White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently faced a question about crucial swing state voters favoring Trump over Biden regarding the economy. KJP then pulled out several explanations for the state of the economy before detailing the Biden agenda on improving the financial situation of American consumers.
“Our new CBS News poll found that registered voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania believe they would be financially better off if Trump wins. How do you explain that?” a reporter asked KJP. “Gonna be careful because we’re talking about voter, registered voters, we’re talking about a candidate now have obviously the former president who’s now a candidate. I gotta be mindful of the Hatch Act, and so can’t, can’t speak to that specifically,” the press secretary began.
Jean-Pierre initially signaled to the American public that the Biden administration “understands” the economic predicament that many citizens face. She then gave a number of explanations for the economy, plagued by inflation and high interest rates. “But what I will say more broadly, is we understand what Americans have gone through, we understand that the pandemic was a heavy, heavy burden on Americans,” she said.
Notably, none of these answers addressed criticism toward the Biden administration for the role its policies might have played in the historically high price increases Americans have experienced during his time in the White House.
For example, many have pointed toward his fiscal spending stimulating an already hot economy, further fueling inflation. Additionally, many have blamed Biden’s hostility toward the domestic fossil fuel industry for exacerbating price increases in energy. KJP’s response seemingly ignored these concerns, where many voters already feel the Biden administration is refusing to take accountability for its role in the state of the economy.
“We understand that Putin’s aggression into Ukraine cause inflation to rise right pandemic cause inflation to rise, caused damages to the supply chain. And so that’s why the President took action. The American rescue plan obviously was incredibly important in turning the economy around dealing with the supply chains. And we also understand that prices are still too high. They’re still too high,” Jean-Pierre told the reporter.
In the face of economic pessimism from the general public, the Biden administration’s rhetoric has often shifted the blame to businesses and the wealthy. KJP suggested that the economy could be improved by fighting “junk fees,” lowering drug prices, and imposing higher taxes on the billionaires and corporations.
“So this is why you hear us talk about junk fees is why you hear us talk about lowering prescription drugs. It is important, making sure that big corporations and billionaires pay their fair share. And so we’re going to do more work. And we’re hoping that message gets through to the American people. That’s why you’ve seen the President New Hampshire, in Las Vegas, in Madison, Wisconsin. Laying down that message to directly to the American people,” she stated. Watch KJP’s full answer on the economy below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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