By Paul Bledsoe
A new AP poll found that only 31% of Americans approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy, a result both shocking and familiar. Shocking because no modern president has received such poor marks during a period of very low unemployment and a growing economy. But it is also familiar because it shows Democrats have a chronic political problem regarding the economy: Many voters don’t trust them on economic issues even though Democratic presidents have demonstrably better records of producing job growth, income improvements and avoiding recessions.
As research has found, of 17 recessions over the last century, 13 began under Republican presidents, including all of the biggest: the Great Depression and the major recessions of 1981, 2007 and 2020. The last Democratic recession occurred more than four decades ago.
Why don’t voters believe it? One problem is that the far-left of the Democratic Party reflexively indulges in anti-business rhetoric, and often in policies, led today by the Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wing of the party. If you spend time bashing the very companies that produce most jobs, growth and wealth, it should come as no surprise that most Americans don’t trust you to help the private sector be more productive. So, while issues like income inequality are important to address, as recent Biden legislation helped do, condemning the private sector as a political strategy often ends up backfiring.
This story was originally published in The Messenger on May 24, 2023.
