Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in better times

A few months ago, we noted that Democrats are running on “affordability” for the 2026 midterm elections. That choice looks smarter by the week. But affordability is only part of the story, because the same Republican recklessness driving prices higher also demonstrates an administration that keeps breaking the law and breaking things.

First, Donald Trump‘s global tariffs have raised costs on everyday goods from food to cars to washing machines. The U.S. Supreme Court later ruled that Trump had no legal authority to impose the tariffs. Yet Trump just slapped new 50% tariffs on Canada because of smoke from that country’s fires. Moreover, the tariffs were never really “reciprocal” as Trump claimed. Rather than matching the actual tariffs other countries charge on American goods, Trump falsely used a formula based on the U.S. trade deficit with each country. It’s a tax hike on Americans built on phony numbers, that was also illegal.

Trump’s Iran War follows a similar path. The war has pushed the national average price for Regular gasoline back above $4 a gallon, with diesel climbing past $5, as fighting disrupts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Grocery bills are similarly affected, including sky-high prices on beef and other items, as analysts point to the same geopolitical chaos hitting fuel supplies.