The creation of 224,000 new jobs in June further consolidates President Trump’s economic stewardship. Beating expectations, those job numbers give Trump the central plank of his reelection campaign.
They also cause Democrats a big problem, fundamentally undercutting Democratic Party assertions that Trump’s economy only serves the rich and powerful. When Democratic presidential aspirants say Trump is ignoring the middle class, Trump can point to stellar job and stable income growth. When Democrats say that massive new social welfare programs are needed, Trump can warn against breaking an economy that is clearly working.
The data is clear. The unemployment rate for adult men and women stands at 3.3%, 6.0% for blacks, and 4.3% for Hispanics. Those statistics far exceed metrics in France, the economic model that Democrats want to introduce into the U.S.
Oh, and for New York Times opinion writers who still believe our economy is less healthy than South Africa’s? That nation’s president this week described his nation’s youth unemployment rate as “a national crisis.” Which it is.
Facts matter, and U.S. government economic statistics are, within a small margin of error, effective facts. Trump will double down on this message as the election war for the moral narrative escalates. Doing so, he’ll undercut Democratic messaging on big government programs, government efficiency, and private sector innovation.
And as more Americans feel the benefits of this economy, more voters will come to regard Democratic complaints about Trump’s economy for what they are: delusional.
Trump cannot take any of this for granted, of course. The president’s erratic behavior and penchant for starting, then escalating, then ending trade wars on the flip of a coin does nothing for business confidence. But Trump has got the fundamentals on his side. Remaining focused and prudent, and shutting up about the Federal Reserve, Trump will enjoy fair winds as he seeks reelection.
