At the first and possibly last debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, hosted by ABC on Sept. 10, moderators started with a question for Harris that was short and to the point:
When it comes to the economy, do you believe Americans are better off than they were four years ago?
Here is how Harris pivoted and did not answer the question from moderator David Muir:
“So, I was raised as a middle-class kid. And I am actually the only person on this stage who has a plan that is about lifting up the middle class and working people of America. I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people. And that is why I imagine and have actually a plan to build what I call an opportunity economy. Because here’s the thing. We know that we have a shortage of homes and housing, and the cost of housing is too expensive for far too many people. We know that young families need support to raise their children. And I intend on extending a tax cut for those families of $6,000, which is the largest child tax credit that we have given in a long time. So that those young families can afford to buy a crib, buy a car seat, buy clothes for their children. My passion, one of them, is small businesses. I was actually — my mother raised my sister and me but there was a woman who helped raise us. We call her our second mother. She was a small business owner. I love our small businesses. My plan is to give a $50,000 tax deduction to start-up small businesses, knowing they are part of the backbone of America’s economy. My opponent, on the other hand, his plan is to do what he has done before, which is to provide a tax cut for billionaires and big corporations, which will result in $5 trillion to America’s deficit. My opponent has a plan that I call the Trump sales tax, which would be a 20% tax on everyday goods that you rely on to get through the month. Economists have said that Trump’s sales tax would actually result for middle-class families in about $4,000 more a year because of his policies and his ideas about what should be the backs of middle-class people paying for tax cuts for billionaires.”
The facts:
Do you think most Americans are better off now than four years ago? Add your comments below.
Groceries have been the biggest hit for us. I feel bad for large families and wonder how they eat healthy. I grew up poor, not much food ever……I learned to be frugal and stretch a meal like my mom did.
We are a family of ten. $1600 month on groceries in Anchorage, AK, and we don’t buy hardly any convenience foods. We do eat healthy, but only buy foods that are on sale -and “sale” prices are often higher than Trump era baseline prices.
Of course not. I am down to one meal per day. Just surviving has become a luxury. And there are too many people in the same situation. Anyone voting Democrat has lost his mind. Vote Begich and Trump. Our survival depends on it!
If she’d said yes, a bolt of lightning would have struck her.
Of course I am. No more supply chain issues, we’re out of the pandemic, no more refrigerated trailers loaded up with dead COVID victims, our economy recovered faster than any other western industrialized nation, people are employed, our bond with our allies are stronger, etc… I have no interest in going back to that demented old liar bringing chaos and hate.
The ‘chart’ has no citation nor contextual information so there’s not much to look at. However, I am much better off now than I was during the trumph administration because I wasn’t dealing with the pall of media coverage of the minutiae rattling HIS brain and fighting off the ripple effects of his anti American stupidity. My husband and I paid off our home 20 years ago, and when the business where I worked during trumph was sold to a State monopoly, I took the retirement severance pay and bought a Prius, and since we’re nearly retired we’ve all the time in the world to catch up on projects, landscaping, victory gardening. Not sitting on the catbird seat, but I have been able to do gig work to keep the bills paid. Since hubby was diagnosed pre-diabetic 7 years ago, he is more involved with outdoor activities, and food bills have been reduced signicantly — focusing mostly on fresh fruit, frozen veggies, chicken eggs, lean meats, and fish. We’re homebodies, volunteer in our town at a nearby food kitchen, but our friends go on trips as much as they want. I purchase prescription medications through the grocery store pharmacy discount plan and on Wal-Mart $4 list. So, yes, we’re much better off in these past three years than under the continual ruckus of trumph and his criminal cronies. We’ll be even better when he’s in the rear view mirror.
You are so FOS.. lol you say in one sentence you are better off now than you were under DJT. But in another you talk about working side gigs to keep the bills paid. Keep telling yourself you are better off now than you were under DJT.
You have no idea of what you’re talking about JW. I lost my job under trumph because of the State monopoly of healthcare workplace choices. I am of retiring age, and choose not to work full time. Because I can. When I graduated Chugiak High, I attended UAA/ACC which prepared me for my professional schooling and I’ve worked in my career field for more than 40 years. So, I work gigs, which if you don’t understand what a gig is, it’s a job in which you’re paid for your time without much else. Because many of my gigs are with the same company, my 401K still increases. I don’t eat out, and I use a car which is of minimal expense in the 45-90 minute commutes to the various places I work. I am better, much better off, now because I do not have to anticipate the incipient dread of trumph and whatever arbitrary devilment he can cook up. I contribute to my family and community, and allow karma to do its thing.
lol sure you are. Keep blaming trump for losing your job even though you admit it was the state of Alaska monopoly healthcare workplace choices. Your TDS is off the charts oh and DJT last name is spell Trump.
Some of us weren’t lucky enough to get our mortgage paid off before retirement and when you’re disabled, you can’t garden too well. Your comments seem sort of “bragging”–I hope you didn’t mean to sound that way. For us, we are definitely NOT better off the last four years and there are obviously many in the same boat. Any chaos during Trump’s presidency was caused by the Covid fiasco or the Dems fighting him tooth and nail on every issue. I don’t like DJT very well personally but I appreciate the feeling of peace I had with a leader who kept us out of war. For those who cannot see the corrupt media and their agenda to destroy our Republic, my sympathies go out to you for being so blinded.
The comments were based on answers to the question of whether I’m better off under the current administration than the previous one. To me, it’s obvious, when a person is living under the fear of reckless leadership, early anarchy, with threats to do away with individual rights under the US Constitution and dismantling the fundamental document, then, there’s a feeling of ‘everyone for themself’ which is very unsettling especially when havoc has been wreaked in public trust in those with expertise in certain areas (such as in public health, public education, infrastructure, planning for the future, environmental stewardship), and demonstration that the military might easily sign on as mercenaries if a coup ensues. Elements of the media may be corrupt, which is why there are so many news outlets, but it often wags the dog, following the stories people tell and usually not inventing them for propaganda’s sake. Which is why, I think, Suzanne still allows me to comment.
My my my, you are one of the IGM people. Should you descend from your IGM perch, you would notice that the world below had significantly deteriorated for most Americans since Trump left office. But you, of course, cannot see this because your IGM glasses have blinders as well. You are both sad and pathetic living in your little IGM world. Shame on you.
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*IGM = I Got Mine…
I think she is just a prevaricator extraordinaire. Biden/Harris cost me over a half mil and now I can’t retire. I have two jobs and my wife and I are both drawing Social Security – and we’re just paying our bills, little margin. Anyone trying to claim they are now better off than during the Trump years is either delusional, on powerful drugs, or both – or merely a cynical troll who loves to bait us. In any case, full of lies.
My oh my. I do not care to bore you with the pathetic details, but when you’re handed proverbial lemons to make lemonade, it behooves you to figure out what you do have that you can make the best of. It took ten years to complete college counting all the semesters I took off to work full-time at several minimal pay jobs, while my husband attended school, and cared for our child. Someone said that they didn’t have to worry about being laid off during trumph … well, the corporation in which I was working was sold off to the local monopoly, and I did have to file for unemployment insurance, until I picked up gig work and have been doing so for the past three years. For the person who’s not paid off the mortgage, there were years when it was of major concern along with other costs, and there are still the concerns of what we do not have compared to others.
There was a time when we traded an old junk vehicle for another one every six months, and so on and so on. My spouse is more than a decade older than I and is not a citizen and will never have Social Security, etc. But, for the Grace of God, for the last three years, I am so freakin’ grateful I’ve not had to deal with whatever new criminal activity of trumph and his cronies were going to impact my life, or turmoil, nor further insult to decency, threatening to shut off the ACA at every whipstitch, closing off international partnerships, reliance on NATO, cozying up to putinsky, and pulling out the anti-immigrant card every time a person turns around. At least the ruckus is not at the presidential level.
I don’t really see how anyone cannot believe what I’m saying. And, I don’t see why I should complain about President Biden, nor why I should be concerned with thinking I am a person with IGM syndrome. I do my part, and am not stingy with what I have. When I have time, I volunteer at school to help kids learn to read, and fix supper at the homeless shelter. The question was if I am better off now than I was during the trumph term. I am, and you are, too. Apparently you don’t know it, yet.
Husband not a US citizen why hasn’t he applied for citizenship? Now we get to the root of the problem you are worried DJT will do mass deportation on non US citizens once he’s re-elected.
I’m sure Harris is better off than she was four years ago too.
But for those of us who actually have to work and raise families right now, the Trump years were better.
You’d think they’d have taught spelling and capitalization when the Boomers were schoolgirls…
Wow you really like suffering don’t you! No dear, under Trump at least the working man could work, and not be laid off! You are a typical liberal! Enjoy living like a poor person!
Daisy, are you voting in November?
I am voting to save my country.
Both have views that are for the elites and the poor taxpayer gets the shaft.
We have lost many freedoms and now the common citizen is under attack by the threat of jail for trying to support our freedom.
What freedoms have you lost? Be specific.
I cannot speak for Mark, but I personally have lost:
Freedom of expression. Posts on social media are deleted because of pressure from this Administration, not because they were illegal.
Freedom of movement. Not because borders are closed, but because this administration has skyrocketed the cost of fuel.
Freedom to eat what I want. Costs again. Thanks to this adminstration.
Freedom to know if my vote actually counts.
Freedom to assembly and protest. (See how they are pursuing anyone in DC on Jan 6th.)
Freedom in my papers and person items. (A weaponized FBI and DOJ is a loss of freedom for all)
Freedom to express an opinion. (Try supporting Israel under this administration. They will do nothing to stop the pro hamass people from destroying you.)
Freedom to choose what motor vehicle I want, or what stove I want.
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Do not go there. The leftists may talk a good game about freedoms, but every action they take will restrict and eliminate personal freedom.
You crack me up. Here you are on this for expressing your opinion which you do quite often. So freedom of expression is still alive and well. Social media companies are private entities and they can decide to delete or keep whatever content they want. It isntthe government doing it. You can still eat whatever you want. Nobody is stopping you. The people that were involved in the riot on January 6 were not peacefully assembling. They were criminals, trying to break into the capital and stop the certification of a free and fair election, which you also seem to deny. No l, none of your freedoms are in danger. You’re just a spoiled rotten American who thinks you’re being oppressed. You don’t even realize how good you have it. How good we all have it in this country.
“Social media companies are private entities and they can decide to delete or keep whatever content they want.”
Correct. That is not the problem. The problem is when the White House exerts pressure on those companies. Get it? No, I doubt you do.
” You can still eat whatever you want. Nobody is stopping you.”
My wallet is stopping me. Thanks bidenomics.
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Did I say the people inside the Capital? No, I did not. I said anyone in DC. Are you not aware the DOJ is using facial recognition tech to identify everyone on the National Mall for potential prosecution? They are.
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I notice you gloss over the bulk of what I wrote. I guess the gas stove thing is reality. And the blind eye turned to pro-hamass violence. Selectively disagreeing with one or two things does not negate my point.
American voters are finally beginning to wise up to the glaringly obvious: Donald is a destabilizing mess who’s been banned from running his own business for fraud, caused two recessions, lost 3M jobs, and who wants economy-destroying deportations and tariffs. The Boar’s Head plant at the center of a deadly listeria outbreak in the U.S. is shutting down. Certain meat and poultry produced at the plant in Virginia has been linked to nine deaths and 57 hospitalizations. Remember when Trump slashed those regulators in 2019? This is what happens.
Child, adults are talking…
Agreed, but only a few are making sense. #Talking Heads.
…lost 3M jobs?
Because he made the mistake of trusting Fauci. Had Trump listened to his own internal counsel, those people would have remained employed.
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Do not bring up Boars Head. That is bogus, the regulations covering cleanliness at food plants were not slashed. The government inspectors working for Briben failed.
Actually, do bring up Boars Head.
Tell us all what regulation Trump removed. Citation. Here, I will start it for you “9 CFR…” you fill in the rest, chapter, subchapter, etc…
Thanks for helping.
No, not better off. Besides the inflation comparison chart above, please add, Ukraine, Middle East bloodshed. Iran on the nuclear threshold, you know, the Iran that chants Death to America and declares that it will wipe Israel off the map. Millions and millions and millions of destitute people crashing across our border. Does 10,15, 20+ million people affect the housing market. The hotel number above shows the open book answer.
Yes on 2, No more vote by mail. Photo ID at the polls.
Well said Joel!
Right on Masked avenger
Kamala’s “plan” is actually Hillary Obama’s plan of “the “change” He promised us in 2008 with his puppet strings already attached.
Obama had a “come to Jesus” talk with his puppet Obiden just prior to him forced into giving up his seat in the race to Obama’s other puppet Kamala.
A global economy where everything is manufactured using inexpensive child and slave labor shipped to America on supersized cargo container ships on a freeway from China.
Remember all of the simple items unavailable during the plandemic all bought and paid for by taxpayer dollars and the mad scientist Dr Fauci who testified his “valuable” gain of function research with his friends at Wuhan was worth more than the risk of a leak.
Joe Biden used to brag that He spent more time in China than at home while VP under the Obama Regime.
A vote for Kamala is just another vote for the weakening of America and another surge of communist
China.
All it takes is another plandemic to finish his plan. The research never stopped with the leak.(It was just a live test)
Dont forget Putin’s generous embarrassing endorsement of Kamala.
4 years ago we were using freezer trucks as morgues and wiping our bottoms with coffee filters…Anybody who thinks we were better off then is certifiable!
Trump didn’t hire Fauci, or arrange for the CCP to foist a deadly virus on us.
You forgot how the Biden-Harris administration forcing federal workers to get Covid vaccination. You forgot Biden-Harris administration forcing businesses with 100 or more employees. They all had to get Covid vaccination.
And, exactly how is any of that Trump’s fault?
Let’s see… the hoarding of TP happened because of…. Australia. Yep. Most of Australia’s TP comes from China, and the stuff that does not is awful. So, when imports from China were threatened, the Aussies panic bought, and that spread exponentially around the world. (And, last time I checked, Trump has no control over the markets.)
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As to the freezer trucks. Absolute propaganda. There was plenty of space in the morgues. Same with the people laying in the hallways. If the hospitals were so overflowing, why where the nurses dancing on TikTok? And why were the US Navy hospital ships empty. As well as the field hospital in Brooklyn? Not a single patient admitted, but for some reason the hospitals were overflowing? That is propaganda, and you bought into it.
My 401K, Roth IRA and Brokerage accounts all say yes, we are better off than 4 years ago. Great question!
What about your real money..? The day to day money? I’m pretty well c
And, my 401K and brokerage accounts were much better off in 2020 than they were in 2016.
Your point?
Confirmed. The S&P 500, a rather broad index for the entire stock market, went from 2,271 in Jan 2017 to 3,841 in Jan 2021. A rise of 1570 points, or a 69% rise. Not too bad, and frankly, the S&P 500 gains under bidenomics are not much better.
I delay consumption, saved for the future. I buy after research, not on impulse. vehicles are the worst purchase you can make, ask the 8% behind on payments. approaching 2009 levels
people say I’m too frugal, “you don’t understand”. paid off my house in 2008, drive and old truck and car.
didn’t listen to bro in law, incredibly smart surgeon. bought those apple shares in 1998 at $18. split and reinvested dividends means 86K worth of shares now. not my only holding, so yes. better off
yes. “I’m better off than before”, way better. be smart, filter out the noise. came to AK with $6,000
I wonder if life is better for all those folks sleeping in their cars and living in Kamalavilles? Record number of homeless folks I hear, can’t afford the crazy high rent and utilities it seems. I wonder if life is better for all those addicted to fentanyl, number one killer of young adults these days and breaking records the past few years. I wonder if life is better for all those young girls and women raped and murdered by illegal aliens, seems to be happening on a daily basis the past few years. I’m glad there are some folks doing ok though and that’s all that seems to matter to them.
And of course none of that was happening when orange Jesus was in office, right? You’re delusional.
Heck yeah! Four years ago we had a felonious bully for a President. Now we have an ethical man who has spent his life working in the public interest. That alone is enough to say I’m better off.
Oh, my investments are up 50% too thanks to Bidenomics, and the inflation that started during the Trump years has finally come under control.
lol Joe Biden an ethical man in office your problem know one tells you, you are fos enough. You suffer TDS you also probably think rcv is great and Mary Peltola is doing great things in Congress. You are delusional lol.
Ethical man, working in the public interest.
Tell me. What are his accomplishments in the public interest, and how has the public benefitted? Name a couple of pieces of signature legislation that Biden championed? And, describe how the public is better off because of them.
My 401K, Roth IRA and Brokerage accounts all say no, I am not better off than 4 years ago. Thanks for asking!
You must be a horrible investor then since the market is up more than 30% over the last 4 years.
Perhaps, but prudent investors, especially if 65+, don’t keep 100% in equities. Remember “your age in bonds”?
Markets went up over 60% from 2017-2021.
Not “just” higher cost of living, but safety and security at home with the southern border blown open.
Add to that the international strife not experienced when Trump was POTUS.
Right now, our adversaries don’t fear us, and our allies don’t respect us.
MAGA2024
The answer is YES! Think back to 2020 “ Three out of every 1,000 Americans alive in 2020 died of covid-19.” I was a teacher barely getting by, now my IRA is doing great and I can retire. I was living in a country run by a megalomaniac who, if elected in 2024, will become the first dictator in US history. He is nothing more than a self serving, greedy little man, who by the way, is clearly suffering from age related mental problems.
TDS is strong with you. You were part of the problem kept kids out of schools for over a year because of “Covid” you all have created mental health crisis in this country for shutting down schools. You didn’t care about the kids. You collected your check and got to teach school from home with a smile on your face. School teachers hate this fact being brought up you all want this to disappear.
Trump is responsible for the pandemic? How?
Oh… and I remember in 2020, when Biden tweeted out that Trump did not have a plan to stop the pandemic, but he did. But, instead of sharing that plan, and saving lives, he kept it to himself and let people die.
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As to the dictator, why didn’t Trump go that route when he was in office? Oh… I know, because his statement about that is taken out of context and distorted beyond belief. Even the leftist Democrat loving Snopes says that is BS.
The audacity of Harris to suggest she’d make things better, esp. with home prices. She and Biden have been at war with home owners. They have doubled mortgage interest rates. They have allowed in over 10 million illegals and that has caused massive demand for housing- driving rents up substantially. They have imposed tarriffs on lumber and steel making it more expensive to build a home. The massive inflation increases have made other building materials much more expesnive- copper wire and ABS fittings are insanely expensive- and these are key building materials. Stupid, lying b.
G. D. lying Democrats.
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