The economy is by far the most important issue for American voters in the 2026 midterms. Unfortunately, inflation is persistent, and it’s higher now than at the beginning of the year. The war with Iran has caused oil — and gas and diesel — prices to rise, fueling inflation. But the rest of the economic picture is quite good.
That doesn’t mean Americans feel great about it.
President Donald Trump has done many good things in both terms. In 2017, he and his fellow Republicans passed a massive tax cut with zero Democrat votes. In 2025, they made those rates permanent, again with zero Democrat votes. In between that, Joe Biden and the Democrats lit the wildfire of inflation. So the Dems can stuff a sock in it with their “affordability” talk.
Trump has closed Biden’s open border, and he’s working to deport criminal aliens. As a result of that and other policies, violent crime has nosedived.
Still, many folks are awfully tired of the president. Trump Derangement Syndrome combined with the fatigue factor works against Republicans across the country.
So what did Trump do on the eve of the election to inspire confidence and generate GOP turnout?
He went to the Reflecting Pool in DC and touted his renovations.
Now, don’t get me wrong: I generally think Trump’s work to beautify the Reflecting Pool, build a White House ballroom, and even build a triumphal arch is a worthy pursuit. America is great, and it’s worth cleaning up not just the crime in our capital city but the city itself. As Trump put it, “Our country is strong, respected, and prosperous once more, and our capital is cleaner, safer, and more spectacular than ever.”
Yet when the American people (me included) are grumbling about $4.15 gas and $6.29 diesel, I can understand why “vanity projects” aren’t very popular or the best campaign idea. That also gives the Leftmedia an opening to once again put a thumb on the scales to help Democrats.
“President Donald Trump on Monday concluded his midterm push with a closing argument like no other: Look what I did with the Reflecting Pool,” scoffs The Washington Post, which has devoted Watergate-like resources to covering the water and lining of the Pool.
The Associated Press adds that his holding up a poster of the formerly algae-filled Pool “was the final moment of his last big speech before Election Day, far away from the campaign trail where Republicans were trying to make their case to voters to hang onto control of Congress.”
The Leftmedia hates Trump with the heat of a thousand suns, so this isn’t surprising. But I also don’t want to imitate them here. Usually, when Democrats do something bad, media outlets instead make the story about how “Republicans pounce” on the issue. So when Trump does something odd, I don’t want to make the story merely about the Leftmedia pouncing.
Besides, it’s not just journalists and Democrats pointing and saying, Can you believe this guy?
It’s Republicans, too. Other than a few strategists willing to give a quote to the AP, candidates aren’t going to complain, but they must be wondering why, when a number of them could use Trump’s help to inspire his base, he’s busy celebrating unpopular renovations.
That’s doubly true of the Reflecting Pool, which had to be renovated a second time this year after Trump falsely blamed vandals for the first job being done poorly. He once again blamed vandals yesterday, “even though,” the AP correctly notes, “the Justice Department has acknowledged in court that the new blue liner he had installed on the pool peeled and detached because of a rushed repair job.”
However, there are methods to Trump’s seeming madness.
It’s irrefutable that Trump loves America and views his Washington projects as a celebration of our 250th birthday and his work to Make America Great Again. “It’s a golden age of America,” he said in his speech at the Reflecting Pool on Monday. “We have a country that we can be proud of again.”
The White House Truth Social page added, “Decline was a choice. President Donald J. Trump made D.C. beautiful again, restoring greatness in our nation’s capital and a country we are proud to call home.”
Those things are true — and they’re also at risk if voters turn Congress over to the hate-Trump, hate-America Democrats.
And it’s not like Trump hasn’t been barnstorming the country, holding rallies for Republicans all over the place. At 80, he still has boundless energy, which — need I even say it — is a far cry from his predecessor.
This morning, his Truth Social page is chock-full of promotion and endorsements for Republican candidates across the country.
Trump ain’t perfect, but he’s done some good work this term. Republicans in the House and Senate should be able to help him continue that work over the next two years. However, if Democrats win either or both chambers, the next two years will be a lot worse than algae in a pool. It will be total obstruction, endless investigations, and probably another impeachment.
The Reflecting Pool reflects Trump’s work to restore America — imperfect, and rife with fighting, but a worthwhile and successful project. Vote like it.
