… Everyday consumer experiences — the minutia of buying, thinking about buying and being asked to buy — are a constant of our lives. But their ordinariness does not preclude these experiences from having political consequences. On the contrary, their very status as commonplace activities makes them politically influential. What we do when we buy things, and how we think about what we buy, is tied up with our political thoughts and behaviors. Recognizing this could go a long way toward helping the Biden administration achieve its goals. …
Consumers reward companies they deem fair, and punish those they do not. Consumer-citizens have similar expectations for government. After paying taxes, the consumer-citizen anticipates receiving salient benefits of comparable value in return. After all, that’s what happens in many consumer transactions. Payment and services are tied together, and the benefits of what you paid for are unmistakable. CONTINUED
Ethan Porter (GWU), Washington Post
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