Congresswoman Julie Johnson on Tariffs, Voter Registration, and Special Elections

Impact of Tariffs on Businesses

• 📈 Tariffs are described as a tax on consumers and businesses, increasing the cost of goods and making global commerce more expensive.
• ⚠️ In Texas, a major trading partner with Mexico and Canada, tariffs are wreaking havoc on businesses trying to plan and order products.
• 💡 The unpredictability and instability caused by tariff policies make responsible forecasting of budgets and pricing impossible for small businesses.
• 📉 The erratic nature of tariff policies is linked to the crash of the markets and has negatively impacted retirement accounts.

Democratic Leverage and Republican Stance on Tariffs

• 💬 Democrats are using oversight, legislation, litigation, and communication to highlight the destructive nature of erratic tariff policies.
• 🗣️ The public is increasingly listening to the Democratic message as they feel the impact of tariffs in markets, grocery prices, and savings.
• 🏛️ Republicans are criticized for abdicating their power to the president by not approving legislation that would require congressional approval for tariffs.

The SAVE Act and Voter Registration

• 🗳️ The proposed SAVE Act would make voter registration more difficult by requiring in-person registration at an office with specific identification documents like a birth certificate or passport.
• 🚫 This new process would eliminate postcard and mail-in voter registration, potentially disenfranchising individuals in rural areas, hourly wage workers, and married women whose IDs may not match their birth certificates.
• 🧑‍💻 An amendment to allow online submission of citizenship documentation for voter registration was voted down by Republicans.

Special Election for Texas's 18th Congressional District

• 🗓️ Governor Greg Abbott has called a special election for the late Congressman Sylvester Turner's seat, but it is scheduled for eight months away in November.
• ⏳ The delay is seen as political maneuvering by the governor, potentially to avoid losing votes in a tight congressional balance.
• 😥 This delay leaves approximately 800,000 Texans without representation in Congress, impacting their ability to have their needs met and problems solved.