[ad_1]
WASHINGTON-President Trump, anxious to boost the GOP midterm election turnout, is offering voters a new round of tax cuts and tougher border policies as he retools his closing message to try to protect Republican congressional majorities.
Mr. Trump has been arguing that the Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh is grounds for defeating Democrats in midterm races. But as White House officials say they've seen data showing interest in Kavanaugh fight, which revolved around a decades-old allegation of sexual assault that he denied, the president is using his megaphone to provide fresh incentive to vote on Nov. 6 .
Past Presidents Looking to Stave Off Midterm Election Losses have long capitalized on the tools of incumbency. Democratic President John Kennedy in 1962 made a point of stumping in the United States, said Douglas Brinkley, a history professor at Rice University.
In Mr. Trump's box, though, some of the plans he has failed to deal with are formidable obstacles.
The White House is still moving to make it tougher for migrants to claim asylum. Mr. Trump last week called "a very major tax cut for middle-income people" appears to have surprised both his staff and Capitol Hill. In an interview, Mr. Trump referred questions to the top to help, who in turn pointed to reporters to Congress.
Neither administration nor congressional officials could describe in any detail key elements of a new tax cut would work, what impact it would have on the deficit, and any timetable for action in Congress, which is in recess and entering a lame-duck session in november
On Thursday, Mr. Trump said he would seek to cut off that country's Medicare for some prescription drugs. But the move is expected to trigger resistance from the powerful pharmaceutical industry.
His proposal would essentially be a pilot program, testing a plan to lower costs over five years by basing them on other countries. A full program is not even under consideration before late 2019 or 2020 and it would cover only some drugs in Medicare in part of the country.
Mr. Trump's opponents say the president's proposals appear calculated to prey on vote fears and credulity. They cited reports that they are considering a plan to block ports of entry to migrants, including asylum seekers, at the border with Mexico.
"One of the advantages of being able to take advantage of the drastic executive action", said Jake Sullivan, a former senior campaign aide to the 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. "My hope is that fair-minded people will see this for what it is: electioneering masquerading as policy."
Bill McInturff, a Republican polling expert who conducts surveys for the Wall Street Journal, said Mr. Trump is identifying the issues that spark off GOP turnout and can appeal to swing voters.
Stopping illegal immigration has been a staple, and the cost of prescription drugs is important to women over the last 50 years, and he said.
"Oops, something is at stake," he said.
White House officials said there is no formal strategy to expand the president's message before the campaign. "Still mobs, jobs and caravan," White House official said. The Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, and the latter a nod to a caravan of Central American migrants making its way north through Mexico City.
"Said Bill Stepien, the president chief political aide. "Since taking office, he has pursued an aggressive policy agenda on behalf of the American people and he's not slowing down. The results are obvious: "Good policy is good politics."
The president has expressed frustration that his latest proposals have been broken down by news coverage of the letter bombs sent to prominent Democrats.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, he said his drug plan "did not get the kind of coverage it should have." With the arrest of Cesar Sayoc of Florida, the president would hope "disappear rapidly."
Inside the White House, some advisers have discussed the possibility of Democrats winning both the House and Senate, a development that would stymie Mr. Trump's policy plans. Polling experts from both sides give Democrats a good chance at winning the House. However, these people say the Senate map favors Republicans. Mr. Trump has told us that he is expecting seats in Indiana, Florida, Missouri and North Dakota.
Mr. Trump's supporters say the policy proposals. From the moment Mr. Trump rode down the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015 and entered the race, he said.
Bryan Lanza, a Trump campaign aide, said in an interview: "This is an extension of a continuing conversation that he has had with the American people since he announced his candidacy."
-Alex Leary contributed to this article.
Source link
