How should Biden (and Democrats) message on the economy?

[ProgressiveModerate]

In general, recent economic reports have shown the American economy is doing well on most metrics, especially compared to economies around the world. Even consumer spending backs this up with people buying more "extras" than before.

Yet polling consistently shows that the majority of Americans are pretty down on the economy right now and at least a plurality believes Trump is a better fit than Biden.

This disconnect can perhaps be attributed to a few things:

1. How people answer polling - Trump supporters may be more likely to view this question as a proxy for whether or not they support Trump or not - even if they do genuinely believe the economy is doing well they won't admit it, whereas Biden supporters are more willing to dethatch the question from him.

2. Problems is a few specific (but important) areas. For instance, the cost of housing and attending college right now is very high, both of which are very important economic investments for much of the population.

3. Continuing frustration with the rapid inflation we saw during the first part of Biden's term - even though inflation has stalled, prices haven't gone back to pre-pandemic level which I think many Americans somehow sort of expected.

4. Media and social media narratives - right now both generally have set quite a pessimistic view of the economy, especially for younger people. In general, I think most people on these platforms (including people on the left) have engagement and social incentive to post negatively on the economy.

So how should Democrats message on the economy - many statistics are strong, but voters don't seem to agree. Trying to persuade voters the economy is actually good is difficult because it can easily feel like gaslighting for many. Just agreeing with voters and admitting the economy sucks is difficult because it could re-enforce the idea Biden screwed up and we need a change in leadership to change the economy. Trying to split the difference and admitting certain things are big problems right now (i.e. housing cost) while also trying to promote the good? - this runs the risk of a very convoluted message for your typical voter.

What do you think the best messaging around the economy is for Biden (and Democrats generally) right now.

[dw93]

In short, "Inflation is going down, but we still have a long way to go." "If re elected, here's what I'm going to do to address the cost of living, the cost of housing in particular."

He has to bring up the good points of the economy (low unemployment) while also offering solutions to the high cost of living. Against any other Republican this wouldn't be enough as they would likely be hammering the hell out of him on inflation and offering (what they think) are solutions to that. Trump, on the other hand, is not running an issue oriented campaign and running on the issues instead of running solely on "I'm not Trump" could give him an opening.

[Mehmentum]

Biden should talk up specific concrete actions he's done- like the insulin price cap, or infrastructure projects in [state he's in].  Talk up both the oil and solar boom.  Brag about the stock market, brag about falling gas prices, brag shamelessly about whatever he can.  Even if he gets pushback in the media for it, by making them talk about it he's still shifting the conversation.

[wnwnwn]

He could say things like: "This is an economy that breaks stock market records with 3% anual inflation" and "Trump's first years were autopilot after Obama, we have rebuilt the economy after 2020".

[Progressive Pessimist]

It's tough having to juggle coming across as positive to sell accomplishments and change perceptions while acknowledging peoples' economic frustrations. But that's going to be necessary.

Specifically, I believe that Biden needs to remind voters where the economy was (squandered by Trump) when he took office and how far we have come with how his policies have helped with that, even if it's still a work in progress. This will be easier to do if interest rates and gas prices finally decrease. Those will be more tangible. Certainly he could throw in some hard economic data like the jobs numbers for whatever those are worth. Appearing with popular Governors and Senators in their respective battleground states could also really help. I keep seeing Shapiro get credited for repairing that one bridge so quickly, and I don't think he'd be against crediting his partnership with the Biden administration and its policies for it.

In summation, distilled more, continue the comparing and contrasting affirmatively against Trump and mske the state of the nation seem adequate enough where changing horses to someone as haphazard as Trump would not be worth the risk. Trump throwing out the boneheaded tariff plan could be a good thing for Biden to go on the attack with. As with his pandering to Wall Street for their favor in getting tax cuts out of him.

[Liberalrocks]

He needs to address people’s issues with inflation head on rather than skirting around the issue. People need to feel validated in that regard, a feeling that he understands their hardships before rhetoric of what he has and will do to ease it. Pretending it doesn’t exist to the level it does clearly isn't working for his polling numbers in the swing states.

[TML]

He should also hit Trump on his vow to give more tax cuts for economic elites (and give little or no tax relief for poor and middle class people).

[Kamala's side hoe]

Talking about the economy or how great life is in Biden’s America is misguided and delusional, and I think hardens these anti-Biden voters’ decision to sit out or cast a protest vote. (And the swing state Dems who won in 22 didn’t really do that — they mostly ran on abortion, democracy, and how ridiculous their opponents were.)

This. Couldn't have said it better myself. Biden could definitely still win, but he's done if his campaign is really gonna stick with this toxic "everything is fine, the base needs to shut up" angle.

He needs to address people’s issues with inflation head on rather than skirting around the issue. People need to feel validated in that regard, a feeling that he understands their hardships before rhetoric of what he has and will do to ease it. Pretending it doesn’t exist to the level it does clearly isn't working for his polling numbers in the swing states.

The “America is less screwed economically than the rest of the world” angle is objectively true, but I’m not sure how good Biden would be at communicating that.