Almost anyone will tell you there are stark differences between Democrats and President Donald Trump. I thought I'd call out some differences in a way that I have not seen anyone else do. Two comparisons, one looking "back" to compare what the Democrats did to stimulate the economy under President Obama versus what President Trump did. The other comparison looks forward - what is President Trump promising to do on the subject of jobs versus what the Democrat candidates for President are promising to do if they are elected. But let's start with the look back.
In 2009, President Barack Obama was sworn into office and joining him was a huge Democrat majority in the U.S. House and a "filibuster-proof" majority in the U.S. Senate. Upon taking office, President Obama and the Democrats were faced with an economy in shambles. They made it a top priority to develop and pass legislation in 2009 to stimulate the economy.
In 2016, President Trump was sworn into office and joining him was a Republican Majority in the House and the Senate, albeit the majorities were not as large as the Democrats carried in with President Obama in 2009. President Trump and the Republicans felt the economy was still hurting and they too made it a priority to develop and pass legislation to stimulate the economy.
Now let's compare what each did to stimulate the economy.
The Democrat approach to stimulating the economy in 2009 was to say that they - the elected Democrats, their staff, and the bureaucrats in Washington knew best how to spend our money - your and my tax dollars - to stimulate the economy. The result was a massive government spending bill providing almost $1 trillion dollars in spending.
The Republican approach to stimulating the economy in 2016 was to say that we, those of us who pay taxes, knew best how to spend our money, not the elected officials, their staff, or the bureaucrats in Washington D.C. The result was a massive tax cut for individuals and businesses allowing taxpayers to keep approximately $1.5 trillion dollars of their own money.
The difference in results is staggering.
The "Government knows best" approach of President Obama and the Democrats did cause the economy to level out and grow just above 1% each year. The stock market started going up and the job picture improved.
Contrast that with the results under "the people know best" approach taken by President Trump and the Republicans. The economy has exploded - growing at a rate economists did not think possible. Unemployment is hitting 50 year record lows. Income is rising for the first time in many years. The stock market has risen 10,000 points in 3 years.
That's the past. Let's look ahead.
President Trump is promising to continue his fight to create new jobs in the US and not just fast food or retail jobs, but manufacturing and technology jobs - jobs that provide a living wage and have growth and career opportunities. So far the track record shows President Trump is succeeding at pushing unemployment down and both job growth and income levels up.
Compare that to the Democrat candidates running for President. The Democrats are promising to enact tough environmental policies, which will eliminate or reduce jobs in a number of industries - e.g. coal. They are promising to open the borders for immigrants entering illegally, and grandfathering in millions of people already here illegally, which creates a massive pool of people who will accept jobs at much lower wages. And they promise to reverse President Trump's tax cuts on businesses that have helped stimulate the economy and caused numerous companies, like Apple, to plan new campuses in the United States creating both construction jobs and high paying jobs within those buildings.
But to make up for the job killing programs, the Democrats promise free college educations and loan forgiveness for people with college loan debts. Why is that needed? Because young people can't find jobs that pay well enough to enable them to pay back the money they borrowed to pay for college. Democrats promise free child care - because parents can't find jobs that pay well enough that they can afford child care. Democrats also promise free health care - because, repeat the refrain again, people can't find jobs that pay well enough that they can afford the health insurance rates being charged. And finally at least one Democrat candidate is just flat out promising to give people money. Why? Because people... well you know how to finish that sentence.
Ask yourself what might happen in the area of jobs and the economy if President Trump is re-elected and carries out his promises, versus what might occur if a Democrat is elected and they carry out their promises. And to help guide your speculation on the future, use the proof of the past as a guide - consider the different results in economic stimulus programs of the Democrats in 2009 versus the results of the tax cuts enacted during the administration of President Trump. The differences are pretty stark and I think an honest comparison is not going to flatter the Democrats.
In 2009, President Barack Obama was sworn into office and joining him was a huge Democrat majority in the U.S. House and a "filibuster-proof" majority in the U.S. Senate. Upon taking office, President Obama and the Democrats were faced with an economy in shambles. They made it a top priority to develop and pass legislation in 2009 to stimulate the economy.
In 2016, President Trump was sworn into office and joining him was a Republican Majority in the House and the Senate, albeit the majorities were not as large as the Democrats carried in with President Obama in 2009. President Trump and the Republicans felt the economy was still hurting and they too made it a priority to develop and pass legislation to stimulate the economy.
Now let's compare what each did to stimulate the economy.
The Democrat approach to stimulating the economy in 2009 was to say that they - the elected Democrats, their staff, and the bureaucrats in Washington knew best how to spend our money - your and my tax dollars - to stimulate the economy. The result was a massive government spending bill providing almost $1 trillion dollars in spending.
The Republican approach to stimulating the economy in 2016 was to say that we, those of us who pay taxes, knew best how to spend our money, not the elected officials, their staff, or the bureaucrats in Washington D.C. The result was a massive tax cut for individuals and businesses allowing taxpayers to keep approximately $1.5 trillion dollars of their own money.
The difference in results is staggering.
The "Government knows best" approach of President Obama and the Democrats did cause the economy to level out and grow just above 1% each year. The stock market started going up and the job picture improved.
Contrast that with the results under "the people know best" approach taken by President Trump and the Republicans. The economy has exploded - growing at a rate economists did not think possible. Unemployment is hitting 50 year record lows. Income is rising for the first time in many years. The stock market has risen 10,000 points in 3 years.
That's the past. Let's look ahead.
President Trump is promising to continue his fight to create new jobs in the US and not just fast food or retail jobs, but manufacturing and technology jobs - jobs that provide a living wage and have growth and career opportunities. So far the track record shows President Trump is succeeding at pushing unemployment down and both job growth and income levels up.
Compare that to the Democrat candidates running for President. The Democrats are promising to enact tough environmental policies, which will eliminate or reduce jobs in a number of industries - e.g. coal. They are promising to open the borders for immigrants entering illegally, and grandfathering in millions of people already here illegally, which creates a massive pool of people who will accept jobs at much lower wages. And they promise to reverse President Trump's tax cuts on businesses that have helped stimulate the economy and caused numerous companies, like Apple, to plan new campuses in the United States creating both construction jobs and high paying jobs within those buildings.
But to make up for the job killing programs, the Democrats promise free college educations and loan forgiveness for people with college loan debts. Why is that needed? Because young people can't find jobs that pay well enough to enable them to pay back the money they borrowed to pay for college. Democrats promise free child care - because parents can't find jobs that pay well enough that they can afford child care. Democrats also promise free health care - because, repeat the refrain again, people can't find jobs that pay well enough that they can afford the health insurance rates being charged. And finally at least one Democrat candidate is just flat out promising to give people money. Why? Because people... well you know how to finish that sentence.
Ask yourself what might happen in the area of jobs and the economy if President Trump is re-elected and carries out his promises, versus what might occur if a Democrat is elected and they carry out their promises. And to help guide your speculation on the future, use the proof of the past as a guide - consider the different results in economic stimulus programs of the Democrats in 2009 versus the results of the tax cuts enacted during the administration of President Trump. The differences are pretty stark and I think an honest comparison is not going to flatter the Democrats.
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