By now, every pundit in America has their own2024 electiontake, mostly confirming their prior opinions.
But the data tells a specific story, not a choose-your-own-adventure.
And that is that swing voters voted mostly out ofeconomic insecurity and discontent.
President-elect Donald Trump walks out onstage during an election night watch party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 6, 2024.Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images
But Harris was the incumbent, and incumbents dont win elections when people think theeconomyis bad.
This is not just an American phenomenon.
As theFinancial Timesreported, inevery developed country in the world, the incumbents lost this year.
As people venture to critique Bidens economic agenda, they should keep this graphic in mind.
Incumbents everywhere suffered because of a global inflation surge.
But they didnt vote for MAGA.
Not directly, anyway.
They voted against the incumbent party, likeevery other developed country in the worldthis year.
Everywhere in the world, voters have chosen to throw the bastards out because of the economy.
But even then, that candidate would have to buck a global trend.
I doubt anyone could do that.
Shit is about to get very real, very soon.
And, quick history lesson, the Nazi party was voted into power in 1932 largely because ofeconomic discontent.
Once in power, parties do what they want to do, not what voters actually voted for.
Thats true even in economic policy specifically.
So I dont want to sugarcoat anything.
Ultimately, there is likely to be a backlash.
But sooner or later, families will be torn apart.
Longtime members of local communities will be arrested and disappeared.
And inevitably, there will be scenes of cruelty.
Second, America will also find out that Trumps economic policies are a bunch of snake oil.
Tariffs will increase inflation, not decrease it.
Opposing a livable minimum wage and breaking unions will hurt workers, not help them.
Trump will fix it was one of the candidates most appealing slogans.
On the contrary, he will make things worse.
One example: the price of eggs again.
Why are eggs so expensive right now?
Not because of Bidens failed economic policies but because ofthe bird fluandcorporate profiteering.
This will make the next outbreak more deadly and more expensive.
Im not suggesting that average voters will follow the news this closely, but they will notice the effects.
But the economic voters that gave him his victory could abandon Trump if he cant deliver results.
And he cannot.
Maybe, just maybe, voters will see theyve been conned.
That is the best we can hope for.
