Top concerns for Americans right now are all economically-based. According to a new Gallup poll, the top six concerns (in order) are inflation, crime & violence, hunger & homelessness, the economy, healthcare affordability, and the federal deficit and spending. That is a strong indicator, the American people are hurting financially under the Biden Administration. As James Carville famously stated, “It’s the economy, stupid.”
This coincides with Americans’ displeasure with President Biden and Congress, noting almost 66 feel the country has gone off in the wrong direction. This figure is an average of various polls and surveys of Americans.
So, how do we right this sinking ship? We have a presidential election coming up this November, let’s see where the candidates stand on these issues, so you can understand and give consideration to whom is most in line with your value system.
We know where Joe Biden stands. He is the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee (though that could change at the DNC 2024 convention). We are where we are mostly due to his team’s policies via “Bidenomics” as well as the policies passed by Congress.
Next up is Donald Trump. Trump is the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee and he seeks to continue where he left off when he was president with tax cuts, simplification of the tax code, roll back regulations, continue punitive tariffs on China, and reduce health care costs.
Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Party presidential nominee, would seek to close regulatory loopholes that reward firms that have close relationships with government officials, and that stifle both competition and the innovation which competition creates. Oliver would end all tariffs, which serve only to increase the bottom lines of protected industries, shift labor from more efficient industries while creating a net loss of jobs, and raise prices by lowering the number of alternatives for consumers to choose among. Tariffs are a form of embargo on domestic laborers and consumers, raising the costs of doing business for importers who pass these added costs onto end-buyers.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Reform Party’s presidential candidate (at least in Florida), states that he would seek to raise the federal minimum wage to $15, expand free childcare to families programs found in New Mexico. Kennedy would also look to lower housing costs by $1000 per family and make home ownership affordable by taxpayer-backed 3% home mortgages with tax-free bonds.
He would also work to cut domestic energy prices by restricting natural gas exports.
Jill Stein, the presumptive nominee for the Green Party (expected to be nominated in July), looks to abolish all student debt for 43 million encumbered Americans, have taxpayers guarantee free childcare, reduce taxes on incomes below the real median income of $75,000 per household, and institute strongly progressive taxation for incomes and wealth, and increase the estate tax.
