I’m concerned that, according to polls, the one area where voters think Trump is stronger and Republicans are generally better is on the economy. That may not be voters’ top issue right now but it could still hurt at the margins and there are some very tight races out there. Also seems to me the Democrats really need to dispel this notion, which has persisted in spite of clear evidence to the contrary for far too long. Senator Harris did not avail herself of the opportunity to do this in her debate, even though she was given a question directly on point. I’m hoping Biden can expound the truth on Thursday if it comes up. Which is:
For the last 5 administrations/30 years, the Republicans have left the economy in shambles and left it to the Democrats to clean it up — and they have.
George H.W. Bush left the economy in a deep recession.
Bill Clinton not only engineered a strong recovery (while taxing the rich) but left the budget in surplus.
George W. Bush not only squandered that surplus (with tax cuts for the very rich), he left the economy in free-fall (the “great recession”)
Barack Obama and Joe Biden not only dug us out with the Recovery Act (without a single Republican vote) (again while taxing the rich) they created the longest economic expansion in American history.
Trump rode that expansion (as Paul Krugman put it, he sat on top of a speeding train pretending to be driving) until his mismanagement of the health crisis led to the current recession, which is even deeper than the “great” recession. And Republicans in Congress have blocked the relief to suffering Americans that the Democrats in the House passed back in May!
Now it will be, once again, up to the Democrats and Biden to “Build it back better.”
Also, even though, unlike the Republicans, Democrats understand that the stock market is not the true economy — we prefer to look at how ordinary workers are doing as our measure — even by that standard Democrats are better for the economy as the market has consistently performed better during Democratic administrations than Republican ones.
If anyone reading this has Biden’s ear between now and Thursday night’s debate, I hope you’ll pass along this suggestion for how to explain that Democrats are better on the economy too — so there really is no reason to vote for Trump and his enablers!