Facing growing public pessimism about his handling of the economy, US President Donald Trump has fired off a flurry of proposals to address consumer concerns.
Trump previously downplayed concerns about cost of living, insisting the outlook had improved during his nine months in office. He said affordability was a new word, and a con job by Democrats.
But he has focused on the issue with some urgency since his Republican Party's poor performance in last week's off-year elections across a handful of states.
He is again proposing an idea to give most Americans a $2,000 (£1,500) subsidy.
In reality the payments would operate more like a rebate for federal revenue generated by his tariffs on foreign imports. The rest of the tariff revenue, he has said, would go to reducing the federal budget deficit.
According to economists, however, the tariff revenue isn't nearly enough to cover the $2,000 rebate plan, even with the most generous assumptions and a narrow definition of those with incomes to qualify.
If we take something like a cut-off of $100,000 a year in income, the minimum cost would be about $300bn, which would absorb all of the tariff revenue that's been taken in so far and would require some deficit financing, says Erica York, vice-president of tax policy at the non-partisan Tax Foundation.
On the other hand, the idea of 50-year mortgages has also been introduced as a way to provide homeowners with more flexibility, though critics argue it primarily benefits lenders.
Trump's willingness to propose these ideas without consulting senior advisors reflects a dynamic leadership style but raises questions about the practical implementation of such plans, especially with a divided Congress.
While Trump's proposals might sound appealing, their long-term efficacy and economic impact are under scrutiny as skepticism mounts among voters and economists alike.
