Why the struggle to re-open our country after the (Disease That Must Not Be Named) pandemic curve came crashing down. Could it be that the results of previous presidential elections were decided by the number one concern of the voters, the economy/jobs? Would the state of the economy by November in 2020 be the deciding factor for late-deciding voters? Would a bad economy prevent President Trump from getting re-elected?
How important is the economy to elections?
From the WSJ
“As George Stephanopoulos tells the story in his memoir of Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential race, strategist James Carville was just trying to keep the campaign on message. He scribbled a few lines on a whiteboard and stuck it to a pillar in the middle of the room at campaign headquarters. One of the lines read: “The economy, stupid.”
Historically when economies are booming, and jobs are plentiful, the President in office gets re-elected. Vice-versa, when people don’t have jobs, they vote for change. Prior to the “shut down” in March, the Trump economy, from all measurements, was booming, and his re-election, therefore, was becoming a foregone conclusion.
Since the shutdown, the left has been relishing over the terrible employment and economic numbers, many of their experts were even demanding the country should stay closed for several more months until a possible cure was developed.
With the “flattening of the curve” in most states, governors laid out their re-opening plans. Expectations of full openings varied but most were expecting several months.
What caught a lot of experts by surprise were, the May employment numbers. As soon as some of the conservative states opened up for business, the people went back to work and the stock market started climbing back.
From CNBC
“May sees the biggest jobs increase ever of 2.5 million as the economy starts to recover from coronavirus.”
Employment stunningly rose by 2.5 million in May and the jobless rate declined to 13.3%, according to data Friday from the Labor Department that was far better than economists had been expecting and indicated that an economic turnaround could be close at hand.
Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been expecting payrolls to drop by 8.33 million and the unemployment rate to rise to 19.5% from April’s 14.7%. If Wall Street’s expectations had been accurate, it would have been the worst figure since the Great Depression.
Now we enter into the “conspiracy zone, or are we? With 36 million Americans on unemployment, liberals states slow-walking their re-openings, and government officials who supported the non-social distancing BLM rallies, but now are calling the Trump rallies irresponsible, could it be it all comes down to the economy stupid. Or could the left not have concerns for the ANTIFA/BLM attendees but have a pressing urgent concern for the Trump rally attendees.
The Trump campaign is moving ahead with their rallies in spite of the objections to the partisans on the left.
“President Trump’s mega MAGA rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma is the hottest ticket ever!”
“By Sunday, more than 800,000 people signed up for tickets to attend Trump’s first rally after the (Disease That Must Not Be Named) lockdowns.”
“The mega MAGA rally was originally scheduled for June 19 (Juneteenth), however, President Trump moved the rally to Saturday, June 20th.”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1271644265890942976
In an apparent attempt to shame states who would consider allowing a Trump rally in their cities, dozens of “experts” have weighed on the “danger of the rallies”, even though they were supporters of the BLM marches.
On Morning Joe, Dr. VIN GUPTA says "we need to BAN political rallies!" The president is about to have a "super-spreader event in Tulsa"! Trump and Pence need to stop ruining it for their "adversaries" in public health! pic.twitter.com/D7BUw1n6nI
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) June 12, 2020
The hypocrisy of this “doctor” is staggering.
On Monday, this same Dr. Vin was not so concerned about social distancing. He went out in the streets of Seattle in protests, not considering it a crazy “super-spreader event.” Later he told Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House, “I was out with other physicians and nurses in Seattle over the weekend, where we had a Doctors for Justice March.
Fox News took a deeper look into the left’s objections
“Democrats cheering ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests now say Trump rallies pose coronavirus risk”
“Top Democrats who cheered on “Black Lives Matter” crowds across the U.S. are now criticizing President Trump for planning to restart his campaign rallies, saying the events — which are scheduled to kick off in Tulsa, Okla. — could help spread the coronavirus.”
“The apparent hypocrisy comes just weeks after big-city Democrats who once insisted on strict coronavirus lockdown measures had relented in the wake of George Floyd’s in-custody death, and encouraged anti-police demonstrations.”
“On Monday, U.S. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., told her Twitter followers she had joined a “Healing and Hope” rally “to speak with our community as America grieves.”
I joined a 'Healing and Hope' rally last night to speak with our community as America grieves. pic.twitter.com/s5oQKkVYOZ
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) June 8, 2020
“By Thursday, Demings — considered a possible running mate for Joe Biden — had suddenly changed her tune on mass gatherings.”
The president’s plan to hold mass rallies in Florida and elsewhere as we experience a resurgence in COVID cases is irresponsible and selfish. https://t.co/G6tdqua70c
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) June 11, 2020
Other publications are also sharing their “concerns” for Trump rally attendees
Back in March – CNN
Trump defends holding campaign rallies even as coronavirus spreads
From The Guardian
Anthony Fauci calls Trump rallies a danger to health;
From BND.com
Trump rally called ‘dangerous move’ in the age of coronavirus
We will never know the left’s intentions for trying to prevent the country from opening, even with the curves flattened and deaths down to manageable numbers. We do know the Trump rallies will be as big as ever, and in the end, the election will come down to the same 6 states. Get registered to vote, vote, and hold on to your sox.