The U.S.A., early 2024: The nation has recovered from the pandemic. The economy is strong by any measure; the World Bank states that eighty percent of world economic growth will be of the good ol’ USA. None of this is helping the Biden administration, and many voters long for the economy they remember under the Trump administration — despite the worst jobs record since Hoover. People are angry because some prices remain higher than before the pandemic. It doesn’t matter that inflation was a world-wide phenomenon as a result of the Pandemic, or that the rate of inflation had declined faster in the U.S. than in other industrialized countries.
Trump and his Republicans screamed that inflation is all Biden’s fault.
Biden was given no credit for anything. He had inherited an economy in shambles, presided over economic recovery and a significant decline of the inflation rate, and pushed through more significant legislation than any president since LBJ. He capped prices of insulin for seniors and enacted other drug price reductions that will take effect in the future. In spite of Trump leaving the economy in shambles, he received higher favorability ratings on the economy in the polls than Biden.
Democrats were frustrated that Biden and Democrats would not, or could not, make stick that it was Trump’s failure to recognize and deal with the pandemic that caused the economic disruptions that laid the groundwork for supply shortages and the resulting inflation.
Clearly, Biden was in trouble. Perhaps the forthcoming debate with Trump would see Biden in his State of the Union mode, proving that he could stand up to the pseudo tough guy.
Within the first few minutes of the debate it was clear; this was a disaster for Biden and the Democrats. Even though Trump, with the acquiescence of the moderators, lied his way through the entire fiasco, the news cycles were all about Biden’s failure. It was downhill from there.
Rumors began flying that some Democrats wanted Biden to step down, followed by some openly insisting that he be replaced with a younger, more vigorous nominee. Would this cause another Democratic circular firing squad, leading to more chaos and a brawling convention that the GOP and the sensation-seeking media would love?
Biden was having none of it.
Then came the U.S. Supreme Court decision that granted the President immunity from acts considered “official,” essentially diminishing checks and balances. This was particularly frightening given Trump’s explicit promises for revenge on his political enemies.
Later came the failed assassination attempt — a scenario that, were it concocted by an author of a political thriller, would be rejected as too implausible. A young rifleman with a military weapon attaining access to an unguarded rooftop, a clear field of fire at a mere 130 yards, cranking off eight rounds at a fat target and managing only to nick the man’s ear — turning a wannabe dictator into a martyr willing to shed blood to “save the nation from the communists.” If this wasn’t the world’s most incompetent rifleman, it gave grist to believers in divine Intervention: “God’s intent to save Trump to save the Nation.”
Not surprisingly, the Republican convention was all Trump. The GOP leader with a bandaged ear demanded absolute obsequiousness. His choice for VP would be J.D. Vance, who rose from a hillbilly childhood through military service to an Ivy League degree. He then published a best-selling book and charmed his way to the U.S. Senate. He also demonstrated an ability to shrug off inane questions and, most importantly to Trump, to show unquestioned loyalty.
All this good fortune, in addition to the collapse of the Democratic ticket, seemed like a clear path to victory in November. What could possibly go wrong?
With polls indicating that GOP confidence was warranted, pressure increased for Biden to step aside. Continue a losing battle, or invite more chaos — an apparent no-win situation.
July 21, 2024: President Biden stuns the nation, announcing that he would not be the Democratic nominee, followed by endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee, urging that the Party immediately unite behind her.
What happened next was just as surprising — Democrats immediately coalesced around Harris. The party’s mood switched on a dime from doom to unbridled enthusiasm and hope. This was quite a feat coming from a party responsible for so many accomplishments over the decades, yet so inept at communicating its successes that it would have trouble selling prostitution in a lumber camp.
Harris has abruptly changed this. Some out-of-touch media nitwits are throwing cold water on this enthusiasm, labeling it a “sugar high.”
Sometimes it takes a woman! Instead of lying down and playing dead, inviting Republicans to run over them as Democrats are wont to do, Harris is the breath fresh air that rank and file Democrats have been longing for. Instead of apologizing, she is attacking — reminding people that Trump inherited a strong economy from Obama, denied the existence of the pandemic, failed to deal with it, and left the economy a total wreck. She is reminding people that it was Republicans who first hailed the recent bi-partisan immigration bill as the toughest in generations but, following orders of their boss, voted it down. Clearly, Trump and his Republicans prefer the issue to solution. Harris is having none of it. “Send it to me and I’ll sign it,” she has said, challenging Republicans to participate in solution.
Mainstream media pundits are asking, “Where was this Kamala Harris before?” Seriously? Another example of the mainstream media’s ineptness. Where was Kamala? She was Vice President, stupid! Doing her job. Successful VPs don’t try to outshine the president. And she was given tough assignments with absolutely no authority to solve them, setting her up as target for GOP cheap shots.
At long last, Democrats have a nominee — with an excellent choice for VP — willing and able to present popular programs in a way that people can understand them. And to fight Trump and his MAGA crowd. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air.
— John Waelti of Monroe, a retired professor of economics, can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears monthly in the Monroe Times.
