The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have come under scrutiny as costs for American families continue to rise dramatically. On average, prices across the board have increased by about 20% since the beginning of their term. Restaurants such as Popeyes, Taco Bell, and Chipotle have all raised their prices by at least 75%, according to data from the Food Institute.
Vice President Kamala Harris has repeatedly championed the administration’s “Bidenomics,” despite the growing financial strain on families. She praised the policies at least five times between July and August of this year, saying “Bidenomics is working.” However, convincing voters that these measures are effective will be a significant challenge for the administration, particularly as the economy remains a top concern for voters.
Recent polls have shown that only 7% of voters believe the current administration’s handling of the economy is “very good,” while 34% say it is “very bad” – a 27-point differential. Furthermore, an eighty-seven percent majority of Americans believe that Biden’s policies either hurt or had no impact on inflation, according to a Monmouth University poll from June.
The rising cost of fast food and groceries has led nearly 80% of Americans to consider these items “luxuries.” Additionally, voters have expressed greater trust in former President Donald Trump when it comes to handling the economy, with a recent Wall Street Journal poll showing that they favor him over Kamala Harris by 12 points.
Harris’s own policy record has raised concerns about her economic competence. She has defended banning offshore drilling, supported giving taxpayer-funded coverage to illegal immigrants, and endorsed decriminalizing illegal border crossings – all measures that could have negative impacts on the economy. In fact, GovTrack ranked her as the most radical senator in 2019, even more so than socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), while writers at the New York Times rated her as the least electable of ten possible Democrat nominees.