Economic promises helped Trump get elected. Now he has an affordability problem

[Dulcinea]

(NPR) President Trump says he is going to "make America affordable again." It's a pledge he made frequently during the campaign. And now, after dropping it from his lexicon for more than eight months, he's saying it again as polls show voters rank the economy and cost of living as their top concern and blame Trump's policies for making things worse.

A senior administration official tells NPR Trump will soon travel around the country with a message that while some things have improved, there is more work to do to help people feeling economic strain. The official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, added that when it comes to affordability, "there's no finish line."

Thus far, Trump has spent far more time boasting about how great the economy and stock market are doing than acknowledging any economic anxiety.

https://www.npr.org/2025/11/14/nx-s1-5608348/trump-economy-affordability

[mwmisses4289]

1. Ya know, every candidate for office claims to want to do something about the economy.

And they do- they help to make things more unaffordable. Anyone remember being able to get a loaf of bread for around a dollar? Fruit for around 50 cents a pound? Meat for about 2 dollars a pound?
And now? If you can find a cheap loaf for less than two bucks, you're lucky (and I don't mean on special). Fruit is now about 2 dollars or more a pound, and because some fruits are grown more for size than taste, that means usually one piece of fruit. As for meat and fish, even cheap cuts have become more of a once or twice a week treat for many.
So yeah, they get elected on economic promises. But until they actually bring prices and such back down to about 1980's levels, I ain't gonna believe nothing they say about fixing the economy.

[cstanleytech]

2. "every candidate for office" You do realize that you just threw all of the Democrats in office under the bus?

Maybe an edit is needed?

[mwmisses4289]

4. No. I have been voting since the 1970's,

and repblican and democratic candidates have said some variation of we promise to fix the economy. I will acknowledge that dems have made some brave attempts, and have had a few successes, but in the end, things keep getting more unaffordable.

[cstanleytech]

5. So, the Republican and Democratic politicians both you're contending make things unaffordable?

I can get the Republicans doing it but I don't honestly see the Democrats doing it.

[progree]

3. "make America affordable again." -- not when inflation has been rising for 5 straight months

Last edited Sun Nov 16, 2025, 05:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Here's the year-over-year precentage increase numbers (probably the source of the claim that inflation has been rising over the last 5 months)
CPI data series: https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUSR0000SA0
Click on "More Formatting Options", and on the page that appears,
Check the checkbox: "12-Month Percent Change"

YEAR: Jan Feb Mar etc. etc.
2024: 3.1 3.2 3.5 3.4 3.2 3.0 2.9 2.6 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.9
2025: 3.0 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.7 2.9 3.0


Graphs of 3 month rolling averages and of month-to-month are at
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3563862

Over the last 3 months: inflation has averaged an annualized 3.6%.
Comparing the CPI index in September over its June value, and annualizing it. Just like what is commonly done with inflation and GDP in the quarterly GDP reports.

[MW67]

6. Promise's made Promise's kept

Haven't seen that sign around here lately ,was all over the place around here the first go round, although I never really knew what they were talking about, and I'm certain they didn't

[Martin68]

7. Lots of politicians over-promise results to get elected, but none in history has gone so far out on so many limbs.

All those promises are coming home to roost: inflation, Epstein files, tariffs, immigration, etc.