Social media users angry at Biden’s chaotic economy
Many voters are upset about the economy, with the question of why driving a lot of conversation in Washington.
The White House continues to point out the positives, such as strong gross domestic product growth and low unemployment, while polls show that consumers are more focused on high inflation — and they’re giving President Joe Biden negative marks as a result.
HOME ECONOMICS: HIGH HOUSING COSTS MAY HAUNT BIDEN ON THE 2024 CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Stories are circulating on social media of people lamenting high prices on everything from housing to hamburgers. This includes posts on the controversial TikTok platform popular with younger people, who represent a traditional Democratic stronghold.
“Sixteen dollars for a burger, a large fry, and a drink,” Topher Olive says in a TikTok video that has drawn nearly 6,000 comments. “It’s just crazy.”
Stories in the New York Times and Washington Post have focused on the social media side of the equation, quoting administration officials who are working to counter the narrative.
Biden’s 2024 deputy campaign manager, Rob Flaherty, told the New York Times that the campaign is working with TikTok creators to “amplify a positive, affirmative message” about the economy, while other officials told the outlet they’re concerned about some posts that border on misinformation which “social media platforms should be policing.”
The president’s critics in the Republican Party see the situation as more straightforward — voters are rightly upset about inflation.
“Joe Biden has stopped touting ‘Bidenomics’ because Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of his economic agenda,” Republican National Committee spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. “As prices continue to rise and real wages continue to fall, families can’t afford four more years.”
The White House rolled out “Bidenomics” as a catchphrase over the summer to get the electorate to pay more attention to historically low unemployment rates, strong manufacturing sector growth, trillions of dollars in infrastructure investments, and surging GDP.
But few people seem to be buying it, and Biden has stopped using the term since early November. In contrast, the president said “Bidenomics” more than 100 times between June and October.
Instead, the Biden administration may be focusing its fire on how Republicans, and especially former President Donald Trump, would handle the economy.
On Monday, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates published a memo titled “The growing MAGAnomics threat of skyrocketing healthcare costs,” purporting that the GOP’s economic proposals will raise costs for families.
But the viral moments may continue on social media, and the White House could risk stepping into controversy again as it works to combat that narrative.
The House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Flaherty, the deputy campaign manager, last week, seeking testimony over his efforts to influence social media moderation. A reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if the administration would seek to block his testimony and if it regretted its past efforts to flag social media content for removal.
Jean-Pierre did not answer directly, referring the question to the White House counsel’s office.
Whether influenced by social media or not, polls consistently show consumer sentiment regarding the economy is not strong.
For example, the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment fell to 61.3 this month, better than last year but still near historic lows.
According to the consumer price index, prices were 18% higher in October 2023 than in October 2020, with grocery prices up more than 20% and gas up 66%. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that hourly earnings have outpaced inflation over the last year, it may still take time for consumers to adjust to higher prices that are still rising, albeit at a slower pace than before.
Inflation also shows up when people borrow money for purchases. The Federal Reserve has aggressively raised interest rates in an attempt to combat rising prices, and as a result, the costs to borrow money using an auto loan, credit card, or mortgage have shot up.
Mortgage rates have doubled since early 2022, and the number of respondents who told the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index that they planned to buy a home in the next year has been cut in half.
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Consumer confidence may eventually return now that inflation has reached a more manageable 3% annual rate of growth. Still, the Biden White House appears to have shifted away from its Bidenomics push in favor of highlighting the dangers of Trump’s “MAGAnomics.”
“Efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Inflation Reduction Act put the differences between Bidenomics and MAGAnomics into sharp perspective,” Bates wrote on Monday. “Lower costs for hardworking families made possible by rich special interests paying their fair share in taxes, or tax windfalls for the rich that makes costs skyrocket for the American middle class.”
What role have social media platforms, such as TikTok, played in providing a space for consumers to voice their concerns about high inflation and rising prices?
Ile the White House may be emphasizing the positives of the economy, many voters are expressing their frustration and dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs. Despite strong gross domestic product growth and low unemployment rates, consumers are more concerned about high inflation, leading to negative ratings for President Joe Biden.
The issue of the economy has sparked numerous conversations in Washington, with the question of why many voters are upset at the forefront. Social media platforms have become a space for people to voice their concerns, sharing stories of exorbitant prices across various sectors, from housing to hamburgers. Even traditionally Democratic-leaning demographics, such as younger individuals who frequent TikTok, have joined in expressing their frustrations.
Posts like a TikTok video by Topher Olive, complaining about the cost of a burger, fries, and a drink amounting to sixteen dollars, have gained significant attention, garnering close to 6,000 comments. Mainstream media outlets such as the New York Times and Washington Post have covered the social media discussions, quoting administration officials who are actively working to counter the negative narrative.
According to Rob Flaherty, Biden’s 2024 deputy campaign manager, the campaign is collaborating with TikTok creators to spread a positive message about the economy. Concerns have also been raised about misleading posts on social media platforms that could perpetuate misinformation, leading some officials to call for increased moderation.
Republicans, on the other hand, attribute the dissatisfaction to inflation and perceive the situation as a clear and straightforward matter. They argue that Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Biden’s economic agenda, claiming that rising prices and falling real wages make four more years under his leadership unaffordable for families.
The White House initially framed their economic agenda as “Bidenomics” to draw attention to low unemployment rates, robust growth in the manufacturing sector, infrastructure investments, and a surging GDP. However, the catchphrase seems to have lost its appeal, and Biden has stopped using it since early November, having mentioned it more than 100 times between June and October.
Instead of advocating for “Bidenomics,” the administration might be shifting its focus towards criticizing how Republicans, particularly former President Donald Trump, would handle the economy. In a recent memo titled “The growing MAGAnomics threat of skyrocketing healthcare costs,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates claimed that the GOP’s economic proposals would increase costs for families.
While the administration strategizes on combating the negative narrative, viral moments on social media could continue to stir controversy. The White House is also facing potential challenges, as the House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed Rob Flaherty to testify about his efforts to influence social media moderation. When asked about whether the administration would seek to block his testimony or regret its previous attempts to flag social media content for removal, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre redirected the question to the White House counsel’s office.
In conclusion, the economy remains a pressing concern for many voters. The Biden administration’s attempt to highlight positive economic indicators clashes with consumers’ focus on high inflation. The narrative on social media platforms, including criticism from traditionally supportive demographics, underscores the urgency for the administration to address these concerns and find solutions to alleviate the public’s economic anxieties.
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