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The one problem Trump can’t afford

Voters say they’re worried about affordability. But Trump still seems to think high costs are a Democratic psyop.

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Republicans promised their midterm convention would feature lots of President Donald Trump. Night one of “Trumpapalooza” delivered — and then some.For almost two hours Wednesday night, Trump exhorted his base to turn out for November’s down-ballot elections. The meandering, made-for-TV speech hit all his Trumpiest subjects, from immigration and crime to transgender athletes, the White House ballroom, and taxes. But equally notable were the issues he brushed past.

The purpose of this convention, after all, was to energize Republican voters whose enthusiasm has flagged. The GOP could lose the House and/or Senate in November, despite its aggressive (and increasingly undemocratic) efforts to retain them.

A daily, curiosity-driven guide to the big, weird, and fascinating ideas shaping the news cycle.

But Trump skirted several of the topics that voters care about most, like the cost of housing, food, and consumer goods. (More on the politics of........

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