Voting The Economy In November? News Flash! Democracy = The Economy. Just Ask Trump and McCarthy

Right now, 20 days out, polling shows that the top 2 issues on people’s minds are inflation and the economy. Tell me something I don’t already know. Barring a war, pocketbook issues tend to top the list almost every election cycle. Which is too bad.

It’s too bad simply because they’re 2 of the most complicated issues, dealing with economics instead of government. In fact, even under optimal conditions, any government here has only limited control over the economic factors. Because it’s so complex, nobody really understands it, so they simplify it down to down to dollars and cents, and assign blame. And if there’s one thing the GOP thrives on, it’s dumbing down a complex issue with lame bullshit.

The GOP is blaming Biden and the Democrats for gas prices and inflation. And because people have short attention spans, especially for complicated stuff, they’re buying into the bullshit. But let’s just look at a few simple facts on how we got where we are;

Almost every element leading to the current gas prices and inflation started under Trump’s idiotic response to the Covid crisis. His refusal to deal efficiently with a national shutdown led to a hodgepodge of state led shutdowns and reopenings, bring chaos to the economy, a stock market crash, and soaring unemployment. The lockdowns led to a drop in oil prices, leading oil companies to scale back production, a process that takes months to reverse. And the global lockdown basically stopped product manufacturing, and a supply chain bottleneck, leading to hoard buying and inflation due to shortages.

Welcome to the Trump/GOP economy, folks. Biden and the Democrats saved the day, immediately infusing cash back into the economy, not only to people, but to small businesses to tide them over until they could reopen. And they continued to judiciously infuse cash into the system until it was no longer needed. Putin’s war in Ukraine messed up the oil market, and when inflation started, the administration did what it could to control it.

If you think that the GOP is just the economic miracle you’re looking for in November, I beg you to consider 2 things. First, the business imbecile Donald Trump personally bankrupt 4 Atlantic City hotel/casinos. Anybody out here will tell you that should be almost impossible, as long as you balance your bloody sports book! Hell, you can practically give the rooms away, and still turn a profit on a well run casino. Not enough? OK, you asked for it. How about Trump also bankrupting The Trump Shuttle, the New Jersey Generals, Trump steaks, Trump wine, Trump water, the Trump magazine. Starting to see the pattern? And don’t kid yourselves, Traitor Tot runs the GOP. If they get back in power, they dance to Trump’s tune.

The second example is even worse. I originally wrote about this over a month ago, but in the last couple of weeks it’s gained new urgency. In public statements over the last week or so, House Minority Leader Kreepy Kevin McCarthy has made it crystal clear that not only doesn’t he want to improve the economy, he literally wants to drive it off of the cliff.

For purely political reasons. Even if the GOP regains power, Biden will still be the President. And the worse the economy gets for the next 2 years, the more convincing it makes the GOP argument to elect Trump in 2024, so they can do the job right. No shit. Your personal pain and suffering over the next 2 years is nothing more to McCarthy than a 24 month political ad.

And he has the perfect vehicle to do it with too. As I wrote previously, if the GOP gets the House back, McCarthy and the GOP have sworn to hold the debt ceiling hostage in order to force the Democrats to cut pretty much any social spending programs he demands. Here’s the kicker. The debt limit isn’t reached until next September! But starting in January, they’ll start social spending legislation, and demand the Democrats to pass it, or they won’t raise the debt ceiling. The one thing the stock market hates is uncertainty. How about 9 freakin’ months of nonstop economic uncertainty. Which the GOP will blame on Biden and the Democrats.

What kind of cuts? How about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, welfare assistance,the ACA, the new lower drug costs. That kind of stuff. The last time the GOP tried that trick, it was McConnell who cut a last minute deal with then VP Biden, but the Democrats controlled the House. If the GOP controls it this time, all bets are off.

Here’s where the Democracy = The Economy part comes in. Put your thinking caps on, I have a question for you. Think of all of the countries in the world. Now name me a single Top 25 Global economy that is run by an authoritarian regime of government. Spoiler Alert! There isn’t one.

Because as clunky and inefficient as democracies are, they all come with the built in features and safeguards that keep any one man from controlling the national economy. And if a Republican gets the White House in 2024, that’s what we’ll have here. The GOP, thanks to gerrymandering, is already a minority rule party, and that will only get worse with the continued browning of America.

Russia’s economy is in the shitter. North Korea is so isolated they may as well be a colony on the moon. Iran is crippled with sanctions. Venezuela had massive shortages, inflation at 120%, and violent demonstrations. Cuba is so flush that their electricity sucks, and people are jumping into leaky boats and homemade rafts hoping to cross the 90 miles to Miami. China doesn’t count, they manipulate their economy to suit themselves, and with their continuing struggles with Covid, even Xi is running out of wiggle room.

So, if inflation and the economy are your top concerns in 20 days, you only have 1 real choice. The Democrats are by no means perfect, but at least they try, their hearts are in the right place. And ask yourself this. When the Democrats propose something to move the country forward, who stands in their way, the Turks? No, the GOP, and always for purely political purposes. Rake my word for it, I’m an old man. The economy goes up, and the economy goes down, but historically it trends up. But if you vote your democracy away for short term gains, that’s forever. After that, your economy is whatever Glorious Leader decides it is, and when you look at the world, it’s seldom a good place. Think very carefully.