Trump boasts the US economy is the best it's ever been under his watch. Is that true?

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
36,671
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Asking the question because the economy is going to be his primary rationale for re-election. In fact Trump has stated...
"have no choice" but to vote for him, warning that "everything" would be "down the tubes" if he does not win reelection in 2020.

Trump claimed he would be "the greatest jobs President God ever created". Is he?

For those of you who always agree with Trump or agree with the premise "US economy is the greatest under his watch", what part of the economy did Trump turn around that wasn't already trending in a positive direction?

 

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
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Job growth has been noticeably slower than under Obama, unemployment rates were already headed in the current direction, and the stock market is an indicator of subjective confidence, not necessarily economic health. In fact, Trump's impulsiveness has directly led to stock market plunges.

The tricky bit of conveying this is that Trump will lie if you call him out on it -- and it's difficult to explain how he's lying in a brief soundbite for a debate stage or campaign ad.

(Also, how sad is it that the President of the US is guaranteed to lie about the economy?)
 
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Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,080
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The economy is my biggest worry for swing voters. I think a lot of them will give trump a pass as long as things seem to be doing ok

One of my coworkers couldn't care less about everything else trump does because his retirement accounts have been growing remarkably well.

While I get his logic, I'm utterly disappointed in that he doesn't care at all about who leads the country and the manner in which they do it.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,999
1,520
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That is the real problem with getting a Democrat elected. The fact that there are not huge rallies of people marching in the streets protesting the sham of an impeachment trial where witnesses were not even called and it is obvious that Trump can get away with almost anything, indicates that there are a lot of people who are willing to put up with Trumps shenanigans (or have been simply desensitized to them) as long as their one particular issue is promoted by him. (guns, the economy, immigration, abortion to name a few)

Unfortunately, unless the Democrats can come up with a charismatic, relatively moderate candidate, I think it is an almost forgone conclusion that Trump will be re-elected. Probably not by the popular vote, but almost certainly by the electoral college. And please, no "a moderate cant win because.... Hillary". Hillary lost because she was Hillary, had a huge amount of baggage, and managed her campaign very poorly.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
36,671
28,824
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Job growth has been noticeably slower than under Obama, unemployment rates were already headed in the current direction, and the stock market is an indicator of subjective confidence, not necessarily economic health. In fact, Trump's impulsiveness has directly led to stock market plunges.

The tricky bit of conveying this is that Trump will lie if you call him out on it -- and it's difficult to explain how he's lying in a brief soundbite for a debate stage or campaign ad.

(Also, how sad is it that the President of the US is guaranteed to lie about the economy?)
Job growth in 2019 was 2.1% . Job growth under Obama his last 4 years is higher then the first 4 years of Trump

Obama 217K/mo
Trump 191K/mo
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
85,581
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The economy appears to be going at approximately the same rate under Trump as under Obama. It’s not bad, but it’s not great either.
 
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Stryke1983

Member
Jan 1, 2016
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It tells you just how badly the Republican administration is doing when the most optimistic assessment in their best performing area is that their actions haven't quite had time to derail the economic recovery yet.

Imagine going into your performance review at work and when asked for your achievements all you can do is say, "well there are some projects that were begun under my predecessor and are still going well, but I haven't had time to really interfere with those yet. Everything else has gone to shit."
 
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BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,164
1,637
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health costs keep skyrocketing
education costs keep skyrocketing

wages are not keeping up

economy continues to fail and continues on downward trajectory of workers getting screwed while the fortune 500 take over the world.
 
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HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
36,671
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We need to cut taxes for the rich again.
but...but... tax cuts for rich were supposed to pay for themselves, give us 4-5% growth and boost middle class wages.

Guess what, NONE of that happened. However if you are rich or a corporation Donald Trump made you a lot of money. He said so at Mar-a-Lago
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
33,952
8,002
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health costs keep skyrocketing
education costs keep skyrocketing

wages are not keeping up

Oh no, 2 years of wages keeping up (maybe?) totally erases 40+ years of losses. They got that talking point and think it works.
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
health costs keep skyrocketing
education costs keep skyrocketing

wages are not keeping up

economy continues to fail and continues on downward trajectory of workers getting screwed while the fortune 500 take over the world.

It's all perpetrated on the Big Lie of trickle down Reaganomics & Libertopian fantasy.
 
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JSt0rm

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
27,399
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The guy is spending as if we are in a recession. Totally irresponsible but that’s what the boomers want.
 

JSt0rm

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
27,399
3,947
126
That death grip could hold at least another four and perhaps eight years in the White House.

Gibney and other critics of the baby boom generation argue that the huge cohort that came of age in the prosperous years after World War II spent much of their time in power cutting their own taxes, ensuring that giant entitlement programs are protected — at least for themselves — and doing little to protect the environment or invest in American infrastructure or address the mounting student loan crisis.


 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,090
136
The economy is my biggest worry for swing voters. I think a lot of them will give trump a pass as long as things seem to be doing ok

One of my coworkers couldn't care less about everything else trump does because his retirement accounts have been growing remarkably well.

While I get his logic, I'm utterly disappointed in that he doesn't care at all about who leads the country and the manner in which they do it.
Unfortunately this also shows a lack of depth in his understanding as well. Certainly "the economy" has been doing well, but basically just by keeping pace with "the economy" under the previous administration.

Trump promised dramatic growth and we haven't seen that.

Additionally, he has done many many things which he would argue were to stimulate the economy and yet things have essentially remained on pace which is pretty easily an arguable negative (ie massive tax cuts for the rich has no appreciable stimulation yet ballooned debt).

So sure, his 401k looks good. For now.
 

JSt0rm

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
27,399
3,947
126
When the next recession comes it’s gonna be a doozy. The problem is the chuds will blame the dems for it no matter what.