Democrats rode a blue wave to victory in the United States midterm elections, winning control of both chambers of Congress.
asserted
Democrats → ride → Congress
Now comes the question of whether they can deliver on their promises.
asserted
they → come → promises
The party campaigned on bringing down the cost of living, ending the war on Iran and holding President Donald Trump accountable, as well as pushing back against his immigration crackdown.
asserted
Trump → campaign → crackdown
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Hakeem Jeffries promises ‘affordability’ focus after Democratic midterm win
- list 2 of 4Democratic progressive wing notches win in California Central Valley
- list 3 of 4Iranians celebrate Democrat victory in US midterms
- list 4 of 4Democrat leaders hail midterm election success
asserted
leaders → promise → success
But Democrats won’t take control of Congress until January.
asserted
Democrats → take → January
Even then, there’s only so much they’ll be able to do without Republican cooperation.
asserted
they → ’ → cooperation
Most bills need 60 votes to get past a filibuster in the Senate, and even if Democrats manage that, Trump can still veto their legislation.
asserted
Trump → need → legislation
He has already threatened to do just that, telling a podcast on Monday, “I’ll veto everything.”
asserted
I → threaten → everything
But the Democrats now also have other tools at their disposal, including power over Senate confirmations and control over committees that can launch investigations.
asserted
that → have → investigations
So what can Democrats realistically accomplish over the next two years, and where might they struggle to make good on their promises?
uncertain
they → accomplish → promises
Can Democrats bring down the cost of living?
asserted
Democrats → bring → living
Affordability was one of the biggest issues for voters heading into Tuesday’s midterm elections, and Democrats seized on that, promising to bring down the costs of energy, housing, healthcare and groceries.
asserted
Democrats → head → energy
Dean Baker, an economist and cofounder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a US-based think tank, said one of the most effective things Democrats can do to bring down costs is push for an end to the war on Iran.
asserted
Democrats → base → Iran
Since February, the conflict has driven up energy prices, as Iran has restricted commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the oil and gas trade.
asserted
Iran → drive → trade
Baker argued that Democrats could use congressional investigations and oversight to pressure the Trump administration to end the war, potentially helping to give consumers relief.
uncertain
Democrats → argue → relief
Foreign policy is an area where some Republicans could find common cause with Democrats, said Baker.
uncertain
Baker → find → Democrats
Another area, he added, might be healthcare, an issue that similarly hits voters in the pocketbook.
uncertain
that → add → pocketbook
The expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies in 2025 has left many Americans facing higher insurance premiums.
asserted
expiration → enhance → premiums
With their new congressional majorities, Democrats could push to restore those subsidies and reverse cuts to Medicaid, the government healthcare programme for low-income Americans.
uncertain
Democrats → push → Americans
A possible path to accomplishing that goal would be to include those measures in government spending bills that Congress needs to pass, according to Baker.
uncertain
Congress → accomplish → Baker
That would also make them harder for Trump to reject.
asserted
Trump → make → ?
“Republicans living in a post-Trump world, I don’t think they want to be on the side of preventing people from getting healthcare or basically paying more for healthcare,” Baker said.
asserted
Baker → live → healthcare
“They can make the politics such that he doesn’t want to veto it.”
asserted
he → make → it
Trump’s tariff campaign is another factor driving up consumer costs.
asserted
campaign → drive → costs
But Baker warned that they could be tougher to reverse, without substantial support from Republicans to override a Trump veto.
uncertain
they → warn → veto
Even if they do manage that, prices could take a while to actually drop.
uncertain
prices → manage → while
They shoot up like rockets; they come down like feathers,” said Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive economic think tank.
asserted
Jacquez → shoot → Collaborative
Jacquez, however, pointed to another path Democrats could take that wouldn’t need Trump’s approval.
uncertain
that → point → approval
With majorities in Congress, Democrats could wield congressional committees to investigate companies that have been raising the prices of everything from groceries to electricity bills.
uncertain
that → wield → bills
“There’s a lot of precedent for getting some real material outcomes just through having the gavels and being able to subpoena CEOs and haul people in front of Congress,” Jacquez told Al Jazeera.
asserted
Jacquez → ’ → Jazeera
While there’s no guarantee these investigations would bring down prices, they could put pressure on companies to explain or adjust their decisions.
uncertain
they → ’ → decisions
Could a Democratic Congress hold Trump accountable?
uncertain
Trump → hold → ?
Laura Blessing, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute, expects Democrats to make extensive use of their new investigative powers.
asserted
Democrats → expect → powers
“In terms of time spent and newspaper ink spilled, this is where you’re going to see the most action from Dems, by a mile,” she told Al Jazeera in an email.
asserted
she → spend → email
Congressional investigations do not require White House approval.
asserted
investigations → require → approval
But they could make life harder for Trump by scrutinising his actions both within and outside of government.
uncertain
life → make → government
Many Democrats have signalled they plan to investigate the source of the Trump family’s wealth as part of January’s incoming Congress.
asserted
they → signal → Congress
Trump’s personal wealth has soared by about $2.2bn since the start of his term, according to financial disclosure forms released earlier this year.
uncertain
wealth → soar → forms
His family’s business empire has likewise expanded over the last two years into everything from cryptocurrency and drones to artificial intelligence and prediction markets — industries his government has favoured in its policies.
asserted
government → expand → policies
Democratic senators have already been laying the groundwork for potential investigations, sending letters to companies and government departments demanding that they preserve records.
asserted
they → lay → records
…and 44 more, not listed.
The Aporia
