My eighth grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Constantine, said something one day in class that defined my view of politics forever. It also started me on a lifelong interest in politics and Presidential history. This is not an exact quote, my memory of things 58 years old is spotty, but this is close enough:
"The effect on America of the policies of a President, typically run about two years behind their inception."
Meaning a law or policy enacted today, really will not be felt until the Fall of 2026. I was 13 then and his 1966 class was my political awakening. I have to admit though, that I followed my family's pattern of supporting Republicans for quite a while. Back then, to oversimplify, Democrats wanted to increase taxes and give 'less advantaged" Americans welfare, food stamps and low cost housing, all perks we perceived encouraged "them" to not work and to breed indiscriminately to increase the free stuff. Sad to say that much of my remaining family still feels that way.
Republicans however, were "champions" of reining this spending in and generally appeared to value traditional family more than Democrats. At 13, I had a very narrow world view that was skewed by our status in the world of Grosse Pointe Farms and the old "money" white folks we associated with.
All this began to change with the 1968 presidential election. War protests exposed me to a more diverse number of Americans as did being a "Counselor In Training" at a Summer camp that welcomed inner city kids to experience the outdoors. Had I been able to vote, I would have still voted for Nixon, due to his promise to end the Viet Nam war soon.
By 2001 I was totally discouraged by the Republicans, primarily due to the "hijacking" of it by "Evangelicals". Our founders inferred that America should be secular and this swing to the religious Right, bothered me. George Bush's actions after the attack on America, showed me how misplaced my Republican loyalties were, though as we were in a "war" I still voted for his second term to insure America showed strength and continuity.
But his policies brought us the "Great Recession" and an economy Barack Obama had to repair and he did just that. But it was not apparent until late 2010, too late to affect the mid-term elections. Still, he brought us low inflation, low unemployment, a strong stock market, job growth and generally a strong economy and global respect, until 2018, when the next President: trump's policies kicked in.
Which brings me to 2024. The first 18 months or so of the Biden Presidency did have us struggling with high inflation, perhaps groceries were the highest, or maybe just the most talked about. But inflation was high as well. So was unemployment. Remember that trump was the first President since Herbert Hoover to leave office with less jobs in America when he was fired, than when inaugurated. This continued, "surprisingly" until early in 2022 (isn't that close to the two years since Biden implemented his policies?). By the way, southern border crossings by illegals also decreased over the last two years.
My feelings, based on how Mr. Constantine's lesson has played out over these 58 years, is that the better times we now enjoy, will continue under a Kamala Harris presidency, particularly since she help shape what has occurred over the last four to bring about today. Adding to that, her promise to further limit illegal immigration by securing the southern Border, economic policies that stabilize the current low inflation and high employment, she is the choice for this time!
Putting aside my hatred of trump as a (barely) human and my disenchantment of the Republican party due to the religious takeover. Also, putting aside the morals of the two candidates: one convicted of 34 felonies and cheated on his wife with a porn star while his wife recovered from the birth of their (dubiously "theirs") child and the other candidate, the sitting Vice-President of the country, morally admirable and vowing to continue the current trends of less illegal immigration, low inflation, high employment and promises to heal the broken housing market, I personally cannot see that a choice exists!
However, remember that this opinion is based on just 58 years of political activism, so there is a chance some "millennial" or "XYZ Generation" child with a "smartass phone" and the "wisdom" it bestows on its owner, knows better! We will know in two years, or sooner if the Constitution is suspended.
I am 72 and should not give a shit, but I do, for some strange reason!
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