Biden’s State Of The Union Preview: We’re All Trying To Find The Guy Who Did This

President Biden Keeps Announcing Task Forces To Search High And Low For The Cause Of High Prices Frustrating Voters

“Biden’s approval ratings on the economy have been dragged down by voters’ concerns about the rising cost of living …” (“White House Turns To Health Care In Biden’s Latest Move Against ‘Corporate Greed,’” Politico, 3/04/2024)

“The White House is launching a multi-agency ‘strike force’ on Tuesday in an effort to curb unfair and illegal pricing across the economy, according to Lael Brainard, chair of the National Economic Council. Brainard will make the announcement at a meeting Tuesday of the White House competition council, a group stacked with Cabinet officials, and other agency heads. The move comes as President Joe Biden seeks new ways to show voters he’s cracking down on the so-called corporate greed that he has increasingly blamed for high prices.” (“White House Announces ‘Strike Force’ On Unfair And Illegal Prices Ahead Of State Of The Union,” Politico, 3/05/2024)

“The White House plans to announce a new federal task force focused on easing health care costs, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter. The move comes as President Joe Biden seeks new ways to show voters he’s cracking down on the so-called corporate greed that he has increasingly blamed for high prices — a message he is expected to highlight during his State of the Union address on Thursday…. Officials from the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services will be on the task force, focused on enforcement, the people familiar with the plans said. The task force is expected to be announced as soon as Tuesday.” (“White House Turns To Health Care In Biden’s Latest Move Against ‘Corporate Greed,’” Politico, 3/04/2024)

But Economists And Analysts Have Repeatedly Explained That It Was President Biden’s Economic Policies That Accelerated And Exacerbated The Worst Inflation In 40 Years

“Economists largely agree that the pandemic stimulus and other spending bills Mr. Biden signed over the past two years have added to inflation …” (“An Inflation-Driven Midterm Will Not Change Biden’s Economic Focus,” The New York Times, 11/10/2022)

“Many economists have suggested that President Joe Biden’s stimulus package in March 2021 intensified the inflation surge.” (The Associated Press, 7/12/2023)

STEVEN RATTNER, Former Obama Administration Counselor to the Treasury Secretary: “The original sin was the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, passed in March [2021]. The bill — almost completely unfunded — sought to counter the effects of the Covid pandemic by focusing on demand-side stimulus rather than on investment. That has contributed materially to today’s inflation levels.” (Steven Rattner, Op-Ed, “I Warned the Democrats About Inflation,” The New York Times, 11/16/2021)

Americans Know Whom To Blame For High Prices: Joe Biden

New York Times/Siena Poll: A plurality of respondents (43%) said they think Joe Biden’s policies have hurt them personally and 51% rate the nation’s economy as poor. (Times/Siena Poll, 3/02/2024)

• When voters were asked if they think the economy is better or worse than it was four years ago, 65% of respondents said worse. (Times/Siena Poll, 3/02/2024)

CBS News/YouGov Poll: 57% of Americans rate the economy as bad and 55% say that if Biden wins another term his policies “would make the prices you pay for things” go up. (CBS News Poll, 3/03/2024)

AP/NORC Poll: “[P]eople are less satisfied by Biden’s handling of … the economy (34%) … Nearly 6 in 10 (57%) Americans think the national economy is somewhat or much worse off than before Biden took office in 2021. Only 3 in 10 adults say it’s better under his leadership.” (The Associated Press, 3/04/2024)

Fox News Poll: 62% of voters disapprove of Joe Biden’s handling of the economy and “just a quarter of voters today feel Biden’s policies are helping them, as almost half say they are hurting (48%) …” (Fox News Poll, 3/03/2024)