Inflation is at its highest for 40 years in the United States: the price of a gallon of gasoline still costs around 3.80 dollars, it rose to more than 5 dollars before the summer. The price of meat, eggs, milk have increased by 15 to 30%. By all polls, as the midterm elections approach, Americans want more attention paid to their pocketbooks than to abortion rights, immigration, climate change or even crime.
President Joe Biden is now fully aware of this, according to Brian Dees, the director of the National Economic Council attached to the president. “We are currently making real progress in terms of the economyhe assures. We saw it grow 2.6% last quarter.”
“Gasoline prices are falling and the job market continues to be strong. But at the same time, prices are the main issue on the minds of American families. It’s the main issue for the president, too.”
Brien Dees, Director of the National Economic Councilat franceinfo
“So what the president is trying to point out, the choice that’s clear, is that these policies are all about lowering costs and lowering prices for American families.” explains Brian Dees.
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On the side of the candidates, the same reversal in the speech for a few weeks : abortion and crime have almost disappeared, replaced by inflation. Example with the Democratic candidate for governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, interviewed on CNN. “Reducing costs for Pennsylvania families, I looked into this several months ago and presented a concrete plan to reduce costs for Pennsylvanians. This problem may not be from Pennsylvania, analyze the candidate. But I think we need to address it here and I’m the only candidate to come up with a plan to get there. what they need [les Pennsylvaniens] right now, it’s more money in their pocket. If we want to stimulate economic growth here, we need to cut taxes and raise wages. That’s what I focus on.”
Seven in ten Republican voters see the economy as the top issue in the midterm elections. Against barely three out of ten Democrats.
United States: the issue of inflation at the center of the campaign for the midterms – Report by Sébastien Paour
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