How Democrats Should Respond When Republican Candidates Yell ‘Inflation, Inflation, Inflation’

Democratic candidate: "Protect a woman's right to bodily autonomy."

Republican candidate: "Inflation, inflation, inflation, Biden, Democrats"

Democratic candidate: "Stop election deniers and insurrectionists"

Republican candidate: "Inflation, inflation, inflation, Biden, Democrats"

Democratic candidate: "Democrats helped relieve student debt."

Republican candidate: "Inflation, inflation, inflation, Biden, Democrats"

Democratic candidate: "Democrats are reducing prescription costs."

Republican candidate: "Inflation, inflation, inflation, Biden, Democrats"

Democratic candidate: "Democrats took the largest legislative step ever to reduce climate change."

Republican candidate: "Inflation, inflation, inflation, Biden, Democrats"

Etc., Etc., Etc. ad nauseum.

After predictions of a red wave in November, Democrats now seem to have a reasonable chance of increasing their majority in the Senate and a decent, but outside, chance of retaining their majority in the House.

"What would Republicans do to reduce inflation?" Republicans have no answer, except some deeply unpopular policies.

Since the Supreme Court's decision which could force women to be unwilling bearers of fetuses in half the country, support and enthusiasm for Democrats has increased dramatically. This has been amplified by the existence of hundreds of MAGA election deniers among Republican candidates, and Democrat's success in passing popular legislation that helps ordinary people.

The Republican response is to scream "inflation" and blame it on President Biden and the Democrats.

Here's how Democrats should respond: "So what are Republicans going to do about inflation?"

The truth is that Republicans have no actual plans to reduce inflation, except to rely on the Fed to increase interest rates and unemployment to keep wages down. Besides that, all they have left are the old Republican bromides: increase oil production (and forget about climate change); reduce taxes for corporations and the wealthy; deregulate business; and cut government spending on programs that benefit the working and middle class.

If you dig a little deeper you come to the Republican Senate Campaign Committee chair Rick Scott's "11-Point Plan to Rescue America" which would impose federal income taxes on over half of Americans who don't pay any now, and sunset all legislation after five years, including Social Security and Medicare.

Increasing taxes on the poor and middle class and jeopardizing Social Security and Medicare: How does that play politically.

So for every Republican campaign ad, political speech and debate argument that yells "inflation inflation, inflation," the Democratic response should be "What would Republicans do to reduce inflation?" Republicans have no answer, except some deeply unpopular policies.

Social issues like abortion and guns have increased Democrats' electoral prospects. But Republicans will try to make the election about inflation instead.

Democrats have good answers, if they use them—Democratic legislation and executive actions reducing drug costs, forgiving student debt, supporting clean energy, and cutting the deficit will help middle and working class Americans in their pocket books. Despite all their noise, Republicans have absolutely no solution for inflation except to tax the poor and jeopardize Social Security and Medicare.

Bring it on!

This content originally appeared on Common Dreams - Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community and was authored by Miles Mogulescu.

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