Democrats are lying to voters by telling them they are suddenly all-in on ‘lowering costs’ and ‘affordability issues’ after doing zero to address these issues throughout Joe Biden’s one-term disaster and the first two years of President Trump’s second Term.
House Democrats are developing an ambitious agenda for the next Congress before voters determine control of the chamber, with party leaders preparing legislation on health care, tariffs and affordability alongside extensive investigations of President Donald Trump and his administration if Democrats win the House in November.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who would be positioned to become speaker under a Democratic majority, has been coordinating plans for the party’s first 100 days while emphasizing that Democrats intend to combine legislative priorities with aggressive congressional oversight.
The emerging agenda includes efforts to restore enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, reverse Republican Medicaid changes, address housing and utility costs and challenge Trump administration tariffs that Democrats blame for increasing consumer prices.
Democrats are also expected to push measures addressing the ongoing Iran conflict, although their ability to enact major legislation would depend heavily on control of the Senate and cooperation from Trump, who would retain presidential veto power.
Jeffries has established working groups focused on health care, housing and other affordability issues as Democrats attempt to demonstrate that a potential House majority would pursue legislation rather than concentrate exclusively on investigations.
At the same time, senior Democrats are openly preparing for a substantial expansion of congressional investigations into Trump, his family, Cabinet officials and private businesses connected to the president if voters give them subpoena power.
“There is a cost to the American people of the out-of-control corruption,” Jeffries recently said while describing the oversight Democrats could pursue if they capture the chamber.
“If folks have been stealing from the American people, shortchanging the American people or screwing over the American people,” Jeffries added, “we are going to hold the crooks accountable.”
Democratic lawmakers have already created much of the groundwork through document requests, letters, lawsuits, hearings and demands for information that could become enforceable subpoenas if committee gavels change hands in January.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has identified Trump family business dealings, the Jeffrey Epstein files, immigration enforcement, corporate conduct and Health and Human Services policies among his prospective investigative priorities.
Garcia has also said Democrats could seek testimony from Trump regarding Epstein, while other lawmakers have discussed investigations involving businesses and financial institutions associated with the president and his family.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who would be positioned to chair the Judiciary Committee, has described the potential scope of Democratic oversight as enormous while indicating that impeachment cannot automatically be excluded from Congress’s available constitutional tools.
Democrats have nevertheless shown little consensus around immediately pursuing a third impeachment of Trump, with several senior lawmakers arguing that investigations and oversight should come before any decision about articles of impeachment.
Jeffries has maintained that Democrats have “not ruled anything out” or “ruled anything in” regarding impeachment, leaving the possibility open without committing the party to such a course.
Trump became the first president in American history to be impeached twice during his first term, with the Senate acquitting him following both House proceedings.
But regardless what they say on the campaign trail, Democrats are much more interested in impeachment proceedings against administration officials. And Democratic committee leaders have also focused on the administration’s immigration enforcement operations, Justice Department actions, foreign policy decisions, Trump family cryptocurrency ventures and financial relationships involving foreign entities.
For instance, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, has indicated that his panel would investigate international matters including the administration’s handling of the Iran war if Democrats gain control.
So all of this talk about “affordability” and “making life better for Americans” is horse hockey. Democrats have never cared about those issues — fighting every Republican-led effort for two years to cut costs for Americans, expand energy, and cut taxes.
