How Does the Harris Campaign Adequately Address Economic Issues?

CFordUNC

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I'll preface by saying that I love how the Harris campaign is currently running on an uplifting of joy, laughter, hope, optimism, progress, and being forward/future-thinking. I think those are fantastic things to highlight, especially in juxtaposition to the. Trump campaign's joyless, petty, grievance-filled, vindictive themes. But something that I have been considering over the last couple of days is, how can the campaign simultaneously run on this soaring, hopeful, optimistic message of transformation- one that appeals most directly to the die-hards in the base- while also meaningfully addressing the "kitchen table" issues that so many moderate, unaffiliated, and swing voters care about. I think that Harris is going to bring all kinds of Democratic voters to the polls in November in a way that it was becoming painfully obvious was not going to happen with Biden. But it's *still* going to take winning over the swing/crossover voters and unaffiliateds to actually win the election.

Obviously, almost every single economic indicator is overwhelmingly positive right now. The economy is growing, wages are increasing, inflation is receding, prices are lowering, interest rates will be cut soon, the stock market is booming, unemployment is at historic lows, etc. But how can the Harris campaign effectively inform the blue collar worker in Pennsylvania, the small business owner in Michigan, the middle class family in Wisconsin, etc. that President Kamala Harris will be better for their economic prosperity than President Donald Trump? How does the campaign communicate this in a way that resonates without feeling like it is talking down to people who are rightfully concerned about how to make ends meet for themselves and their families?
 
Step one rally the base. Dance with one ones that brung ya. Step two, undecided outreach, I think.
 
I hate to be "obtuse" But Hillary and Elizabeth have tried to discuss real policies All the folks that "just don't know, undecided" They want sound bites
Freedom Freedom
 
I'll preface by saying that I love how the Harris campaign is currently running on an uplifting of joy, laughter, hope, optimism, progress, and being forward/future-thinking. I think those are fantastic things to highlight, especially in juxtaposition to the. Trump campaign's joyless, petty, grievance-filled, vindictive themes. But something that I have been considering over the last couple of days is, how can the campaign simultaneously run on this soaring, hopeful, optimistic message of transformation- one that appeals most directly to the die-hards in the base- while also meaningfully addressing the "kitchen table" issues that so many moderate, unaffiliated, and swing voters care about. I think that Harris is going to bring all kinds of Democratic voters to the polls in November in a way that it was becoming painfully obvious was not going to happen with Biden. But it's *still* going to take winning over the swing/crossover voters and unaffiliateds to actually win the election.

Obviously, almost every single economic indicator is overwhelmingly positive right now. The economy is growing, wages are increasing, inflation is receding, prices are lowering, interest rates will be cut soon, the stock market is booming, unemployment is at historic lows, etc. But how can the Harris campaign effectively inform the blue collar worker in Pennsylvania, the small business owner in Michigan, the middle class family in Wisconsin, etc. that President Kamala Harris will be better for their economic prosperity than President Donald Trump? How does the campaign communicate this in a way that resonates without feeling like it is talking down to people who are rightfully concerned about how to make ends meet for themselves and their families?
I have no idea how to frame it but it seems crazy to change things when they are moving in the right direction.
Listened to Glenn Beck this am and he was taking issue with Joe saying we currently had the best economy in the world. Then Glen spouts off some hot button price problems like milk, gas rent whatever and says are you crazy our economy is terrible. Completely ignored what’s going on in other countries (to be fair I’m not sure we have the best economy right now but I believe I have heard we handled inflation the best). But that is the political playbook. But sorry that’s rambling.
I guess based on that Democrats need some real hard facts about the economy that sound fantastic and make those the talking point. Simple and easily digestible.
Is it worth mentioning that the inflation is the result of COVID policies enacts by both parties?
 
Honestly, I think the best way for her to beat Trump is to highjack the playbook Trump was using against Biden. Just keep talking about how old he is, how he makes no sense when he speaks, and focus on him being a 34-time felon, rapist, failure as a business man. Trump cannot tolerate anybody talking down at him like that. But to have a black woman do it will absolutely drive him nuts. He will blow himself up.

As for reaching the undecideds, I think all she has to do there is keep beating the drum of us being in the midst of a surging economy. Keep talking about how she and Biden fixed the **** show Trump left them. As long as the market keeps climbing and interest rates start going down, Trump has nothing to talk about.
 
Honestly, I think the best way for her to beat Trump is to highjack the playbook Trump was using against Biden. Just keep talking about how old he is, how he makes no sense when he speaks, and focus on him being a 34-time felon, rapist, failure as a business man. Trump cannot tolerate anybody talking down at him like that. But to have a black woman do it will absolutely drive him nuts. He will blow himself up.

As for reaching the undecideds, I think all she has to do there is keep beating the drum of us being in the midst of a surging economy. Keep talking about how she and Biden fixed the **** show Trump left them. As long as the market keeps climbing and interest rates start going down, Trump has nothing to talk about.
Well , Hordes of raping Mexicans A few facts about how certain key industries are dependant on non citizen labor would be worthwhile
 
Prices went up as a result of the pandemic. It was a one time thing. Prices are no longer really going up. Prices won't go back down because that's not how inflation gets resolved. Rather, wages go up, just like they have been for the last three years. Be honest with yourselves: aren't you making more money than you were four years ago? And your income has increased more than your grocery bill. If you want your pay to continue to go up and prices to continue to stabilize, vote for me. If you want a massive hyperinflation, vote the other guy.
 
She should go after the deficit and how Democrats are lowering it and Trump will raise the debt faster
 
- The US has the #1 economy
- We're #1 in O&G production
- Overtaking Chyna in Green Energy
- Violent Crime is at a 50 year low
- Illegal immigrant crossing has dropped in half; lower that at the end of the Trump administration
Inflation is below 3%
- Stock market near record highs
- Outperforming economic growth

From the WSJ:


1. The U.S. economy accelerated in the second quarter thanks to increased consumer spending and cooling inflation.

Gross domestic product—the value of all goods and services produced in the U.S., adjusted for inflation and seasonality—rose at an annual rate of 2.8% (🔐 read for free) to $22.9 trillion, the Commerce Department said. Economists had forecast 2.1%. The pace in the first quarter was 1.4%. The new data shouldn’t change Fed officials' expectations to hold interest rates steady this month but possibly cut them in September, if inflation continues to cool. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2% on the surprisingly strong GDP data, while the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively.
 
The economy is actually doing quite well. Democrats need to counter the argument that it isn’t doing well by focusing on actual numbers.

 
I think the economy will be one of Harris' weak points. However, for all the decades that Trump has been a business leader in his industry, he is no businessman powerhouse. He understands building and purchasing properties, and bribery and cheating and stiffing contractors. As a business leader for so long he is actually a pretty crappy businessman. All his bankruptcies over the years given such a head start with cash and an existing business, proves that point.

And he knows very little about how the overall economy and public policy actually work.

So Harris can hold her own with him by just sticking with the overall party talking points. Let Trump try to pretend he knows what he is talking about on the overall economy. He looks foolish when he does but he knows how to trigger the average rural voter.

As one of his college business professors stated, "he was the dumbest student I ever had." That has not changed.
 
Double posting here But this is where I meant to put it
Harris will push for renewal of the Child tax credit and perhaps more Child Care subsidies
Pretty good for the childless Cat lady
 
core PCE is now 2.6% year over year which is the slowest increase in more than 3 years.

If Trump is elected, the economy will become the greatest economy in the history of all mankind before Groundhog Day
 
It's very clearly that wonky stuff on the economy doesn't work with voters. It's a shame, because the facts are what should matter. But a bunch of percentages and stats won't work. It's stupid, and it's frustrating that voters don't respond well to fact-based messaging instead of emotional messaging, but it's reality.

IMO the way to handle the economy messaging is two-fold:

(1) Talk up the positive aspects of the economy (in broad, non-statistical language) while acknowledging that Americans are still feeling real pain in the pocketbook from inflation; then (2) pivot to how Trump will be worse and won't fix anything..

For example: "I'm really proud of the work President Biden and I have done to rebuild the economy after the former administration mismanaged the COVID pandemic and left us a mess. If you look around the rest of the planet, our administration has done a better job than anyone else in the world at rebuilding the supply chain, getting manufacturing running well again, and getting people back to work. We know inflation has been a real issue for the American people, and we know that higher prices at the grocery store and elsewhere really hurt for millions of Americans. ,The good news for the American people is that inflation is receding, and it will be a priority for my administration to make sure that continues. But a second Trump administration would be disastrous for the economy; his proposed tariff increases will result in higher prices for all Americans and reverse all the great progress that's been made. The former president will send us straight into another recession."
 
I have no idea how to frame it but it seems crazy to change things when they are moving in the right direction.
Listened to Glenn Beck this am and he was taking issue with Joe saying we currently had the best economy in the world. Then Glen spouts off some hot button price problems like milk, gas rent whatever and says are you crazy our economy is terrible. Completely ignored what’s going on in other countries (to be fair I’m not sure we have the best economy right now but I believe I have heard we handled inflation the best). But that is the political playbook. But sorry that’s rambling.
I guess based on that Democrats need some real hard facts about the economy that sound fantastic and make those the talking point. Simple and easily digestible.
Is it worth mentioning that the inflation is the result of COVID policies enacts by both parties?
I sometimes end up paying $4.75 American for a half-gallon of milk in Canada, sp $9.50 a gallon. Gas is the equivalent of $5.75 American.
 
I interrupt this discussion for a quibble — I don’t think Trump has ever actually been a business leader in his industry, though he was a wealthy real estate developer for several decades, expanding on the business he inherited. Since his bankruptcy and financial crises of the ‘90s, he’s been more of a celebrity brand manager and owner of real estate. 🏡 n some ways, he is one of the original Influencers, building a reality show version of himself on The Apprentice and turning the marketing and licensing of that brand into his core business.

Anyway, back to the original question, which is an important one for Harris to navigate.
 
I think that comparing the US economy to other countries is a waste of time. Nobody here cares whether we are outperforming Germany or the UK. The sound bites really need to be dumbed down. Contrast the last year of Trump with the current status. Low unemployment, significant growth in the economy, record stock market, etc. I really feel that the winning approach is to constantly contrast what the world was like under Trump vs. what it is now. And furthermore, paint a dystopian picture of the future where all of Project 2025 is implemented, and all of Trump's hairbrained ideas are passed into law.
 
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