President Trump got what might be considered some good news last week, though most of the major American media ignored it. According to a UK Daily Mail/J.L. Partners survey, the president's approval rating increased from 45 percent to 47 percent between November 21 and December 4. The poll included 1,000 registered voters who participated in online surveys; the margin of error is 3.1 percent, so it could be a wash, but at this point any good news is a plus for the administration.
The administration also took credit for lower gas prices which it said had fallen to under $3 a gallon nationwide, except in California where the average price for a gallon of regular is $4.36 as of December 6. State and federal excise taxes increase the cost to an average of $4.50 for regular, the highest in the nation. Even in California, gas prices are lower than they have been in recent years.
Democrats are conspiring to make "affordability" their only issue ahead of the midterm elections. They may be setting a trap for themselves, not only because it has been the policies of the previous Republican administrations that have experienced delayed price drops, but because what's happening in the current economy bears a strong resemblance to another scenario 40 years ago.
Remember the "misery index"? That was the label applied to the economic policies of Jimmy Carter who presided over double-digit inflation, double-digit mortgage rates and double-digit unemployment. Ronald Reagan faced these economic challenges as he entered office in 1981. Democrats won 26 seats in the House in the 1982 midterms, padding their majority, largely because prices for everything remained high. Reagan and members of his administration said what is now being said by Trump — that things would get better and that it took time to repair the damage caused by Carter's four years in office.
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The repairs would come, but it took nearly all of Reagan's first term before voters could feel it. Reagan was also confronted with the twin monsters of inflation and stagflation. He cut taxes, eliminated unnecessary regulations and spurred investment. By 1984, when he ran for reelection and won in a landslide, it was "Morning in America," the theme of a highly effective political ad.
President Trump is emulating Reagan by cutting taxes, deregulating and shrinking the size and cost of government. He says his tariffs are bringing in trillions of dollars and has promised "rebate checks" for the poor and middle class.
The UK Daily Mail poll credits the two-point uptick in Trump's approval rating to stabilizing prices, resulting in "spending records ... over the Thanksgiving holiday, despite concerns over an affordability crisis which Trump has branded a 'Democrat scam.' Black Friday and Cyber Monday broke online spending records. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, $44.2 billion was spent online alone, according to an Adobe Analytics report."
In addition, the stock market's upward trend continues, fattening the 401K and other mutual fund accounts for retirees and those still working.
The president has hit the road to "sell" his economic plan, as Reagan did. He should remind voters how we have seen this play out before and the results. He might ask a question that should be more than rhetorical: "Why would you consider returning to power those Democrats and their policies that caused the economic problems, instead of voting for Republicans who are starting to make headway in solving them?"
Democrats and their media allies will try to close voters' eyes and urge them to rely exclusively on "feelings." Trump and congressional Republicans should ask voters if they wish to return to the Carter and Biden past, or move forward with Reagan-like policies that produced a brighter economic future?
Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas' latest book "A Watchman in the Night: What I've Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America" (HumanixBooks).
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