Will Voters Stop Griping About Economy If Democrats Promise To Stop Saying 'Bidenomics'?
That's apparently how this works.
Voters are unhappy with the economy. This is either because they’re struggling financially or they’re listening to the wrong people on TikTok. The economy is objectively improving after its pandemic-related collapse in 2020. It’s exceeding expectations in “growing economic output, labor market resilience, and slowing inflation.” Fifty-year unemployment lows! Decreasing income inequality! Those are all good things! But voters aren’t convinced, and prefer the capitalist utopia of 2019 when you could buy a five-bedroom house for $100,000. Sure, it was haunted and your child ended up stuck in the TV, but you still felt like you were getting ahead in life.
When voters won’t listen to reason, you have to win them over with persuasive messaging. The White House has been hyping “Bidenomics” for a while now, but Axios reports that Democrats are dropping the term — maybe they’ll go with “Bidenetics” and offer free personality tests.
So, according to Axios’s beloved bullet points, both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the (ideally Democratic) House Majority PAC have ditched “Bidenomics” on social media and in press releases. Apparently, polling reveals that the tagline is as effective as “Go See The Marvels!”
Some Democratic consultants believed the term “Bidenomics” was insensitive to voters who are absolutely certain they are worse off than they were in 2019, when it rained doughnuts stuffed with cash inside the holes. They also worried that the term reminded voters that Joe Biden is president. Apparently, they think they can keep that a secret.
One Democratic strategist insisted that the problem isn’t using Biden’s solid Irish name. No, it’s just that “Bidenomics” is too “philosophical” and requires “too much explanation.” Leave the portmanteaus for Intro to Existentialism.
Most Democrats agree they need to constantly remind Americans about all the positive impacts “Bidenomics” Biden’s economic policies have had on their lives, even if they refuse to notice like a clueless spouse failing to acknowledge your new haircut.
For instance, remember earlier this year when Republicans kept whining about the rising cost of eggs? This had nothing to do with Biden’s policies, but Republicans were shameless liars before anyone ever heard of George Santos. Egg prices have fallen harder than Humpty Dumpty over the past few months, but you wouldn’t know it because Democrats aren’t making it news. Gavin Newsom should challenge Ron DeSantis to another debate and just pelt him with a dozen eggs. Everyone would cheer as Newsom said, “That only cost me $1.99!”
House Democrats discussed their “economic messaging strategy” this summer and concluded, per one senior Democratic leadership aide, that “People Over Politics” was a better slogan, even though it doesn’t directly address the economy. It does recall the successful 1992 Bill Clinton campaign slogan, “Putting People First,” which itself was an improvement from the earlier “For People, for a Change.” Originally intended as an internal rallying cry, “It’s the Economy, Stupid” became the de facto slogan.
The big difference is that Clinton was running against the incumbent president and arguing (correctly) that the economy was a mess. Biden is the sitting president who needs to persuade voters to stay the course and not sacrifice American democracy for short-term financial gain. That’s not a hard choice, considering Trump and a unified Republican Congress would not in any way improve economic conditions. Don’t forget that Americans are likely sour on the economy because during the pandemic, the federal government expanded social programs, paused student loan payments, and kept tenants from getting evicted. Those benefits soon ended but not because of Biden! It was the Republicans who played unrepentant Grinch.
We’re all greedy motherfuckers and want more money. I get it, but let’s not also be stupid. Don’t trade old reliable Biden for some magic Trump beans with a side of fascism.
[Axios]
PREVIOUSLY:
My business is back up to the number of services rendered I had pre pandemic, but I am just getting the bills paid, no savings and no money for stuff like vacations. I used to have room for that in my budget, but no more. Telling me that I do isn't a winning strategy either. Pointing out the price gouging is though. Pointing out the union support is. Pointing out the student loan reductions is. I paid off my student loans 8 years ago and it's still a winner in my book. Tell me about how we need to stay the course on helping workers and I'm in. But don't tell me I'm as well off economically, because I'm not.
Robert Reich - “It’s the gouging, stupid.”
“ Kellogg's raised prices 14% from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023.
The company then reported better than expected profits and execs shared plans to spend more on stock buybacks and larger dividends”