Supreme Court will Answer All Questions on Tariffs Says Rep. Flood

Six Republicans joined with all-but-one House Democrat on a vote to rein in Trump’s power to impose tariffs on Canada. The result sets up political battle lines over one of Trump’s signature policies as cost-of-living concerns dominate voters’ thoughts. While tariffs have been a significant subject of debate, House Republicans, until Wednesday, had not had to formally vote on them. Mike Flood, Republican representing Nebraska's 1st District joins to discuss on Balance of Power. He also discussed the House approving a slate of changes to federal housing policy, taking a step toward building more homes and driving down the cost of living. President Donald Trump did himself no favors Wednesday night when he used public calls for retribution to strong-arm most House Republicans into backing his tariff agenda despite widespread voter discontent over the cost of living.

Six ultimately defied him, voting with Democrats to pass legislation aimed at ending the White House’s duties on Canada. But for many of the 210 Republicans who stuck with Trump, the vote could haunt them in a midterm election focused squarely on affordability.

The tariffs have emerged as deeply unpopular with voters — and their support for duties seen as contributing to rising prices for consumers could erode their chances for reelection.  More politically risky votes on tariffs are ahead. The House is expected to vote as soon as this month on Trump’s duties on Brazil and Mexico, as well as his global emergency tariffs. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expects his chamber to vote on the Canada tariff resolution.

Trump’s defeat on tariffs in the House underscored his weakening hand over a Republican Congress he solidly controlled for most of this first year in office.

The snub comes as the president is retreating from his immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota amid public backlash and his administration is fighting fierce criticism from his own party that it isn’t doing enough to disclose Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had fought for most of the past year to avoid this week’s public reproach of the president’s tariffs. Republican leadership blocked the chamber from bringing tariff-related legislation to the floor in hopes they could wait for the Supreme Court to decide whether Trump’s use of the duties was legal.

But dissident Republicans this week finally refused to go along with further delay.

The stakes ahead of the November midterm elections are high. Republicans are grappling to maintain power of both chambers, while Democrats are showing early signs of success in elections across the country.  For instance, Miami voters elected a Democratic mayor for the first time in three decades, a deeply-red Texas state senate seat swung 31-points to the left and an up-for-grabs New Jersey gubernatorial race turned blue.

Read more: Democrats Hold Early Midterms Advantage With Trump Under Fire

A Democratic-led House would water down Trump’s executive power. It would also increase oversight investigations into his administration and even spur a third impeachment vote, though slim chance the Senate would back removing him from office.

Democrats are campaigning on the increased cost of living, presenting the duties as bad for voters’ wallets. Nearly 90% of the economic burden from tariffs falls on US firms and consumers, according to a report released Thursday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office made a similar finding.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Justin Chermol previewed the line of attack his party plans against Republican House members who voted to sustain the president’s tariffs.

“Fearing retribution from their wildly unpopular leader who is tanking the US economy in real-time, vulnerable House Republicans chose party loyalty over affordability,” Chermol said. “Their vote to continue Trump’s reckless tariffs proves they have no plan to address rising costs.”

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