Staff Reports
Representative Don Bacon broke with the usual party cheerleading on national TV and told it like it is: President Trump isn’t selling the pain voters feel at the grocery store and the pump. Bacon’s Face the Nation appearance did two things at once — he called for better messaging and asked the administration to rethink tariffs that are hiking prices for Americans. That’s the kind of practical, no-nonsense talk the GOP needs right now.
What Bacon Said on Face the Nation
On CBS’s Face the Nation, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said bluntly that “he doesn’t communicate it well,” referring to President Trump’s handling of affordability concerns. Bacon pointed to grocery and gas prices and argued Republicans should acknowledge the squeeze families feel. He urged a clearer plan to push wages higher than inflation and stop acting as if voters don’t notice higher bills for basics.
Tariffs Are a Tax on Consumers
Bacon didn’t stop at messaging. He called tariffs a mistake and warned they act like a tax on American consumers. That matters because the Supreme Court recently limited the president’s unilateral tariff power in the Learning Resources v. Trump decision. With that legal backdrop, Bacon said Congress needs to reclaim trade policy and force a sober review of tariffs that pass costs straight to families.
Facts Back Up the Case
This is not just political hand-wringing. Headline inflation reached very high levels in 2022, and many households never truly caught up. Real wages fell for a stretch and grocery and energy prices remain a top worry for voters. When Republicans shrug off those concerns or joke them away, voters assume no one is on their side. That’s why Bacon’s call for plain talk and policy fixes matters — voters want results, not slogans.
Time for Clear Talk and Real Action
The GOP should treat Bacon’s remarks as a wake-up call. Good messaging matters, but so do real policy choices that affect pocketbooks — including tariffs and trade rules. President Trump can keep fighting culture wars, or he can show voters he feels their pain and will deliver policies to fix it. If Republicans want to win on economics, they should start with honesty, then move to action. Otherwise, voters will keep voting with their wallets — and not in our favor.
