The “Carville Dictum” at last is getting a fresh look — and that’s a good thing for all those interested in the interplay between presidential approval and the economy. The longstanding misinterpretation is not political strategist James Carville’s fault. He correctly identified the weak economy in 1992 as the root […] Read more »
Republicans Opposing Trump on Trade Face Election Quandary
As President Trump again ratchets up trade tensions with China and Canada, he has the strong backing of Republican voters. But he risks putting his party’s congressional candidates — many of whom are more supportive of free trade — in a bind. Top Republicans in Congress love Mr. Trump’s tax […] Read more »
Independents Approve of the Economy, but Will It Help Republicans in the Midterms?
… What nonpartisans make of Mr. Trump’s stewardship of the economy may give us some insight into whether Republicans will get a boost in the midterms, because independents are often the most persuadable voters. It may also offer an indicator of whether weakly committed Republican partisans might defect at the […] Read more »
Record-Low 12% Cite Economic Issues as Top U.S. Problem
A record-low 12% of Americans currently cite some aspect of the economy as the most important problem facing the U.S., down from 17% last month and one percentage point below the previous low of 13% recorded in May 1999. Mentions of the economy as the top problem reached 86% in […] Read more »
Why Voters Are Still Wary 10 Years After the Economic Collapse
This September marks the 10th anniversary of the economic collapse and failure of Wall Street banks and companies. It recalls one of the most scarring events for Americans, as they remember the fears, anxieties and financial trauma that they, their family and friends, their communities, and the country as a […] Read more »
With Nike, Kaepernick now more a political figure than athlete
The National Football League’s 2018 season is here and the national anthem controversy is back with a new wrinkle. Nike has launched an ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who started the kneel-or-stand anthem argument. … But companies don’t become multi-billion dollar brands by making […] Read more »