Is the Biden administration responsible for the loss of Spirit?

Here’s Mayor Pete announcing the Biden administration’s decision to fight the Jet Blue and Spirit merger so they could protect consumers and ensure low fares. Now the airline doesn’t exist and passengers are stranded across the country. pic.twitter.com/u7TXdwG9vj

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 2, 2026

"On this question of how you unrig the economy... Democratic economic policy during the Biden administration, I would argue, was very heavily reliant on subsidy."

"The child care tax credit, the increased Obamacare subsidies, the forgiveness of student loans, essentially a whole bunch of efforts to write families a check in order to paper over the unfairness of the economy: I don’t think that’s actually what voters want. Those are good economic policies, but they feel kind of dirty, kind of lousy to have to be compensated for the fact that work doesn’t pay, that my inputs don’t match my outputs. Which is why that has to be the structure of our efforts to unrig the economy: making work pay. That means a much higher minimum wage. That means much more empowered labor unions. That means the deconstruction of corporate power, so that if you do start up a small bookstore in your community, you don’t get squashed out of existence in the first week. A suite and a set of policies that say to families: If you play by the rules, you are going to have a much better shot of getting ahead than you did under the old rules...."

Says Chris Murphy, in "Can Democrats Win the Working Class and Save the Republic?/Senator Chris Murphy on the Democrats’ 'five alarm' crisis" (NYT podscast, but my link goes to Podscribe, with audio + transcript).

The figurative use of the word "lousy" — literally, full of lice — has been around nearly as long as the literal use. Both go back to the 14th century. The OED records one writer complaining about the word in 1849: "I wish I could never hear the word lousy again. I am willing to bet that Tommy Plunkett uses it fifty times a day, but he is no worse than the others. It is ‘lousy’ this and ‘lousy’ that. The rain is lousy, the trail is lousy, the bacon is lousy, and Gus Thorpe, losing in the card game, has just said that he has had a lousy deal."

Anyway, maybe you can sift through that Murphy stuff and find his "suite" and "set of policies" that Democrats could credibly offer the working class. Trump figured out a way to do it. Do it back. I'd like to see them try. Credibly.

"Aside from joking about his wealth, Mr. Biden has openly stewed over one of Mr. Trump’s flashier — and apparently effective — stunts as president."

"During [a recent] speech at Brookings, Mr. Biden said he had been 'stupid' not to sign his name to Covid stimulus checks that were distributed to Americans early in his term. Mr. Trump emblazoned his signature on checks distributed after a relief bill was passed in the spring of 2020.... Mr. Biden has also not voiced much public regret for deciding to call his economic plan 'Bidenomics,' though he has privately groused to allies about his dislike of the name. And while his administration has acknowledged mistakes during the chaotic and deadly troop pullout in Afghanistan in 2021, Mr. Biden does not regret pushing forward with the withdrawal."

From an article by Katie Rogers that, I think, is trying to be kind to Biden: "A Reflective Biden Harbors Some Regrets as His Term Winds Down/President Biden will seek solace and 'relief' during a visit with Pope Francis next month, according to people familiar with his plans. His public comments have offered a glimpse into what is on his mind" (NYT)

"Job creation stalled in October, with employers adding only 12,000 positions in a month that included a major strike and two destructive hurricanes."

"Unemployment remained steady at 4.1 percent. The number was significantly lower than economists had expected, suggesting either that disruptions took a larger toll than they had forecast, or that the underlying pace of job growth might be slowing.... August and September were revised lower, taking a total of 112,000 jobs off earlier estimates. The average job growth over the past three months is now 104,000, down from 189,000 over the six months before that."

The New York Times reports.

"The U.S. economy added far fewer jobs in 2023 and early 2024 than previously reported, a sign that cracks in the labor market are more severe — and began forming earlier — than initially believed."

"On Wednesday, the Labor Department said that monthly payroll figures overstated job growth by roughly 818,000 in the 12 months that ended in March. That suggests employers added about 174,000 jobs per month during that period, down from the previously reported pace of about 242,000 jobs — a downward revision of about 28 percent."

The NYT reports.

"Among many Americans, [Biden] is blamed for wars started by other countries that national security veterans nonetheless credit him with navigating maturely..."

"... despite their own criticisms. He has not found a message on the economy that resonates more than the price of milk and eggs. Neither his persona nor his vision travel on today’s hyperactive, hypersonic, hyper-sensational social media the way that former President Donald J. Trump’s do. TikTok voters are not checking Mr. Biden’s legislative scorecard. 'It doesn’t mean a lot now because we’re in such a performative age,” said former Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia.... 'He’s just not equipped in this era we’re in of social media and constant scrutiny. The tools and attributes and talents that he may have had just don’t quite fit or lend themselves to the era we’re in.'"

From "Joe Biden: The Old-School Politician in a New-School Era/After more than half a century in Washington, President Biden has learned to make deals and work across the aisle. But that instinct is rarely rewarded in today’s political climate" (by Peter Baker in the NYT).

Remember Eric Cantor?

"The official website of the Biden for President campaign is a complete mystery. It’s basically a half-hearted request for money with a promise to 'Finish the Job.'"

"Finish the job?? Does this make much sense when voters think the job you’ve been doing is so bad?... Of course, 'Bidenomics,' which famously crashed and burned as a campaign theme, was no better and probably worse. But what is 'finish the job' but Bidenomics without the name or mentioning Biden at all?"

Writes Ruy Teixeira, in "Democrats Should Swap Out 'Bidenomics' for an Abundance Agenda
'Finish the Job' ain’t gonna cut it."

Okay, so "Bidenomics"... "Finish the job"... how about "I'm not done yet" or "Can I get a time extension"?

Teixeira suggests: an “abundance agenda.” 

"Something is wrecking Joe Biden, but it isn’t the economy—at least the economy that economists know how to measure—and it isn’t inflation...."

Writes Zacahry D. Carter, in "Inflation Is Not Destroying Joe Biden/But something is!"

"Grocery prices have jumped by 25 percent over the past four years, outpacing overall inflation of 19 percent during the same period...."

WaPo reports... with predictable efforts to support Biden. 

Americans are finally getting a break from inflation, with prices for gasoline, used cars and health insurance all falling over the past year, relieving families and buoying President Biden’s 2024 reelection bid....

Stubbornly high grocery prices represent a critical drain on the finances of tens of millions of people and remain, along with housing, perhaps the most persistent economic challenge for the Biden administration as it tries to convince Americans the economy is back on solid footing....

"Only 23% of voters say Biden's policies have helped them personally, while 53% say they have been hurt by the president's agenda."

"By contrast, about half of voters say Trump's policies when he was president helped them personally, more than the 37% who say they were hurt.... 'Bidenomics,' the president's signature economic platform, is viewed favorably by less than 30% of voters and unfavorably by more than half.... ...Biden is holding only 87% of voters who told Journal pollsters that they had supported Biden against Trump in 2020, while Trump is holding 94% who recall backing him. The 'disaffected Democrats' are part of a far broader group holding a gloomy view of the economy.... Voters say Trump is the better bet than Biden to secure the border (by 30 percentage points), tame inflation (by 21 points) and build the economy (by 17 points). Biden leads on who can best deal with abortion policy, and voters say that he more than Trump respects democracy...."

I'm reading "Biden's Approval Hits a Low As Trump Leads in WSJ Poll" (WSJ).

The poll shows Trump ahead of Biden — 47% to 43% — and, with an added choice of third party/independent candidates, Trump ahead 37% to 31%.

"Biden was initially ambivalent about the term, then embraced it — but 'Bidenomics' has recently disappeared from his prepared speeches...."

Explains Axios, in "House Democrats ditch 'Bidenomics' messaging."

• The term was seen as tone-deaf to voters still struggling economically and also invoked a president with lackluster polling numbers. 

• One Democratic strategist said the biggest problem wasn't using "Biden," but that the term was too philosophical and required too much explanation.

Trump's op-ed in Newsweek: "I Will Make America Great Again for Young People."

Link. Excerpt:

Under Joe Biden, we are a nation in decline and rapidly losing the American Dream. But Biden's destruction of the American economy is just the beginning of his war on young people. The Radical Left has also unleashed shocking waves of violent crime and bloodshed...

"Even though he had ordered a novelty item, Olive’s video about a $16 McDonald’s order went viral, racking up hundreds of thousands of views."

"After a McDonald’s revenue report recently, the same post went viral again earlier this month, with at least a half-dozen news outlets — including the Washington Examiner, the New York Post and Newsmax— picking up the story of Olive’s pricey patty. One YouTube video from this month with 2 million views inaccurately describes it as 'a Big Mac meal' that cost $16. Posts on Reddit, the conservative site Twitchy and elsewhere tied the cost to President Biden’s economic management: Inflation, the theory went, had gotten so out of control that the price of a fast-food burger was approaching $20. These stories soon reached the White House Office of Digital Strategy, which tracked the meme as one of many exaggerated examples of the nation’s economic woes, according to a White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to reflect internal discussions. In reality, inflation has been steadily subsiding.... The average Big Mac nationally as of this summer cost $5.58, up from $4.89... before Biden took office.... That’s up more than 10 percent, but it’s not $16...."

From "The viral $16 McDonald’s meal that may explain voter anger at Biden/As some Democrats fear social media is exaggerating economic problems, the White House faces a crucial choice on election strategy" (WaPo).

The argument for censorship oozes between the lines: "TikTok abounds with misleading or inaccurate information about the economy.... [Some] economists fear that these exaggerated stories will ultimately lead to a worse outcome — perhaps helping Trump win reelection...."

Here's the TikTok video in question, about "a smoky double quarter pounder BLT." I guess a "double quarter pounder" is a half pound, but "quarter pounder" is sort of a McDonald's brand, so they had to say "double quarter pounder" and impose this math problem on us.

Seems like too much meat, but maybe for a large person, seeking a full dinner, a half pound is the right amount. In a steak, it would be 8 ounces, and regarded as small. Let's just say it was a large burger the size of a small burger.

MEANWHILE:

Celebrating 1237! #Trump2016

A post shared by Donald J. Trump (@realdonaldtrump) on May 26, 2016 at 2:29pm PDT

"I don’t know why people stick up for [Biden] so much... – when he makes bad decisions, like you.... I don’t know why..."

"... you and other people say, 'Oh, it’s okay that he’s destroyed the strategic petroleum reserves.' I mean, why do you do that? Or, 'It’s okay that he has open borders.'... I don’t know why. And I think that’s why the media has lost so much credibility."

Said Donald Trump to Kristen Welker in the unedited version of the "Meet the Press" interview.

Here's the transcript. Here's the video. And scroll down for the full text of the video, in which you can see how Welker — who is getting criticized for not inserting more fact-checking in real time — broke in to do what Trump called "sticking up for Biden." 

Screen Grab of the Morning.

"Now and through November 2024, Republicans will be able to say that Biden has 'admitted' he allowed too much spending, which of course they blame for every conceivable economic ill."

"And if inflation subsides and a recession does not appear, Republicans will take credit for that via the debt-limit deal they 'forced' Biden and the shadowy Marxists who control him to accept. It’s fine red meat for the perpetually angry and conflict-savoring MAGA base."

 
Writes Ed Kilgore in "Kevin McCarthy May Have Already Won the Debt-Limit Fight" (NY Magazine).

"The Inflation Reduction Act... will help accelerate the growing private ownership of U.S. infrastructure...."

"The consequences for the public at large, whose well-being depends on the quality and cost of a host of infrastructure-based services, from energy to transportation, are unlikely to be positive.... Biden’s laws will radically overhaul this culture. Informed by what Brian Alexander, a writer for The Atlantic, in 2017 described as a profound recent change in philosophy among U.S. policymakers about 'how to build and maintain America’s stuff,' the modus operandi of... is principally to subsidize and catalyze private-sector infrastructure investment.... [I]n political-economic terms Mr. Biden, far from assuming Roosevelt’s mantle, has actually been dismantling the Rooseveltian legacy. The ultimate upshot will be a wholesale transformation of the national landscape of infrastructure ownership and associated service delivery...."

Writes Brett Christophers, in "The Unfortunate, Unintended Consequence of the Inflation Reduction Act" (NYT).

Fawning over Biden, the Washington Post inspires me to create a Mixed Metaphor award.

Count the mixed metaphors in this one sentence and that will set the mark for all future competitors:

Biden’s twin-barreled economic offensive faces numerous hurdles but has sparked billions of dollars of private-sector investment and changed entrenched corporate practices.

The sentence appears in "Biden scraps reliance on market for faith in broader government role/The administration is pushing businesses to change with a carrot — and a stick."

Had you even realized that Biden had been relying "on market" and avoiding "broader government role"? That's just silly, and it's why I wrote "Fawning over Biden," but I'm interested in counting the metaphors in that one sentence.

Do you see the 6 that I see? Any others?

By the way "a carrot — and a stick" is also a metaphor, but I think the headline writer intended to refer to "carrot or stick," because "carrot and stick" is this:

"Inside the West Wing, a small group of presidential advisers has been working to develop a plan for how Mr. Biden and the White House will respond to what they expect will be..."

"... a constant stream of invective from the former president now that he is formally a candidate. Mr. Trump started the attacks almost immediately... as he complained about 'Biden and the radical-left lunatics running our government right into the ground.' Mr. Biden will continue to underscore his belief that Mr. Trump is a threat to democracy, advisers say. But his political handlers are determined to show that Mr. Trump’s four years did not yield actual accomplishments for the American people. On Tuesday... Mr. Biden’s political Twitter account posted a video... titled 'The difference between talking and delivering,' showed Mr. Biden signing his $1 trillion infrastructure measure into law, juxtaposed with a compilation of clips of the former president using the word 'infrastructure.'"

From "Trump Is Running in 2024. The White House Has a Plan. The president’s advisers have been working on a strategy for how the White House will respond to what they expect will be a constant stream of attacks from former President Donald J. Trump" (NYT).

Don't show him signing checks. Show the actual infrastructure. I'd like to see these glorious constructions. They must be everywhere. The heart will soar!

If you just show him signing trillion-dollar checks, people will think of inflation.

I've seen some mockery of the 25-year-old NYT op-ed writer who referred to the "bad vibes" economy.

On August 4th, the NYT published "The Vibes in the Economy Are … Weird. Really Weird" by Kyla Scanlon, who opined:

There is no recession yet. Right now we are in a “vibe-cession” of sorts — a period of declining expectations that people are feeling based on both real-world worries and past experiences. Things are off. And if they don’t improve, we will have to worry about more than bad vibes.

Instapundit quoted the Ace of Spades take, "New York Times Publishes Op-Ed From 25-Year-Old Female 'Economics Influencer' Absolving Biden of Blame for Economy and Instead Putting It Where It Belongs: On the 'Bad Vibes' The Public Is Putting Out About the Economy, Man."

I'm only writing about this to say that the 25-year-old did not introduce this "bad vibes" take to the NYT. The NYT has a senior economics correspondent named Neil Irwin, who writes at the NYT page called  The Upshot. Last December, he had a column called "What We Learned About the Economy in 2021/For once, the government tried overheating the economy. For better and worse, it succeeded." 

In surveys, Americans are remarkably unsatisfied with economic conditions. The growth numbers have been good. The vibes have been bad."