Healthcare Affordability Takes Center Stage in Midterms

With only days left before Americans decide which political party will rule Congress in President Trump's last two years and beyond, poll results indicate that one word in the language defines the Nov. 3 election.

It's "affordability"--no secret to anyone.

The costs of groceries, petroleum and healthcare rank as top pain points for rural voters who were recently surveyed by the Associated Press and KFF Health News.

While voters are disgruntled over the affordability of varied goods and services, about half of rural voters still approve of Trump's job performance.

"The findings suggest that many rural voters haven't turned on Trump, but they also largely don't think he has delivered the economic renaissance he promised on the campaign trail," the survey reported.

There are lingering questions about whether those voters who haven't turned on Trump will actually vote for Republican candidates on Tuesday. Polls indicate that many won't, but as the President likes to say, we'll see.

Trump and his political handlers came up with a gimmick to help lure his voters to the polls to vote for Republicans. Although his name is not on a ballot anywhere, Trump suggested to voters that they simply pretend he's on the ballot. He announced the scheme at the recent "midterm convention" in Dallas that most analysts viewed as a bust.

It's silly but perhaps it'll work, considering how fervent some Trump backers are toward him. We'll see.

He's also pledging to pay all adults $5,000 each if the GOP wins both arms of Congress, another highly ridiculed scheme.

The affordability of food, healthcare, gasoline, new vehicles, housing, childcare and myriad consequential goods and services has caused some Republicans to spurn Trump-backed candidates in the midterms. America's farmers, facing soaring fuel prices and fighting the tariffs wars, are among the hardest hit. Farmers have long memories, and they vote. The U.S. has recently bought diesel from Russia, another bad look.

Much of voters' dissatisfaction relates to Trump's seeming lack of interest in lowering the prices of goods and services. His $50 billion plan to aid rural healthcare is shaky. He's been inconsistent on policies affecting the war with Iran. Voters won't forget he declared victory just days after the war began, and it's ongoing. This is not 1902 when Teddy Roosevelt brought the GOP back from possible midterm ruin over a coal strike.

Trump's fixation on seeing his name attached to Washington buildings and institutions has turned everybody off. His immigration policies and ICE's crackdown on legal citizen's bothers millions of voters.

He also continues to rail about integrity of the vote, and maintains his never-ending claim about winning the 2020 election when in actuality he was slammed by Democrat Joe Biden 306-232 in the electoral count and 81 million to 74 million in the popular vote. Georgia voters remain aggrieved over Trump's call to an elected official demanding he "find" 11,780 votes to help him beat Biden in that state.

Trump found a subject this year to soothe some Georgians' feelings. He came out in favor of data centers, the AI-inspired processors of digital information. Georgia is among leaders in attracting the controversial industrial heavyweights.

Georgia remains a true battleground. A rugged election tussle for governor between a former Atlanta mayor and a wealthy businessman fuels the midterms. Many believe former Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms can beat Republican rich guy Rick Jackson with a massive Atlanta turnout.

As the voting machines are engineered for honest duty, the midterms appear ready for a blue wave to roll in, with some analysts forecasting a sweep by Democrats. We'll see.

---Mac Gordon is a native of McComb. He is a retired newspaperman. He can be reached at macmarygordon@gmail.com.