Are You Better Off?

"Are you better off than you were four years ago?"

Ronald Reagan used that line when he debated Jimmy Carter during the 1980 Presidential campaign.

The voters decided they were not better off.

Reagan won 44 states in a 489-44 the electoral college vote landslide.

Since that time it has become a popular question that political pollster ask voters.

For example, Tipp Insights recently asked the question of voters as to whether, compared to a year ago, they were better off financially.

This is the headline of that poll.

If you are an objective observer of what is going on in the United States this should not come as a surprise when you consider all of the problems listed in the sub-heading above.

However, look at the breakdowns of that poll by political affiliation.

More Democrats state they are better off financially today than they were a year ago.

29% better off vs. 26% worse off with 42% saying they are about the same.

Source: https://tippinsights.com/i-i-tipp-poll-are-you-better-off-today-than-a-year-ago-by-4-to-1-americans-say-no/

Contrast that with Republicans (11% better off vs. 56% worse off) and Independents (17% better off vs. 48% worse off).

It makes you wonder if all of us are living in the same world.

I reported on a similar poll question in 2019 that asked voters whether they were better off at that time compared to 2016 before Donald Trump became President.

Remember those pre-Covid days when real wages were increasing, gas prices and inflation were low and African-American, Hispanic and women's unemployment were all at record lows?

In that poll more Democrats stated they were worse off (35%) vs. better off (27%).

By contrast, Republicans stated they were better off by 80% vs. 6%.

Independents said they were better off by 54%-20%.

Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, May, 2019

Is there a better example of how politics has come to color the views of so many no matter the facts involved?

You can see the political bias from Republicans and Democrats in both polls.

However, is it not also clear that the Independents seem to have views that probably conform most to actual reality?

If that is the case, the Republicans seem to be living much closer to reality than the Democrats.

It truly makes you wonder what world some of these Democrats are living in?

If you are concerned about your country right now or struggling with inflation, high gas prices, supply chain issues or anything else there seems to be an answer for you.

Declare yourself to be a Democrat.

All is good. Never been better. Not a care in the world.

Calm seas. Blue skies. Bright sun.

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi are in charge.

What, me worry?