Press Release
Trump’s Win Exposes Deep Economic Anxiety in America
11. 06. 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to President Trump’s election, Taylor Jo Isenberg, Executive Director of Economic Security Project, released the following statement:
Today, the country takes a step backwards in our fight to build an inclusive multiracial democracy. Donald Trump fueled his campaign with fear, hate, and violence, and we have no reason to believe that his tenure as President of the United States will be any different. Many of our allies and communities are scared, facing degradation of their livelihoods, challenges to their dignity, and threats to their safety and security. Our democracy is likely to confront the same.
While we’ll continue to unpack the results, it’s clear that the economy was a driving force for Americans as they entered the voting booth. Trump exploited the very real economic anxieties many Americans feel, and he directed that fear towards refugees, immigrants, transgender individuals, and other marginalized communities. It is an intentional choice to pull on the threads that hold our democracy together and unravel them to serve his own interests.
The effectiveness of his playbook demonstrates that our work to build an economy where everyone has the stability and freedom to thrive has never been more important. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, the country made tremendous strides towards that vision: we put cash directly into the hands of millions of Americans with the Child Tax Credit, made generational investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, and reinvigorated antitrust and consumer protection to build a more fair, inclusive and competitive marketplace.
Yet, we know that our business is unfinished. The kind of investments made in a more equitable, resilient, and durable America require time to take root and deliver: factories need time to build, historic wins for workers and consumers need time to be felt, and communities need time to recover. We also did not accomplish all of the priorities we aspired to. Inflation set us back in making household math work for American families. Congress left common sense policy solutions around childcare, housing, and healthcare on the cutting room floor, keeping many of these basic goods and services out of reach for millions of Americans.
Reconfiguring who the economy works for and who is at the seat of power is not a single election project, it’s a generational ambition with popular support. Despite this outcome, the stakes remain the same. The question of who has economic power – the agency to choose their career, to put food on the table, to take care of their families, to live a good life – has never been more central to the health and future of our democracy. We remain committed to fight each day for the economy we all deserve.
Experts from Economic Security Project are available to discuss what a Trump presidency means, and how a divided government can both advance policies that put money back into the pockets of American families and curb the monopoly power that makes our marketplace less affordable and competitive. To request an interview with Chris Hughes, Natalie Foster, Dorian Warren, or Taylor Jo Isenberg contact Jenna Severson at [email protected].