I'm a staunch Democrat who appreciates your analysis very much.
I do think there's no secret or mystery around "ongoing negative sentiments about the economy despite considerable economic improvements." Biden's "failure" on the economy, whether or not it's true, has been hammered home as a GOP talking point by loyalist outlets like Fox News and the Wall Street Journal. Even though there are economic indicators that suggest a bad economy, the truth is far more positive--and the only reason people feel that way is because it has been so widely shared in bad-faith reporting that it's been embraced as truth.
What stuck out to me the most on your graph is that people's perception of the economy has fluctuated fairly similarly to whether they feel they are thriving. This is what I feel is so often missed when this question comes up. It doesn't matter one iota what the stats say about the economy to people whose daily reality doesn't reflect those stats. I know I am not thriving, and there are many reasons for that I won't go into here, but I do feel slightly bitter whenever I read the confused, incredulous, pondering of those who don't understand why so many of us don't recognize all the great things Biden has apparently done for the economy. If a person struggles to pay the bills; if they go without needed health care because they can't afford it; if every single little purchase is a fraught deliberation about what necessities should be prioritized and which will be done without, why on earth would they be swayed in their understanding of that experience by pundits who say it's all getting much better? The criteria used to assess the state of the economy do not accurately reflect the lived reality of a hell of a lot of people. That said, I do believe my chances are better with Harris than with Trump, and "the economy" isn't my highest priority anyway (I think I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a rusty fork than even consider voting for a Republican). But it still chaps my hide to see how confused the "experts" continue to be about this issue.
Policies are only broadly considered in voting. We political animals are thinking about all of this in ways that most do not. Voters pick on likability, vibes and party loyalty. I don’t believe in straight up moderates. They either lean one way or the other. And undecideds. Fuck them. Why should we try to cater to their inability to make a decision? That can grow up and pick a worldview.
I'm a staunch Democrat who appreciates your analysis very much.
I do think there's no secret or mystery around "ongoing negative sentiments about the economy despite considerable economic improvements." Biden's "failure" on the economy, whether or not it's true, has been hammered home as a GOP talking point by loyalist outlets like Fox News and the Wall Street Journal. Even though there are economic indicators that suggest a bad economy, the truth is far more positive--and the only reason people feel that way is because it has been so widely shared in bad-faith reporting that it's been embraced as truth.
Well-said, Matt.
What stuck out to me the most on your graph is that people's perception of the economy has fluctuated fairly similarly to whether they feel they are thriving. This is what I feel is so often missed when this question comes up. It doesn't matter one iota what the stats say about the economy to people whose daily reality doesn't reflect those stats. I know I am not thriving, and there are many reasons for that I won't go into here, but I do feel slightly bitter whenever I read the confused, incredulous, pondering of those who don't understand why so many of us don't recognize all the great things Biden has apparently done for the economy. If a person struggles to pay the bills; if they go without needed health care because they can't afford it; if every single little purchase is a fraught deliberation about what necessities should be prioritized and which will be done without, why on earth would they be swayed in their understanding of that experience by pundits who say it's all getting much better? The criteria used to assess the state of the economy do not accurately reflect the lived reality of a hell of a lot of people. That said, I do believe my chances are better with Harris than with Trump, and "the economy" isn't my highest priority anyway (I think I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a rusty fork than even consider voting for a Republican). But it still chaps my hide to see how confused the "experts" continue to be about this issue.
Policies are only broadly considered in voting. We political animals are thinking about all of this in ways that most do not. Voters pick on likability, vibes and party loyalty. I don’t believe in straight up moderates. They either lean one way or the other. And undecideds. Fuck them. Why should we try to cater to their inability to make a decision? That can grow up and pick a worldview.