By Tom Williams
In the final week of the 1980 presidential campaign between Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Republican nominee Ronald Reagan, the two candidates held their only debate. Going into the October 28 event, Carter had managed to turn a dismal summer into a close race for a second term.
During the debate, Reagan posed what has become one of the most important campaign questions of all time: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Carter’s answer was a resounding “NO,” and in the final, crucial days of the campaign, his numbers tanked. On Election Day, Reagan won a huge popular vote and electoral victory. Flashback with the video below.
The pace of events today is quickening. It is not a matter of Regan’s better off four years ago question, rather now in just a mere year in the Biden administration. To assess how people felt about the economy today, a March I&I/TIPP Poll asked the question:
“Generally speaking, is your family better off today than it was one year ago, worse off than it was one year ago, or about the same as it was a year ago?”
Fewer than one in five (20%) said they were “better off.” while more than twice that number — 42% — said they were “worse off.” Another 36% said they were “about the same.” What is most interesting is that even Democrats are saying they are worse off. See the following chart and learn more here.
To add to the dismal views held by many Americans, a Reuters/Ipsos poll came out recently showing Biden’s approval rating has dropped to a new low of 40%. This is three percentage points lower than the week before. The national poll, conducted on March 21 and 22, found that 54% of Americans disapprove of his job performance as the country struggles with high inflation, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed geopolitical concerns to the fore.
This is what should be a dismal picture for Democrats going into the 2022 midterms. But politics can be fickle. Starting wars in foreign lands, engineered scandals, intense left-wing media support, and even voter integrity issues can change the landscape.
Be watchful. Politics can always take strange turns.
See more Chart of the Day posts.
If you found this article informative, please consider a small donation to our coffee cup to help support Conservative Journalism – or spread the word. Thank you.
RWR original article syndication source.
Source: Chart of the Day: Are You Better Off Than a Year Ago?
Category: Economy, Policy, RWR, Better Off Than A Year Ago, Chart of the Day, inflation, poll, Ronald Reagan
