Conservative writer ​says Republicans are 'headed to a Carter-sized catastrophe'

A conservative columnist is drawing comparisons between President Donald Trump and former President Jimmy Carter, but not in a flattering manner.

National Review columnist Dan McLaughlin began by explaining that he thinks Trump's 2024 win was summed up as "abundance." He cited the new book of the same name by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein. People desperately sought a pre-COVID world and Trump promised he'd deliver that economy.

"Klein has struggled to explain what sacrifices he would actually require of Democratic politicians and interest groups in terms of changing their agenda and demands in order to produce abundance for consumers," wrote McLaughlin. Josh Barro contrasted Klein’s vision with this quote from [Sen] Ruben Gallego [D-AZ] about campaigning in Arizona: 'I was talking to men, especially Latino men, about the feeling of pride, bringing money home, being able to support your family, the feeling of bringing security — they wanted to hear that someone understood that need.'"

Gallego said he would joke that he would help get them out of their mom's house and buy a huge truck.

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"And you’re gonna go start your own job, and you’re gonna become rich, right?" Gallego would tell male voters.

"These are the conversations that we should be having. We’re afraid of saying, like, 'Hey, let’s help you get a job so you can become rich.' We use terms like 'bring more economic stability.' These guys don’t want that. They don’t want 'economic stability.' They want to really live the American dream," he said.

During the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Trump told Americans that they'd have to deal with less stuff as a result of his trade war.

Children will "maybe have two dolls instead of 30 dolls," Trump said, talking about shortages from the tariffs on China.

"And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple bucks more than they would normally," he added.

McLaughlin wrote that it isn't exactly the best message to his supporters.

"There were a lot of memes during the campaign contrasting Trump’s promises of abundance with the sad state of prices and shelves under Biden. If Trump thinks that Americans are going to support his party when his message shifts to 'suck it up and buy less stuff for your kids this Christmas,' Republicans are headed to a Carter-sized catastrophe. Just because the coal miners voted for you doesn’t mean they want a lump of coal in every stocking."

Carter lost to Ronald Reagan in his bid for a second term. While Trump may not secure a second term, his influence over the Republican Party could impact the midterm elections and a potential 2028 presidential bid.

Read the full column here.