It’s the Economy, Not the East Wing, Stupid

The Democratic Party has reason to celebrate for the first time since President Donald Trump defiantly won reelection to a nonconsecutive term last year. Since then, the opposition party has been perpetually back-footed. But now, with major victories in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races, and lesser wins elsewhere, Dems have officially broken their national losing streak.

As the results trickled in last night, the tenor of the conversation on reliably liberal MSNBC became one of elation, with the various pundits observing that Trump’s authoritarian overreach had finally inspired blowback. In fact, they had a specific example of overreach in mind: the White House’s East Wing, which Trump has demolished in order to make room for a new ballroom. Progressive commentators Lawrence O’Donnell and Nicole Wallace repeatedly referred to this new construction project and suggested that by voting for Democrats, Americans have risen up to reject it.

This is rather silly. There is very little reason to think that White House renovations, something undertaken by virtually every president of the last century—President Harry Truman rebuilt the structure entirely in the 1940s—are something the American people are following very closely, let alone opposed to. Yes, it’s true that highly educated Democrats who watch MSNBC religiously are quite offended by Trump’s decision to replace the East Wing (a non-historic portion of the White House where the First Lady’s office could be found) with a ballroom large enough to host state dinners. It is simply not true that this is a kitchen table issue.

For the record, both Amber Duke and Niall Stanage—my Free Media co-hosts—agree with me! Watch our special episode of Free Media. 

No, what motivated voters to choose Democrats is probably the same thing that pushed them away from Democrats and toward Trump in last year’s election: widespread frustration with the economy. According to polls, the economy remains the top issue for voters, who have increasingly soured on Trump’s handling of it. Trump’s own Treasury Department, for instance, has conceded that inflation remains higher than desired, whereas Trump has personally downplayed the issue, insisting “we have no inflation,” in an interview with CBS. Trump is in danger of committing the exact same mistake as the Biden administration: Ignoring voters’ legitimate economic frustrations while pursuing misguided policies that will certainly make their lives worse.

Trump should feel free to renovate the White House, particularly as he is paying for it with private donations rather than taxpayer money. But if Republicans want to avoid a blowout during the midterms next year, they should adopt a familiar mantra: It’s the economy, stupid. It always is.