OPINION: Take heart cowardly GOP Congress, the TACO policy might work for you
After Donald Trump’s chaotic tariff policy began wreaking havoc upon financial markets during the first months of this year, clever financial analysts came to describe it as a TACO policy. When the markets reacted violently to his on-again, off-again tariff gyrations, he always made dramatic course corrections to calm market fears. They called it “Trump Always Chickens Out” (TACO).
There are interesting signs that the TACO policy is beginning to play a role in Trump’s dealings with the GOP majorities in Congress. Up until this time, the craven congressional cowards have willingly allowed him to usurp their constitutional powers — tariffs, taxes, war, spending, whatever — out of fear of incurring his wrath. Very few have dared to stand up to him even when they knew his actions were wrong.
Several recent examples indicate an awakening on the part of a few brave souls. The most recent is Trump’s remarkable about-face on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The issue has had an interesting journey. Trump pledged to release the Epstein files, if elected, during the 2024 presidential campaign. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered a comprehensive search of the Epstein files earlier this year.
The FBI reported in July that it had conducted a complete search of every conceivable Epstein-related file. Trump was told that his name appeared numerous times in the files. Ever since then, he has fought tooth and nail against releasing any further Epstein files, likely because they contained extremely damaging information about him.
A House vote was scheduled for Nov. 25 and it was almost certain that a significant number of GOP members were going to support the release. Several far-right legislators, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, had made it known that they would support the release of the files to stand up for Epstein’s victims. They gathered enough GOP followers to force the release of the files, apparently concluding that opposing Trump was not a political death sentence.
Not wanting to appear to be the loser, Trump performed his face-saving about-face. Having been in full control of the files ever since July, he’d had plenty of time to scrub the files of any incriminating information. The TACO policy seemed to change his stance on this issue.
During the government shutdown, Trump refused to consider relief for those who faced substantial premium increases for ACA medical coverage, at least until the Democrats swept the November elections.
Trump must have concluded that the TACO policy was also appropriate on this issue. Dr. Mehmet Oz announced Nov. 16 that the Trump administration is holding “discussions” on extending the ACA subsidies.
Trump has steadfastly claimed that his tariffs are benefiting families and lowering the cost of living. After the recent elections, he changed his tune on the tariff issue. On Nov. 14, Trump lowered tariffs on more than 200 food products, including coffee, beef, bananas and orange juice. It was a rather stealthy application of his TACO policy.
These recent changes of tune may give more GOP members of Congress the courage, heretofore lacking, to vote the interests of their constituents on any number of issues, instead of just blindly following Trump’s orders. It might all be thanks to Trump's expansion of his TACO policy to congressional issues.
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Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho Attorney General (1983-1991) and 12 years as Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017).