Biden’s Other Big Liability: Not Speaking to Economic Pain
If the president's catastrophic debate performance didn’t sink his reelection chances, his deeply flawed campaign strategy likely will. Cost-of-living issues dominate voter concerns, but Biden's 2024 campaign isn't geared toward voters’ material interests.
US president Joe Biden views the fireworks display over the National Mall on July 4, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Tierney L. Cross / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It doesn’t seem to matter which poll you look at: the cost-of-living crisis is at the top of voters’ minds.
Gallup reports that inflation is the issue the most Americans say they worry a lot about, YouGov polling shows “inflation and high prices” ranked as the most important issue area by Democratic and Republican voters alike, and Data for Progress says “economy, jobs, and inflation” is the foremost area of consideration for all voters and undecided voters when they fill out their ballots.
Liberal pundits sometimes write off these sentiments as confused or dishonest or merely partisan outrage, pointing to falling inflation rates. But inflation isn’t the same as cost. The rate of inflation is falling, but prices are not — we’re still living with the effects of past inflationary surges.
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