WHY ARE MANY AMERICANS AFFLICTED BY THE SHORT-TERM MEMORY SYNDROME OF “IT WAS MUCH BETTER WITH TRUMP.”

alandalay
Sep 15, 2024
3 min read

Collective amnesia is the only rational explanation for voters who keep re-electing politicians and leaders who only care about themselves.

“I have accomplished more than most previous U.S. presidents.” D. Trump.

Much has been said about the disconnect between feelings and reality when it comes to polls’ approval ratings between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

If the approval rating between both contenders in the presidential race is almost neck to neck[1], the difference between the two seems fuelled by a feeling of nostalgia for the Trump’s years, forgetting that by the end of his administration, Trump only had an approval rating of 34 percent.

And since most of Trump’s supporters appear to have more confidence in his economic policies, let’s look at his record;

The “Make America Great Again”under Trump

This is the area where Trump, along with his supporters nostalgic for the Trump era, usually takes credit for a better economy than under Biden. Those with a short-term memory should be reminded that during the Trump administration, the U.S. faced one of the worst economic crises in its history. When Trump left office, the U.S. national debt was at the highest levels since World War II. And U.S. economic growth was set to average just above 0% for Trump’s first term. Under Trump, the U.S. national debt increased by 39%, reaching $27.75 trillion by the end of his term.

No doubt that the COVID epidemic was somehow responsible, but this was the economy that Biden inherited and had since reversed to make the United States the fastest country to recover its economy in the world.

Trump’s economic record by numbers[2]

“I’ll be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” D. Trump.

The economy lost 2.9 million jobs. The unemployment rate increased by 1.6 percentage points to 6.3%.
Paychecks grew faster than inflation. Average weekly earnings for all workers were up 8.7% after inflation.
After-tax corporate profits went up, and the stock market set new records. The S&P 500 index rose 67.8%.
The international trade deficit Trump promised to reduce went up. The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services in 2020 was the highest since 2008 and increased 40.5% from 2016.
The number of people lacking health insurance rose by 3 million.
The federal debt held by the public went up, from $14.4 trillion to $21.6 trillion.
Home prices rose 27.5%, and the homeownership rate increased 2.1 percentage points to 65.8%.
Illegal immigration increased. Apprehensions at the Southwest border rose 14.7% last year compared with 2016.
Coal production declined 26.5%, and coal-mining jobs dropped by 16.7%. Carbon emissions from energy consumption dropped 11.5%.
Handgun production rose 12.5% last year compared with 2016, setting a new record.
The murder rate last year rose to the highest level since 1997.
Trump filled one-third of the Supreme Court, nearly 30% of the appellate court seats, and a quarter of District Court seats.

Trump’s economic policies favored the wealthy -- and left the poor and middle class behind and were the major culprits contributing to the deficits that went up by more than $7 trillion.

Trump reduced the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and increased inequality.

BUT ALL THIS DOES NOT MATTER, BECAUSE FACTS DON’T MATTER, SO GO AHEAD, VOTE TRUMP, IF YOU THINK YOUR LIFE IS BAD NOW, IT IS GOING TO GET A LOT WORSE.

[1] 42% for D. Trump vs 41% for Joe Biden. Source 2024 Gallop Poll.

[2] Source https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/