Enabler-in-Chief: Biden’s Economy Tarnishes Harris’s Prospects
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Key Takeaways
- Public perception of Kamala Harris is significantly shaped by the economy created under the Biden-Harris administration, with many blaming her for the substantial price hikes and economic challenges during her tenure.
- Media attempts to reframe the Inflation Reduction Act as a positive for the economy does not seem to resonate with average Americans.
- Critics associate Harris with negative economic outcomes, viewing her potential presidency as a continuation of Biden’s.
Our Methodology
Demographics
All Voters
Sample Size
28,000
Geographical Breakdown
National
Time Period
7 Days
MIG Reports leverages EyesOver technology, employing Advanced AI for precise analysis. This ensures unparalleled precision, setting a new standard. Find out more about the unique data pull for this article.
MIG Reports data shows American perceptions of Vice President Kamala Harris’s economy as like Joe Biden’s, especially on inflation. Public sentiment about Harris as a potential president is negative based on her association with the Inflation Reduction Act and the broader economic conditions under the Biden administration.
Inflation Reduction Act Revisionism
Kamala Harris was the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to help pass the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. President Joe Biden, along with numerous economists, have since made it clear the Act didn’t address Inflation. More accurately, it was a government spending bill.
Several mainstream media articles even address this, including AP News. When people discuss Kamala Harris and inflation, they criticize the Inflation Reduction Act, decry record high prices and the cost of prescription drugs.
Public discourse frequently highlights Harris's efforts to build up the middle class. However, many attribute the 20.1%+ overall price hike and record high gas prices to her tenure as vice president. There is prevalent criticism that Harris has overseen the decimation of the American Dream.
Despite historical negativity and criticism for her economic record, Harris has enjoyed a sentiment boost in the last couple of days, likely due to coordinated fawning and revisionism by the media to rehabilitate her policy record.
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False Support or Dismissal?
Conversations that increase Harris's sentiment often center on touted accomplishments alongside Biden like the Inflation Reduction Act. Despite evidence to the contrary, many supporters still praise them for decreasing costs for families, lowering prescription drug prices, and making historic investments in clean energy jobs and manufacturing.
Harris advocates say these measures demonstrate her efficacy in legislative processes and her capability in executive functions. They say this increases their confidence in her potential presidency. However, these discussions seem based on tribal loyalism as opposed to direct discussion of the Act.
Some on the right speculate that voter support is being astroturfed by biased media and Democratic leaders. They say establishment “machines,” which include the White House press team and mainstream media, are attempting to prop up Kamala Harris by lying about her track record.
Sentiment toward Harris decreases significantly when people consider the negative impacts of inflation directly. High prices, low savings rates, and a general sense of economic decline put many voters on edge. Criticism often revolves around the feeling that Harris, along with Biden, failed to adequately address or prevent these economic challenges, leading many to doubt her competency in managing the economy.
Critics closely associate Harris with unpopular aspects of Biden's administration, such as weak global leadership and failure to address critical domestic issues. Many voters believe Harris would be an extension of Biden’s flaws, citing her role as "Enabler in Chief" and highlighting her record during her time as District Attorney and Attorney General in California as indicative of her inadequacy in future leadership.
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Fluff Over Substance
Discussion trends show the public is simply not having the same discussions across the aisle or compared to media discourse. Supporters are vague in their endorsements, leaving room frame Harris’s role in passing progressive legislation as a positive, regardless of specifics. They focus broadly on her stance on issues like reproductive rights, voting rights, and clean energy investments, seeing her as a champion for significant and needed reforms.
Detractors, however, cite specific examples of Harris’s failures and hypocrisies. They emphasize economic difficulties caused by the Biden-Harris administration, the border crisis, and her general alignment with the Biden administration’s less popular policies.
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