Published in the Blackstone Valley Call & Times on September 8, 2026
By Herb Weiss
As reported by national media, President Donald Trump, standing in front of grocery items during an Aug. 24 campaign press conference at a golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, President Trump declared, “When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One.” He pledged to lower the costs of everyday goods, including groceries and cars, as well as energy prices.
During his campaign, Trump on several occasions linked lower prices to an increase in the country’s domestic energy production by using the phrase “drill, baby, drill”. He maintained that cheaper energy would decrease the cost of producing and transporting food and other goods.
The time is running out; since there are 62 days left until the midterm elections, a national press campaign has been held as part of the ‘Republican Price Tag Campaign’ organized by Unrig Our Economy, Social Security Works and the Economic Security Project to advise voters about the promises made by Trump and congressional Republicans to reduce household costs and to argue that those promises have not been kept.
Household Expenses Skyrocket
Hosted by Unrig Our Economy, Economic Security Project Action, Social Security Works and Navigator Research, the virtual briefing highlighted an estimate that American families are paying $3,800 more each year for health care, food, energy, clothing and other necessities under President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.
Unrig Our Economy Campaign Director Leor Tal, who moderated the call, said Trump and congressional Republicans pledged to rein in rising prices, but argued that Republican economic policies have instead increased costs for working families and small businesses.
While wealthy Americans are getting tax breaks, Tal charged, working families are paying more for health care, groceries, energy and clothing. “Families are feeling every dollar of the Republican Price Tag,” she said.
During the 30-minute press call, two Democratic lawmakers and small business owners from Michigan, Arizona and Nebraska shared firsthand accounts of how rising costs are affecting their livelihoods. They pointed to tariffs and declining consumer spending as making it more difficult to operate their businesses and provide for their families.
In addition, Washington, D.C.-based Navigator Research, a Democratic-leaning public opinion research organization founded in 2018, presented polling data on how Americans view the economy and the rising costs hitting their household budgets.
“The Joint Economic Committee issued new analysis that found the average American family has had to pay almost $4,000 more because of rising prices under the policies and actions of this administration and my Republican friends in Congress,” said Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA).
“What’s driving this figure? The biggest buckets are health care, grocery, energy costs, and housing,” said Beyer, the top-ranking Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Beyer also pointed to tariffs. “Our tariff policy is absolutely the highest it’s been since before Smoot-Hawley,” he said.
Health care and food assistance cuts are also hitting families, Beyer charged, citing changes affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Tariffs Drive Up Household Costs
Rep. Gabe Amo, representing Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, charged that congressional Republicans are supporting “a tariff regime that is raising costs” while taking the focus away from the economic challenges facing Americans.
During Aug. recess, Amo met with constituents across the first Congressional District and heard that people are feeling the squeeze. They told him how hard it was to afford groceries. Primary care providers shared how the Trump administration’s cuts to health care are making it harder for people to get care.
“I’m working with Unrig Our Economy and Social Security Works to make sure these voices are heard,” he said.But Amo brought a little optimism to the call’s otherwise downbeat assessment of the economy.
“I’m an optimist. I believe we can do better and will do better,” he said, adding that voters will have a choice in the upcoming election over the direction the nation takes.
“I look forward to continuing to hear from the people facing the challenges created by this administration and working on behalf of all Americans who deserve a government that wants them to have a better life,” Amo said.
For Michael Howard, a small-business owner in Macomb County, Michigan, rising prices have hit both his family and his business.
“As a parent, the rising cost of our economy feels crushing. And then as a small business owner, having that experience magnified is also pretty devastating for our business,” he said.
Howard says rising costs have made it harder to maintain staffing while customers have less money to spend. “As a dad just trying to put food on the table for my family, these increases to the cost of gas and necessities really set us back,” he said.
Increased lumber costs have also affected Howard’s custom furniture business. “The tariff policy is absolutely devastating for someone who builds with lumber,” he said.
Jenn Mawcinitt, owner of Wildlings Toy Boutique in Phoenix, Arizona, sees the impact when customers walk through her door.
“We have seen that our customers are having a harder time buying necessities like their gas and their food and their school supplies,” she said.
Tariffs, she says, have also dramatically increased toy prices. A mother who once came into her store looking for a $20 birthday gift may now find the same type of toy priced at $ 29.99.
“I think that people were promised lower costs during this administration, and I’ve heard it over and over again,” Mawcinitt said. “All I have seen is how this is affecting families, and how costs are rising at an exorbitant rate.”
Former York, Nebraska, business owner Jeff Du pointed to the rising cost of farm equipment. He said that new irrigation equipment that cost about $68,000 five years ago now costs more than $110,000.
Du says tariffs are helping drive up machinery costs. Add increased labor expenses, he noted, and farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to purchase new equipment, with some leaving the business altogether.
During the final minutes of the virtual call, Melissa Tufanian, managing director of Navigator Research, turned to the polling numbers.
According to Tufanian, 73% of Americans view the economy negatively. More than three in five Americans are uneasy about their personal finances, which she said is the highest level since the start of Trump’s second term.
The polling also found that 25% of Americans are delaying the purchase of a home or car, while 15% have delayed or avoided medical care to save money. Another 25% are taking on more debt or using buy-now, pay-later programs, even to purchase groceries. Twenty percent reported withdrawing money from emergency funds to pay bills.
Navigator’s polling even found that nearly one in 10 Americans have sold blood plasma for extra income.
On the other hand, Republicans offer a much different assessment of the economy. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) argues that Republican tax cuts are allowing workers and families to keep more of their paychecks while encouraging businesses to invest, expand and hire.
Following the release of the August jobs report, Smith pointed to increased private-sector hiring and manufacturing growth as evidence that Republican economic policies are working.
The Trump administration also rejects Democratic criticism that its tariff policies are simply resulting in higher consumer prices. The White House argues that tariffs are prompting foreign companies to produce in the United States, thereby protecting American industries from cheaper foreign competition and leading to greater investment and more job creation within the country.
A Final Note…
Almost two months later, according to Fortune, Trump told a crowd at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, that affordability was “a word made up by the Democrats.”
AARP released the 2026 Financial Security Trends Survey on May 28, finding that 37% of older adults feel financially insecure, while 60% worry about having enough money to last through their retirement years.
Democrats certainly aren’t treating affordability as a made-up issue. They are betting that what voters, especially older voters, pay at the grocery store, gas pump, doctor’s office, and checkout counter will help determine who controls Congress after the midterm elections.
James Carville, a top strategist for Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign, famously summed up that winning campaign’s political strategy in just five words: “It’s the economy, stupid.”
More than three decades later, Democrats are dusting off Carville’s political playbook.
Whether it works again will be up to the voters.
Category Archives for Elections
Georgia poll once again shows tightest races rest on Voters Over 50
Published in RINewsToday on July 27, 2026
With just over three months until the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3, control of both the U.S. House and Senate chambers could hinge on the gray vote—Americans age 50 and older—one of the nation’s most reliable voting blocs.
That was the key takeaway message delivered during AARP’s July 23 virtual media briefing, where the Washington, D.C.-based organization released the findings of its latest bipartisan battleground-state survey examining Georgia’s closely watched and contested governor’s and U.S. Senate races.
According to AARP, Georgia is the second state in its 2026 battleground polling series, following Ohio, whose survey was released on June 25. Additional surveys are scheduled for Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Texas to be released before the upcoming midterm elections. The bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) was commissioned to conduct these surveys.
The Georgia poll findings suggest that voters age 50 and older are once again poised to play a very decisive role in determining the state’s election outcomes in one of the nation’s premier battleground states.
In Georgia’s May 19 primary election, voters age 50 and older cast 68% of all ballots. The survey also found that 88% of voters age 50 and older rated themselves a “10” on a 10-point motivation-to-vote scale, compared with 62% of voters under age 50. These findings reinforce a long-established demographic trend: older Americans remain among the nation’s most dependable and motivated voters and are likely to have a significant impact on the November election.
The Power of the Gray Vote
“Voters age 50 and older will decide this November’s Georgia races,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer, in announcing the poll’s release. “Candidates who speak directly to the issues these voters care about most—including rising prices, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and lowering health care costs—will have the greatest opportunity to earn their support,” she explained.
During the nearly 30-minute morning briefing, AARP Georgia State Director Vanessa Payne joined Republican pollster Bob Ward of Fabrizio Ward and Democratic pollster Matt Hogan of Impact Research to discuss the poll’s findings and what they reveal about the priorities of older Georgia voters. Jen Jones, AARP’s Vice President of Government Affairs, participated during the Q&A to address questions, particularly around Social Security and retirement security, drawing on broader AARP research beyond the Georgia polls. Ilse Zuniga, AARP’s Director of External Relations, moderated this briefing.
According to the new AARP poll, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms leads Republican Rick Jackson, 48% to 46%, in the governor’s race, within the poll’s margin of error. Age remains one of the race’s defining dividing lines. Jackson leads by 13 percentage points among voters age 50 and older, driven by strong support from voters age 65 and older, while Bottoms holds a 23-point advantage among voters under age 50.
The survey also examined Georgia’s competitive U.S. Senate race, one which could prove critical in determining which party controls the Senate. Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff leads Republican Rep. Mike Collins, 52% to 43%. Ossoff enjoys a 30-point advantage among voters under age 50 and a narrow lead among voters ages 50 to 64, while Collins holds a 24-point advantage among voters age 65 and older. The poll’s findings found that age 50 and older remain a key swing constituency, while Ossoff leads among swing voters age 50 and older by 23 percentage points.
Opening the media briefing, Payne emphasized that AARP’s mission is not to predict election winners or tell voters how to cast their ballots.
“Our mission isn’t to tell people how to vote or who will win,” Payne said. “It’s to ensure that the priorities of Georgia’s voters age 50 and older, the largest and most reliable voting bloc in our state, are part of the conversation throughout the election season.”
Payne remarked that Georgia has become one of the nation’s most competitive battleground states, where narrow margins often decide statewide elections.
“One in eight voters over 50 are swing voters, making them one of the most influential voting blocs in this election,” she observed. “Georgians are focused on key issues affecting their daily lives—from protecting Social Security and Medicare to managing the rising cost of living. Candidates who understand those priorities will be best positioned to earn their votes,” she added.
Although older voters represent every political persuasion, Payne noted that they share many of the same concerns.
“What unites them isn’t party affiliation,” she said. “It’s a shared focus on protecting their financial security, maintaining their health and being able to live as independently as possible as they age.”
Democratic strategist Matt Hogan agreed with Payne that voters age 50 and older are likely to determine the outcome of Georgia’s upcoming midterm elections.
“Voters 50-plus will be the deciders in the Georgia election,” Hogan predicted. “The share who say they are extremely motivated to vote is 26 percentage points higher among voters 50-plus than among voters under 50,” he said.
Hogan also pointed to a significant shift in voter sentiment on the generic congressional ballot.
“Democrats now lead by a seven-point margin, with that shift especially pronounced among independents, who now favor Democrats by an 18-point margin on the generic ballot,” he said, noting “That’s a 26-point swing from 2024.”
“It’s Social Security & Medicare, Stupid”
Turning to the issues driving older voters, Republican strategist Bob Ward stressed that financial security remains at the center of their concerns. “Seniors, those voters 65 and older, are equally concerned about immigration and protecting Social Security and Medicare, which are very much economic issues for older voters,” Ward explained.
“More than two-thirds of seniors tell us that Social Security makes up a major part of their income. It’s a big deal,” he added. “The importance of Social Security continues to rise to the top and will be just as influential on older voters this fall as rising prices,” he says.
Ward also noted broad bipartisan support for lowering prescription drug costs through Medicare.
“Fighting to lower prescription drug prices by expanding Medicare’s drug price negotiations is a winner on both sides of the political aisle,” Ward said, noting that 87 % of voters say they would be more likely to support a candidate who expands Medicare drug negotiations.
The poll found that among voters age 50 and older, 48% said Social Security is or will become a major source of household income. An overwhelming 92% said they would be more likely to support a candidate who will ensure they receive the Social Security benefits they earned through a lifetime of work.
Reflecting national polling trends, the survey findings indicated that grocery prices remain the affordability issue weighing most heavily on older Georgians.
“Voters in Georgia worry about the price of groceries more than any other issue, and that concern cuts across every political and demographic subgroup,” Ward said.
AARP’s poll also found respondents expressed a growing concern about the impact of expanding artificial intelligence data centers on household utility bills. Seventy-five percent expressed concern that new AI data centers could increase residential electric rates, while 85% said policymakers should ensure those costs are not passed on to residential utility customers.
A Final Note…
AARP’s Georgia battleground poll sends a clear message to candidates running for the U.S. Senate and Congress: older voters remain one of the nation’s most reliable and influential voting blocs. They vote consistently, they are highly motivated, and they are focused on issues that directly affect their financial security and quality of life.
AARP notes that in every election since 2002—the first year voting data by age became available—Americans age 65 and older have voted at higher rates than younger age groups.
Protecting Social Security and Medicare, lowering prescription drug costs, keeping groceries affordable, and controlling rising utility bills are not simply campaign talking points. For many older American voters, they are everyday concerns that will influence how they will cast their ballots in November.
Political observers have long referred to Social Security as the “third rail” of American politics. The phrase comes from the electrified third rail that powers many rail systems—touch it, and the consequences can be fatal. In politics, this metaphor suggests that proposals perceived as threatening Social Security can carry equally serious political consequences. While people usually attribute the phrase to U.S. Sen.Tip O’Neill, William Safire documented in The New York Times that O’Neill’s chief counsel, Kirk O’Donnell, actually coined it.
As voters in Georgia, Ohio, and the other battleground states head to the polls this November, the 2026 midterm elections may once again test whether Social Security remains America’s political third rail. When the dust settles, we’ll see whether older voters reward candidates who they believe will protect Social Security and Medicare—or reject those they believe will weaken these programs.
AARP’s Georgia battleground poll, conducted by the bipartisan team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D), surveyed 1,060 likely Georgia voters between July 13 and July 16, 2026, using live telephone interviews and SMS-to-web methodology. According to the pollsters, the survey has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
For more information, contact Kate Bridges at kbridges@aarp.org.
Additional information about AARP’s 2026 battleground polling series is available at https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/voter-research/politics/2026-midterm-election-polls/?msockid=31611274a2d760231f7a0578a3f86192.
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Talking political turkey during Thanksgiving dinner
Published in RINewstoday on November 25, 2024
We face increased demands of family obligations planning for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Baking and cleaning to host dinner, and even unrealistic expectations about our families, or having a dysfunctional family, can produce extra stresses, feelings of anxiety, isolation, and depression.
Especially after this year’s presidential election that continued to polarize the nation, expect more holiday stress caused by political sparring at the dinner table. Heated political conversations over the results of the recent presidential election, even debates over divisive policy issues like abortion, immigration, the economy, and health care can lead to family conflicts and boycotting the traditional holiday celebration.
Just cruise the internet and you will find a popular meme that clearly illustrates the damage that can be caused by the discussion of politics at Thanksgiving or family gatherings. “I just saved a ton of money on Christmas gifts discussing politics during Thanksgiving dinner,” says the meme, noting that it can be explosive at best and fracture family relationships.
Post-Election stress creeping into Thanksgiving
Weeks after the 2024 presidential election, the stress of political disagreements continues to strain family dynamics just in time for Thanksgiving. According to Gray News, a new survey from Raleigh, North Carolina-based Spruce reveals how post-election tension threatens to derail the holiday season, with families feeling emotionally exhausted from political debates.
The Spruce survey looked at 2,000 people across all 50 U.S. states, equally split among men and women. Adults aged 25-65 who regularly celebrate Thanksgiving were surveyed, says the statement announcing its findings.
“Elections stir deep emotions, especially when they tap into our fears and values,” says Tony Spencer, CEO and family relationship expert at Spruce. “Left unmanaged, post-election stress can create rifts that spill over into personal relationships, making Thanksgiving feel like a political battleground. But with a bit of intentional effort, we can shift the focus back to what really matters—family,” he says.
According to Spruce’s recently released survey, 64% of respondents reported that election-related stress is affecting their holiday planning and 59% say they are worried about political disagreements causing tension at their Thanksgiving gatherings.
The survey findings note that 52% admitted to already having arguments with family members about political differences since the election. While 32% are looking forward to discussing politics, 68% of respondents want to avoid politics talk completely this Thanksgiving. Moreover, 49% want to have a total politics conversation ban for all guests and family members.
Boycotting the family dinner is an option for some to reduce family tension. Twenty-three percent are even considering skipping Thanksgiving altogether to avoid family stress.
When the dust settled after the election, supporters of the winning and losing candidates were stressed out. Fifty two percent say President-elect Trump supporting family members are the source of their election and Thanksgiving anxiety, while 48% say VP Kamala Harris supporting family members cause them anxiety. About equal.
Finally, the survey found that 63% plan to set boundaries around political discussions. With the right strategies, families can still preserve the holiday spirit.
Practical strategies to preserve the Holiday spirit
“This year’s holidays may be uncomfortable because so many people either are going to love or hate the election results. It will be hard to ignore the election over Thanksgiving because it is so recent and people still feel so intensely about the results,” said Darrell M. West is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a former professor at Brown University.
“There should be no gloating or ‘I told you so’ over the holidays” says West, this reducing family antagonism. “Winners should be gracious and understand their gal/guy won and they shouldn’t rub the noses of opponents into the ground. Those on the losing side probably want to avoid detailed discussions of politics,” he says, suggesting that there should be informal ceasefire rules in effect for the holidays with a cessation of hostilities for Thanksgiving.
During her 45-year career as a licensed practicing psychologist in Los Angeles and at State College, Pennsylvania, Elaine Rodino, Ph.D., a fellow and former president of the American of the American Psychological Association’s division of psychologists in independent practice, has had a longstanding interest in the holiday blues and has helped many of her patients cope with this issue over the years.
“It is a challenging year for families who are getting together for holidays who differ politically, says Rodino. Defusing tension can be as simple as asking guests to refrain from talking about politics and/or the election results, says Rodino.
“If you think your guests are going to have a difficult time “refraining” from talking about politics – make it a hard and fast RULE – “I would love for you to come to our dinner, but only if you will promise not to talk about or engage in any conversations about politics,” suggests Rodino.
Rodino warns Thanksgiving Day hosts to be alert during the dinner to conversations and if they hear any that seem to be approaching the forbidden topic intervene immediately and ask them to please stop or redirect the conversation.
Why not make a game or contest to see if people can refrain from talking about politics, says Rodino, or even charge a fine to anyone mentioning politics or the election. Prizes will be given to the winners and the losers will be asked to leave, she adds, noting that everyone would need to agree to these actions before coming. Or, something like that.
Some may even be cancelling their Thanksgiving plans, notes Rodino. “This may not be the year to host/hostess a Thanksgiving gathering of politically different family and friends. Think about taking a weekend trip and skip the festivities this year,” she says.
No right or wrong answers
“If folks would prefer to avoid these topics and all can commit to holding their tongues, that’s perfectly reasonable,” says Todd Schenk, an associate professor and chair of the Urban Affairs and Planning Program at Virginia Tech. “However, many families—like my own—can’t ever seem to avoid politics” he adds, noting that many want to have these conversations both because of their convictions and they want to understand their loved ones. That’s perfectly reasonable too.
“Research strongly suggests that healthy discourse can foster empathy, and thus restore those relationships,” notes Schenk. “Whether its friends, family, neighbors, or beyond, political tension is, at least in part, about differences in values, interests, and priorities on important policy matters. While consensus is rarely easy and not always possible, healthy dialogue can help us to better understand the complexities associated with these issues and seek solutions that are more accommodating to various groups,” he says.
“We often do want to persuade others, which is absolutely understandable. Persuasion is, however, typically a long-term process that requires sustained dialogue; it usually involves gaining a strong understanding of how those you are engaging with feel and, more importantly, why, and then working to find ways in which the position you are seeking to sway them to actually reflects their own values,” adds Schenk.
Finally, Schenk shares the following six tips as to how we can talk to others at the Thanksgiving table who have differing political viewpoints.
1) Start with the explicit acknowledgement that you both/all want to have the conversation in a healthy way. It might sound silly, but, especially if you think it could get heated, it can help to establish some informal ‘ground rules’ up front. These don’t have to be complicated, just things like ‘no interrupting’, ‘no personal attacks’, and ‘describe your own views but don’t make assumptions about others.
2) This is really contextual, but certain times and places may be more or less conducive to healthy conversation than others. For example, you may want to avoid conversations in front of the cousins that you know are going to egg it on, or especially after a few glasses of wine, or in front of young children who may think the whole family is arguing, causing them great anxiety and concern.
3) Aim to speak honestly about your reasons for holding a particular perspective, speaking from your own experience and perspective as much as possible.
4) Be ready to really listen, affirming that you hear what they are saying and asking probing questions (see active listening below).
5) Attempt to understand, rather than just persuade.
6) Remember that body language is important too.
In Conclusion…
Schenk quips, if all else fails, put plastic on the furniture and buckle up. ”In all seriousness, humor and charitableness can go a long way – I think it behooves us all to remember the bonds we have with those around the table with us and to start from that place,” he says.
