Staff Reports
In an amusing twist of fate fit for a political sitcom, President Biden recently extended a heartfelt invitation to President-elect Donald Trump, imploring him to embrace the economic blueprint the current administration claims to have painstakingly crafted. One can almost envision Biden, in his best Mr. Rogers voice, earnestly asking Trump not to throw the economic baby out with the bathwater. Apparently, Biden believes he has left behind a veritable economic utopia compared to the wreck he took on back in 2021, thanks in large part to pandemic chaos and, of course, Trump’s past policies.
In a recent speech from the White House, the president proudly touted his achievements in transforming a post-COVID economy. He attributed his success to what he describes as a departure from so-called trickle-down economics, which he insisted is a relic of days gone by, an economic dinosaur that somehow survived elective surgery. Instead, Biden claims to have ushered in a brave new world of prosperity for the middle class, showcasing an astounding ability to rewrite history with each passing day.
Biden, with an eager gleam in his eye, warned Trump that the new economic playbook is truly working, before dramatically setting the scene for the impending transition of power. The magnitude of this transition, he suggests, will determine whether the economy continues to grow from “the middle out and the bottom up” or takes a nostalgic nosedive back to the lofty heights of beneficial policies for the wealthy elite. One can only brace themselves to see which way the economic winds will blow, as Biden’s administration prepares to exit stage left.
The president pointed to the latest jobs report, brimming with pride as the figures surpassed Wall Street’s expectations. While touting 256,000 new jobs created in December, he conveniently glossed over the fact that these numbers come stuffed with the good old pandemic inflation magic. And while claiming to leave behind an economy primed for greatness, few paid much heed to the reality that such projections were a tad inflated by COVID-induced gimmicks. The echo of high unemployment figures at the end of Trump’s presidency remained, merely a reminder of how much Biden has labored to flourish under these peculiar circumstances.
Biden’s plea will likely fall on deaf ears as Trump has pledged to take a wrecking ball to most of his predecessor’s economic agenda, including repealing large parts of the president’s tax, climate and health law known as the Inflation Reduction Act. https://t.co/uQ4HmGLEBS
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 11, 2025
However, Biden may have overlooked the chorus of voters dissatisfied with his economic stewardship, which for many has been less about thriving under a grand master plan and more akin to treading water amidst raging inflation. Voter exit polls clearly indicated that the economy was a crucial factor in the choice to back Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. Observers may want to keep this in mind, particularly as they witness Trump readying his wrecking ball to smash Biden’s economic agenda to smithereens. Repealing tax hikes and unravelling funding for electric vehicle charging stations are just a few of the ambitious changes on Trump’s plate.
In this current political landscape, it seems that Biden’s sentiments may fall on deaf ears, clashing as they do with the prevailing frustrations of Americans who have felt the pinch of rising costs and declining incomes. While the current administration continues to insist upon the beauty of their economic masterpiece, the reality is that many voters recognize the struggles that have characterized their financial lives. Whether Trump decides to heed Biden’s well-meant, albeit quixotic, urgent request remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: America is poised for a very different economic journey ahead.
