. Unemployment, the prime-age employment rate, quits, and hires have all flatlined.

Call it a… pic.twitter.com/o7u5kWb0Q7

— Kurt S. Altrichter, CRPS® (@kurtsaltrichter) August 18, 2026

I don't think 'cost of living' is adverse/deteriorating despite the Iran war/gas prices above $3 per another thread. Why would voters want to give the DSA-Dems more power to harm the economy while Trump is president?

When have dimocrats pot banging ever resembled reality? But FUD works. They may or may not win seats but the FUD is impacting the economy and political decision making at a minimum.

The DSA is the biggest gift to Rs in 50 years, maybe ever.

The R majority in the Senate is likely to grow to 55 plus, and that's with kicking out Cornyn and Cassidy. So a plus 4 or 5. Could have been more with better candidates in some races and an end to Alaskas ****nannery voting system.

I still think the house is a surprise and the Rs keep a majority, maybe even expand it. The midterm convention will give some clarity on this.

Regardless, the Senate is not going to flip and certainly not approaching a 67 majority for the haters of America. If it flips by 1 or 2, then welcome two years of seeing just how far Trump can push executive powers. Hell, I actually yearn for that scenario.

We only have ourselves to blame for affordability.

I am of the opinion that food and cars are first issue that we need to take accountability for. Our society drains discretionary fund on those two items in a insane manner.


The other issue is housing. No one likes to say it ... but cheap housing is out there. Unfortunately, you will sacrifice safety and convenience for price.

It's actually the best economy ever, per Trump.

Rove disagrees.

Quote:

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Rove told Fox News's Gillian Turner that the president should "start by not gaslighting" the American public about the state of the economy.

"The president made a mistake, in my opinion, last week in saying we've got the greatest economy in the history of the world and prices for groceries and gasoline and everything are coming down rapidly," he said. "That's not the experience of the American people."

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RINOs with TDS like Rove, will say anything to attack Trump even if there is about zero truth to it.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6030997-rove-criticizes-trump-economy/

AgDev01 said:

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Sid Farkas said:

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fully half of the affected people have $1k cellphones and doordash accounts - crying about affordability because social media told them to...and TDS.

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The only TDS in this case is those who willfully ignore what is right in front of their face to blindly defend this administration.

Trump ran on affordability. It was one of his primary issues. Since taking office it seems every action he has taken has only done the opposite of what he campaigned on. He has added trillions to the debt with additional spending. Increased costs and taxes via tariffs, and driven up oil and gas prices via starting wars.

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The Left got everything they wanted: runaway govt spending, overregulated construction, and an education system designed to reward the education establishment, not student learning.

To no one's surprise they are stupid enough to complain about the cost of living.

CDUB98 said:

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I don't give a flying **** what Trump or Rove say. I use my eyes and ears and reach my own conclusions.

This discussion was mostly Trump free till you showed up. Go away.

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Really, Trump saying this is an excellent economy a few days ago has nothing to do with political discussion about the current state of the economy.

Interesting theory.

Wrong, though.

I know we are getting to the point that we think his lies are just background noise, but we are not there yet. He still has influence. And the GOP is going to going into these elections with the argument that the economy is excellent and if anything is bad, it's because of Biden's policies. I'm not making that up. That's exactly what they are saying on the news shows.

NM

Old McDonald said:

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if you remember way back in fall 2024, dems were in a similar position. CPI near target, unemployment near historic lows, GDP above trend, equities up sharply, but despite all that economic sentiment was in the toilet and dems got crushed.

the lesson from that election was that the level of prices (shorthanded to "affordability") is far more salient to voters than abstract economic indicators they don't feel directly. trump and republicans won the election largely on promises to make things affordable again and then implemented policy (tariffs, war in iran) which did the opposite. they will likely lose the house and possibly the senate because of it. perhaps they should have learned their lesson.

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CPI near target in 2024? Bidenflation was a thing. That's why Americans rejected Democrats in 2024.

No. Latest CPI YoY is 3.4% (July 2026). Biden peaked at 9.1% with a term average near 5%. Cumulative prices rose ~4.3% in Trump's first 18 months versus ~12% in Biden's. Current rate exceeds the ~3% at inauguration, driven partly by energy.

— Grok (@grok) August 18, 2026

CPI inflation rate, November 2024
2.73% year-over-year (blue)
3.82% monthly (annualized)

Have been saying this for a while, but I think above target inflation is the way it's going be for the foreseeable future. pic.twitter.com/IoFMuctSG7

— David Andolfatto (@dandolfa) December 11, 2024

evestor1 said:

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We only have ourselves to blame for affordability.

I am of the opinion that food and cars are first issue that we need to take accountability for. Our society drains discretionary fund on those two items in a insane manner.


The other issue is housing. No one likes to say it ... but cheap housing is out there. Unfortunately, you will sacrifice safety and convenience for price.

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Yes, and not necessarily on the last part.

The biggest change in housing is the size of houses compared to 40 or 50 years ago. Generally speaking, the per square foot cost ratio to income is pretty much the same - problem is that 50 years ago the average size of a house in the US was ~1500 FT2. In 1990 it was ~2000 FT2. (In 1950 it was just under 1000 FT2)

Today the average size of a house is ~2500 FT2.

The concept of a smaller starter home is absolutely foreign to most people today. They demand a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3 car garage luxury home instantly. And it has to have every bell and whistle possible. Kids don't share bedrooms anymore either. The entire concept of what is normal and the idea that you start small and work your way up as you grow in your career and increase your income is absolutely foreign.

Throw in the million other ways we have today to separate us from our money and it ends up with what we have today where people lament the cost of things left and right.

nortex97 said:

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Old McDonald said:

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if you remember way back in fall 2024, dems were in a similar position. CPI near target, unemployment near historic lows, GDP above trend, equities up sharply, but despite all that economic sentiment was in the toilet and dems got crushed.

the lesson from that election was that the level of prices (shorthanded to "affordability") is far more salient to voters than abstract economic indicators they don't feel directly. trump and republicans won the election largely on promises to make things affordable again and then implemented policy (tariffs, war in iran) which did the opposite. they will likely lose the house and possibly the senate because of it. perhaps they should have learned their lesson.

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CPI near target in 2024? Bidenflation was a thing. That's why Americans rejected Democrats in 2024.

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yeah that's exactly the point. september 2024 cpi was 2.4%, and it didn't really matter because what voters really cared about were that prices rose 20% in three years.

don't expect them to suddenly care that the headline economic numbers look good heading into the 2026 midterms while their affordability concerns are mocked and deepened by the politicians they elected in 2024 to address them.

CDUB98 said:

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If you don't think inflation hits the poor and LMC harder, I don't know what to tell you.

And, not everyone is poor from bad decisions.

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I didn't say it doesn't.

Everything hits those classes harder, always has, always will.

And you can split hairs all day and point out some outlier, but the fact of the matter is that the overwhelming majority of people in those two classes are there because they are, generally speaking, financially stupid.

Don't get buttsore that somebody called a spade a spade.

"Supply and demand" is usually a solid basis for "affordability". With a few million illegals gone, that housing supply should increase nicely.

schmellba99 said:

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evestor1 said:

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We only have ourselves to blame for affordability.

I am of the opinion that food and cars are first issue that we need to take accountability for. Our society drains discretionary fund on those two items in a insane manner.


The other issue is housing. No one likes to say it ... but cheap housing is out there. Unfortunately, you will sacrifice safety and convenience for price.

---

Yes, and not necessarily on the last part.

The biggest change in housing is the size of houses compared to 40 or 50 years ago. Generally speaking, the per square foot cost ratio to income is pretty much the same - problem is that 50 years ago the average size of a house in the US was ~1500 FT2. In 1990 it was ~2000 FT2. (In 1950 it was just under 1000 FT2)

Today the average size of a house is ~2500 FT2.

The concept of a smaller starter home is absolutely foreign to most people today. They demand a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3 car garage luxury home instantly. And it has to have every bell and whistle possible. Kids don't share bedrooms anymore either. The entire concept of what is normal and the idea that you start small and work your way up as you grow in your career and increase your income is absolutely foreign.

Throw in the million other ways we have today to separate us from our money and it ends up with what we have today where people lament the cost of things left and right.

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Lennar is offering new homes, all things included, for under $200k in the DFW area. I am sure folks will chime in with how far out the nhood is, quality of schools, travel time to select baseball practice, and that Lennar sucks and everything included skips the carpet and paint, but that is part of the point you are making and that I absolutely agree with.

There is an expectation gap amongst these first time homebuyers and its not limited to "affordability".

CDUB98 said:

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I don't give a flying **** what Trump or Rove say. I use my eyes and ears and reach my own conclusions.

This discussion was mostly Trump free till you showed up. Go away.

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It's literally a thread about Trump and affordability.

Im Gipper said:

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CDUB98 said:

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I don't give a flying **** what Trump or Rove say. I use my eyes and ears and reach my own conclusions.

This discussion was mostly Trump free till you showed up. Go away.

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It's literally a thread about Trump and affordability.

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Disagree. It's about affordability and the Republican party messaging.