Bloomberg: Trump's $5000 Payout Promise Underscores GOP Midterm Peril
President Donald Trump offered voters a quid pro quo, saying elect Republicans and get a $5,000 payout, which he called the Trump dividend.
Trump's announcement was met with skepticism, with some seeing it as a desperate attempt to motivate voters and others predicting it will backfire, particularly given the US debt at record levels.
“Independents and swing voters will see this as a ploy and not a solution to the their affordability problems. That’s why this will backfire,” said Steven Okun, CEO of APAC Advisors (Singapore), who previously served in the Clinton administration. And with US debt at record levels “every Republican running in a close race will have to take a position on this.”
Already, Trump’s allies were looking to modify his plan. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said he expected lawmakers to discuss the deficit impact and suggested it would be better structured as a tax refund with work requirements.
