Democrats aim to reduce food, fuel and tax expenses

Democrats intend to question firms that have shifted tariff expenses onto shoppers following a Supreme Court ruling in February, senior consultant Henrietta Treyz of Veda Partners said. The move comes as the party seeks to curb rising costs for households.

Treyz explained that companies will be asked, "Did you turn around, take that tariff rebate, and then lower prices for consumers?" and "What did you get in exchange?" She added that Democrats will "pick and choose very carefully." In the Senate, Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden, who is set to chair the Finance Committee, summed up his strategy in six words: "affordability for us, accountability for them." Wyden said he will use the committee to "reassert congressional authority" over trade policy and warned that insurers, drugmakers and banks should expect to be called to account. He noted that state governors and regulators also influence electricity prices and local authorities decide where new homes are built. Democrats have recently secured governorships in Texas, Ohio and Georgia, where the rising cost of electricity for data centres is already a concern.