Biden Tracker (2 Viewers)

[Farb]

For all the things related to the Biden/Harris Administration and their latest hits and misses

https://www.dailywire.com/news/whit...gedly-sexually-harassing-threatening-reporter

Interesting story, looks like 'only the best people' didn't stop with the new administration.

 

[MT15]

Unless something catastrophic happens or Biden put Trump in jail, Trump will beat Biden. The polls and the economy show Biden is in big trouble and that's why the media is ramping of the Trump will be worse this time/dictator rhetoric.

There is no conspiracy by the media. They do not coordinate their stories. Anyone with a brain thinks a second Trump presidency will be worse. He is saying what he will do. Most of it violates the Constitution and is intended to enrich himself and his cronies.

Trump could never beat Biden unless there is a third party candidate who draws voters away from Biden. Which is why R operatives are frantically bankrolling third party candidates. They know Trump needs help to beat Biden.

 

[MT15]

This is great!

 

[coldseat]

This is great!

Biden and Democrats definitely need to make the courts and judges a major issue this election. Spotlight all the horrible decisions made by the SC, appellate courts and district courts. Spotlight all the ways conservative judges are taking away our personal liberties of privacy and bodily autonomy while at the same time irresponsibly expanding gun rights that have turned America into a hellscape of gun violence and mass murders. Spotlight everything Biden and Senate Dems has done to reverse course on Trump’s horrible judge appointments. And spotlight how devastating another Trump presidency would be on the judiciary by allowing Lennard Leo and the Federalist Society to have carte blanche on appointment of judges.

 

[DaveXA]

Biden and Democrats definitely need to make the courts and judges a major issue this election. Spotlight all the horrible decisions made by the SC, Appellate courts and district courts. Spotlight all the ways conservative judges are taking away our personal liberties of privacy and bodily autonomy while at the same time irresponsibly expanding gun rights that have that have turned America into a hellscape of gun violence and mass murders. Spotlight everything Biden and Senate Dems has done to reverse course on Trump’s horrible judge appointments. And spotlight how devastating another Trump presidency would be on the judiciary by allowing Lennard Leo and the Federalist Society to have carte blanche on appointment of judges.

Agree 100%.

 

[LA - L.A.]

I think your criticism is misplaced.

It isn't.

You are associating economic health to gop fiscal policy.

I'm associating economic inequality and poverty to GOP fiscal policy. Both of those are a direct result of GOP fiscal policy, no matter how many times you try to explain that fact away. There is no US economy without US economic policy. They are inseparable. US economic policy very much determines the state of the US economy and how the US economy impacts everyone.

Further, the reality is, when an economy does well, the ones with the wealth and capital will be the first beneficiary. They are the ones investing in whatever that spurs economic growth.

Sounds like you subscribe to Milton Friedman 's theory of maximizing shareholder/investor value is what's best for the public economic good, or national economic health if you will. That idea gave birth to the theory of trickle down economics. Both of those theories have been empirically prove over the course of five decades to be a scam and bad for the public economic good.

Again, your criticism of the wealth gap should be focused on gop policies.

My criticism of the wealth gap is very clearly focused on GOP policies.

The hyper supply side policies like lower regulation, anti union, and taxes, I believe, are the culprit. Last I checked, biden does not believe in those policies. He has called for higher taxes on the 1% and corps ...wealth that can then be redistributed to social programs like child care or education for example.

You're not hearing what I'm saying. I have not once blamed Biden for the state of the economy. I've even clearly stated that, on balance, Biden's policies have or would be good for the majority of Americans. For some bewildering reason, you keep mishearing me say "it's Biden's fault that most Americans are struggling more." I've never said that and that isn't my issue with Biden.

My issue with Biden is the bad messaging that he is putting out regarding the irrefutable fact that most Americans are struggling more now than they were 2 years ago. Biden's current messaging is to tell people who are in fact struggling more now than they were 2 years ago is that they are better off than they "feel" they are. That's a losing message. That's the kind of message that bad intentioned populists like Trump spin into election gold for themselves.

Biden's message should be basically "I know you're struggling more, this is what I'm trying to do to make things better for you and these are the people who are blocking me from being able to do those things that will make things better for you."

 

[LA - L.A.]

Biden and Democrats definitely need to make the courts and judges a major issue this election. Spotlight all the horrible decisions made by the SC, appellate courts and district courts. Spotlight all the ways conservative judges are taking away our personal liberties of privacy and bodily autonomy while at the same time irresponsibly expanding gun rights that have turned America into a hellscape of gun violence and mass murders. Spotlight everything Biden and Senate Dems has done to reverse course on Trump’s horrible judge appointments. And spotlight how devastating another Trump presidency would be on the judiciary by allowing Lennard Leo and the Federalist Society to have carte blanche on appointment of judges.

I agree completely too. Biden needs to deal with the current reality of politics. Cooperation and compromise is the best approach, but that is not a political reality at this time. Biden needs to let go of that pipe dream. He needs to start pointing fingers, naming names and very clearly tell people what he wants to do to fix things.

Biden has always had messaging issues. That's why he has struggled his entire career to win a presidential nomination. If Trump wasn't such an objectionable candidate, Biden would not have won the election. Biden could not have beet McCain or Romney. I don't think he can beat anyone who isn't Trump and I'm getting nervous that his terrible messaging might cause a lot of voter apathy that will cost him the election.

Very few, if any, people who voted for Biden will vote for Trump, but a lot of them might not vote or will vote for someone other than Trump. Biden won a lot more votes in total than Trump. Biden won the electoral vote count by a comfortable margin. Both of those trick people into thinking Biden comfortably won the election. He did not. If less than a total of a few hundred thousand votes spread out among 5 states weren't cast or were cast for someone other than Biden or Trump. Trump wins the election.

It baffles me that people who project presidential elections and who do polling don't do it on a state by state basis. National polling is currently an inaccurate way to get a feel for how an election is going to break. There are a few closely contested states that can swing an election either way depending on how less than a few hundred thousand people vote. Trump narrowly won those closely contested states in 2016. Biden narrowly won them in 2020. Whoever wins them in 2024 is going to win them by a narrow margin again. In some of those key states, things are not looking good for Biden.

 

[UriUT]

It isn't.


I'm associating economic inequality and poverty to GOP fiscal policy. Both of those are a direct result of GOP fiscal policy, no matter how many times you try to explain that fact away. There is no US economy without US economic policy. They are inseparable. US economic policy very much determines the state of the US economy and how the US economy impacts everyone.


Sounds like you subscribe to Milton Friedman 's theory of maximizing shareholder/investor value is what's best for the public economic good, or national economic health if you will. That idea gave birth to the theory of trickle down economics. Both of those theories have been empirically prove over the course of five decades to be a scam and bad for the public economic good.



My criticism of the wealth gap is very clearly focused on GOP policies.



You're not hearing what I'm saying. I have not once blamed Biden for the state of the economy. I've even clearly stated that, on balance, Biden's policies have or would be good for the majority of Americans. For some bewildering reason, you keep mishearing me say "it's Biden's fault that most Americans are struggling more." I've never said that and that isn't my issue with Biden.

My issue with Biden is the bad messaging that he is putting out regarding the irrefutable fact that most Americans are struggling more now than they were 2 years ago. Biden's current messaging is to tell people who are in fact struggling more now than they were 2 years ago is that they are better off than they "feel" they are. That's a losing message. That's the kind of message that bad intentioned populists like Trump spin into election gold for themselves.

Biden's message should be basically "I know you're struggling more, this is what I'm trying to do to make things better for you and these are the people who are blocking me from being able to do those things that will make things better for you."

Yeah, first of all I'm not sophisticated enough to read or understand Friedman. If you read everything I wrote, I have snickered, derided, and mock trickle down economics. I have heavily criticized that Trump tax cuts. Surely I must see that stock buybacks is good for the general population right? That it invests 0 dollars back into workers wages; that it invests 0 dollars to investments like infrastructure; that all it does is enrich their stockholders with the buybacks. Yay. Surely, when I speak of empowering unions as a leverage against corporations, that I must believe that we need to create an environment that best maximizes profits for shareholders. Or when I point out that Biden calls for raising taxes on the 1% and corporations to redistribute that wealth in education, child care, or healthcare etc, I must believe that we must rely on the firms to reinvest wealth that would otherwise go into taxes into back into the economy. No, the first thing I directed you was to look at tax cuts and it's relationship to the widening wealth gap....that and my reference to Obama's Keynesian policy benefiting the economy...

So to clarify, my point is when the economy goes into a recession, the first to feel it are the less fortunate. Naturally because they don't have the same disposable income. When the economy is booming, the first to feel it are the well to do, and it can include shareholders. And the point to that, if I wasn't clear before, is that we're about give or take a year into good economic numbers, suggesting an early stage of a strong economy (maybe? as I read somewhere that these good numbers are setting a stage for a "soft" landing...that folks are burning through savings; that is what's fueling us atm). Further, I was suggesting that not everyone in the economy may have benefitted yet. That your criticism is premature (And I don't want to walk down the path of fudged numbers. Leave that to SFL). Here, I'll give another example. I would use pre-amazon walmart to demonstrate my point but that falls too closely to trickle down as that is what may have lead you to think I'm for it. Let's use college educated professionals. When the economy is doing well, firms hire more skilled workers. Usually they are well to do before, but they're moving into new jobs/careers that pays more. So with new income, comes new demands. Those who aren't skilled now finds a market, open shops, restaurants etc. The point is that good a good economy permeates down. This is also the basis of another theory that higher education is beneficial to an area. Boston, Austin, SF. That those who aren't as skilled still benefits economically by those who are skilled. This isn't necessarily the Trickle down theory right? That firms don't always have to reinvest; that they will do what's best to maximize their profits...and if that's stock buybacks...that's what they do. When faced with a saturated environment where another dollar invested brings nothing back, they choose to buy back stocks....but I'm digressing.

Back to Biden. My problem with those who are criticizing him for celebrating good economic numbers is the double standards nature of it. Again, I don't want to walk down this path of made up numbers. We need to have good faith that those are reflective of a good economy. That GDP, wages, unemployment, etc have been used since FDR to represent the snapshot of a good economy. That it isn't reflective of wealth but is reflective of just economic activity. With that, every president touts those numbers. There isn't a but to it. They are judged on those numbers, especially the unemployment. For people who go...but wealth inequalities....but nothing. Obama, despite good unemployment numbers had to hear the noise of wages. "Oh, we have full employment, but wages aren't going up". Bush Jr. never had to deal with that (until the great recession). Trump never had to face any of the unemployment or wage number issues despite enjoying Obama's economy. Wealth inequality wasn't even a topic in the American psyche then. Perhaps you have brought it up, I don't know your post history. But that noise wasnt there. So now that inflation is down, that unemployment is 3.7%, that wages have exceeded inflation for 3 months now?, that GDP rate is freaking 5.7% (Trump freaking promised sustained 5% and never sniffed it) Biden has the right to celebrate. By telling him he's lecturing...seriously? He is going by the traditional measurements. So the best thing to do is bring up wealth inequalities widening, which you admitted persisted since the 70's. Come on now. That's unfair. If you are directing your criticism at GOP fiscal policies, why are you associating it with Biden? What does that have to do with him. Why bring it up when we're not talking about the GOP. And you know what? He should remind Americans that they're doing great. The numbers are showing it. A year ago, I saw a handful of economists predict a recession. Larry Summers being one of them. Americans need to be reminded that their "feelings" aren't founded on reality. The objective numbers say they are doing fine.

Now if you want to quibble that his three major legislation may not be the reason for the good economic numbers as it may be too early to take effect...That's legitimate. For example, I've seen analysis that his infrastructure bill had minimal effects on employment about 6 months ago.

I just don't buy this BS about the economy is weighing him down. Objective measurements say otherwise. Feelings are just that, and he cannot overcome it when there are folks bringing in wealth inequalities to counter the overwhelming economic numbers. It's a double standards that annoys me.

 

[MT15]

I agree that these economic indicators are leading, in that they portend better times ahead for the average workers. It does no harm for Biden and the Dems to try to educate the public about this. Or to celebrate almost surely avoiding the recession that was declared imminent.

 

[UriUT]

I agree that these economic indicators are leading, in that they portend better times ahead for the average workers. It does no harm for Biden and the Dems to try to educate the public about this. Or to celebrate almost surely avoiding the recession that was declared imminent.

I want to clarify that gdp, unemployment, inflation, wage, and I'm sure there's more, are snapshot data of say a quarter ago. They are actual data that reflects on the economy. Housing starts for example is a leading indicator, that tries to predict what will happen to gdp for example. If investment in new homes, new actual builds, etc are high that suggest strong confidence that there's a demand...that there are folks doing well willing to buy those new homes.

With that, the economy is doing well NOW. [Edit: I mean so well that when the numbers come out, fox news anchors have to bite their tongue to bring it up] And as I've pointed out, the demographic isn't homogenous, that some may not be affected by the good numbers yet. I don't know the percentage. Brandon seems happy, Dave may not. The point is that the further we go into this wave, more will be affected. If wages continue to outpace inflation, that can replenish savings or open more buying power.

And I don't know what else Biden can do? Say the economy is rocking, he's lecturing. Work to empower unions for better wages and benefits ...crickets. What is he to do? Nothing he does gets recognition. Pass three major policies...nada. Billions and billions in investment in new manufacturing infrastructures and jobs....silence. He has stood at podiums touting all this. We have freaking gop er s touting infrastructure investments that they voted against! Cancel student loans, he is rejected by the scotus.

It's ridiculous and I've lost patience for it. "We re not criticizing Biden or his economy, but this economy will lose him the election".

 

[MT15]

I liked this guys quick thread about the economy. It’s a short thread, worth the read.

 

[MT15]

Another perspective:

 

[DaveXA]

I'll just add, that by no means am I suggesting that the economy stinks. I'm just saying this is a marathon, not a sprint. It's gonna take a while for wage growth to catch up with the lost ground due to excessive inflation the prior 24-36 months. 3 months of it isn't near enough. Now if we see 6-12 months of sustained wage growth, I'll think differently.

Also, interest rates will have to come down significantly to stabilize the housing market. 7%+ rates isn't sustainable.

But yes, there are good signs, and I hope that continues. Just be cognizant that we're not entirely out of the woods either.

 

[LA - L.A.]

That your criticism is premature..

I can't seem to get you to hear what I'm actually saying.

My problem with those who are criticizing him for celebrating good economic numbers is the double standards nature of it.

I'm not criticizing for celebrating good economic numbers and I'm not using double standards.

Obama, despite good unemployment numbers had to hear the noise of wages.

You keep defending Obama in a discussion about Biden. You're the only one that brings up Obama and it's not just with me that you've done that.

Wealth inequality wasn't even a topic in the American psyche then. Perhaps you have brought it up, I don't know your post history.

I've railed against wealth inequality to anyone that would listen going all the way back to 1981. Again, no double standards being used by me.

And you know what? He (Biden) should remind Americans that they're doing great.

Most Americans are not doing great. Most Americans are under a lot of stress to barely stay above water financially. That's an objective fact.

Biden can celebrate the positive indicators, but if Biden he keeps telling people who aren't doing great that they are, he's likely to lose the election.

You seem to be using my posts as an excuse to unload lectures worth of talking points and grievances you have about how unfair Obama was treated.

 

[UriUT]

I can't seem to get you to hear what I'm actually saying.


I'm not criticizing for celebrating good economic numbers and I'm not using double standards.


You keep defending Obama in a discussion about Biden. You're the only one that brings up Obama and it's not just with me that you've done that.


I've railed against wealth inequality to anyone that would listen going all the way back to 1981. Again, no double standards being used by me.


Most Americans are not doing great. Most Americans are under a lot of stress to barely stay above water financially. That's an objective fact.

Biden can celebrate the positive indicators, but if Biden he keeps telling people who aren't doing great that they are, he's likely to lose the election.

You seem to be using my posts as an excuse to unload lectures worth of talking points and grievances you have about how unfair Obama was treated.

I don't know how you can say that it's an objective fact that most Americans are struggling now.

Large percentage of Americans report they’re struggling to make ends meet | SSTI

ssti.org

Almost 40% of American adults report they struggle to make ends meet each month, an increase from 34.4% in 2022 and 26.7% in 2021

Mind you that this is reported in May, coming off of inflation highs that far outpaces wages. It's still excruciatingly high numbers. At the moment, there are more jobs than people are looking. Wages are up and outpacing inflation since Feb; CPI has been the lowest it's been; food and gas prices are much lower than a year ago. It's not ideal, but it's much improved.

Wage growth vs inflation U.S. 2024 | Statista

The rate of inflation overtook the growth of wages in April 2021. High rates of inflation means that consumers are seeing a decrease in purchasing power

www.statista.com

Look I only got into this when the complaint is that Biden will lose the election if he continues to tell folks the economy is doing great. Contrary to your views, I find that he should celebrate and tell Americans that the economy is performing well above expectations. That's not arrogant. If he stays quiet, some camp will attack him for not messaging enough. Simply, he's not getting enough credit whereas Republicans presidents will be praised for slightly positive economic numbers. yeah, if you want me to admit that I'm lecturing...no, I was expressing my frustration. As does many here against any views...and it's not just at your view that Biden's arrogant that I'm responding, but of that argument prevalent is across the MSM. This isn't the first time that I've seen it. And it's the same unfair treatment Obama received. I don't know why I cannot bring him up to make a point that Democratic presidents are treated differently than Republicans. As I brought up Jr and Trump. We're gonna have to disagree on how Biden messages this economy.

And sincerely, bravo to you for pointing out the wealth inequalities. It should be addressed; not just for boosting folks above poverty and for better lives, but for the health of our long term economy. I just find it unfair as an argument against Biden.

 

[UriUT]

The ‘great wealth transfer’ isn't $73 trillion but $129 trillion, Bank of America says—and the government gave most of it to baby boomers

Boom! Government policy has really enriched a certain generation of Americans—ones who have been in power for decades.

fortune.com

I read this a few months back and am glad that I bookmarked it. It's an unfair system geared towards the largest political group.

Boomers have quite simply been the biggest beneficiary of a “massive wealth transfer,” wrote the BofA team led by Ohsung Kwon, echoing Dalio’s observation that trillions of wealth flowed from the public to the private sector thanks to government policy since the 1980s, when boomers were in their prime working years. BofA pointed to the ballooning government debt—from 31% of GDP to 120% during that period—and the 10-year Treasury yield shrinking from 12% to 4.6% today (it’s actually 4.9% as of press time).

This means that government policy has resulted in a $129 trillion wealth transfer into the pockets of those boomers and older Americans, BofA said (it didn’t clarify the exact apportionment of wealth between these two groups).

BofA’s findings are more evidence that boomers have had it pretty good, economically speaking. In addition to low interest rates and inflated housing prices boosting asset value, a 2020 Deutsche Bank report found that boomers shelled out less for education than millennials did and won’t have to pay for the environmental damage caused by the carbon emission-releasing companies they invested in.

In a 2021 memo to clients, billionaire (and boomer) Howard Marks wrote that the generation is so big that they’re still wielding enough political and financial power to advocate for a system that works for them, “Boomers have been and still are consuming more than their fair share of the pie. This will leave future generations saddled with substantial debt stemming from expenditures they didn’t benefit from proportionally,” he wrote.

Dealing with a hefty price tag for a college education and ensuing student debt, many young adults graduated into a post-recession thorny job market, bouncing around to find a well-paying role. Forced to tack on other gigs to make ends meet, many still aren’t seeing the fruits of their labor; a separate BofA report finds that the extra income isn’t giving them much more spending power.

The housing market is no rosier of a scene; while some millennials have made up some ground and started to househunt, many were pushed back to the last rung of the ladder when they were outbid by boomer cash offers.

 

[LA - L.A.]

Look I only got into this when the complaint is that Biden will lose the election if he continues to tell folks the economy is doing great.

And yet again you completely misconstrue or misrepresent what I've been actually saying.

I didn't say Biden will lose the election if he tells folks the economy is great. I very clearly said that Biden is making a mistake by telling Americans that are struggling that they are not struggling.

Explaining how economic indicators look good is fine. Taking it to the next step of telling people they aren't really struggling and just "feel" like they are is what will lose him votes and could cost him the election, the key word being could.

 

[bird]

First, there is no such thing as “the economy”. This is a term of art and of convenience meaning just about nothing. Political economic actions influence actors on multiple levels from international to local. Included are war, sabre rattling, corporate decision-making, legislation/regulation including legislative and regulatory capture and sociological/psychological factors.

Second we are experiencing a trend which has multiple contributing influences. Among these are stagnant/declining wages for those who lack education beyond high school. This does not mean everyone should go to college as college grads and advanced degree holders are experiencing precariousness as well. Meanwhile, wealth accumulation at the top meaning .1 to .01 percent is accelerating. Politicians are skilled at framing this in terms of generating enough anxiety and anger to cause upheaval either electorally of outsider the democratic process. We have already seen erosion of confidence in various institutions. I expect this to continue. All political economy systems have at their root a dependence upon confidence and belief in the system. Right and left authoritarian systems attempt to force this on the populace. They always fail and thus resort to violence to maintain power until it is untenable.

Regarding the current situation in the U.S. we have multiple failures within institutions which have exacerbated the issue. From the non-existent Hunter Biden brouhaha to Trump’s veiled and overt authoritarian rantings neither the media nor politicians of either party are willing to do the work to shore up the institutions. I would say that the Democratic Party is less guilty than the Republican but they do have some guilt.

So, yes, Biden has an uphill road ahead of him but then so does the country.

 

[UriUT]

And yet again you completely misconstrue or misrepresent what I've been actually saying.

I didn't say Biden will lose the election if he tells folks the economy is great. I very clearly said that Biden is making a mistake by telling Americans that are struggling that they are not struggling.

Explaining how economic indicators look good is fine. Taking it to the next step of telling people they aren't really struggling and just "feel" like they are is what will lose him votes and could cost him the election, the key word being could.

I give up. I have yet to see any of Biden's insensitive comments regarding American's not struggling. He has touted Bidenomics and the economic numbers. Therefore, I can only assume that's what you meant. I just don't see any of what you assert of Biden, frankly, based Biden's empathetic nature. So I'll just ask you when he made those remarks. Perhaps, I should've asked for that first before all this. Further, when I point out that we can only go by the objective indicators that suggests that Americans are indeed doing better despite their feelings, you bring in wealth inequalities as a counter argument. Did I misinterpret that that's unfair? Am I dismissive when I say that the indicators are saying Americans are doing better? I simply don't see it.

But here, I'll show you the unfairness/double standards that I've read recently. Do you remember the incessant, round the clock report on inflation? That was till the numbers started falling and it disappeared from the reporting consciousness? Yes, a double standard. I honestly didn't hear a peep about the trade deficit with China while Trump was president either.

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/09/1218291541/biden-economy-inflation-jobs

For example, according to Pew, in 2016 when former President Obama, a Democrat, was in office, just 18% of Republicans thought the economy was either good or excellent.

But in 2020, with Trump, a Republican, in office, that jumped to a whopping 81%. And this year, with Biden in the White House, Republicans' positive views of the economy tanked to just 10%.

Consider: During Obama's tenure, the economy was still recovering from the Great Recession, but unemployment by the time Obama left office was at 4.7%. By February 2020, just before the pandemic hit, unemployment dropped to 3.5%, a decline to be sure, but not to the extreme that would explain Republicans' 63-point increase under Trump when inflation was flat.

Democrats were more optimistic about the economy during the recent Democratic presidencies, but not to the extent of Republicans' wild swings.

In 2016, 46% of Democrats had a more positive than negative view of the economy, according to Pew. In 2020 under Trump, Democrats grew more pessimistic, but only by 7 points.