A recent poll from The New York Times this month has shown something interesting: more voters felt that Donald Trump’s policies were more beneficial to them personally compared to Joe Biden’s. However, there’s a twist in the story. The policies that these Americans fondly remember are actually from Barack Obama’s era.
Trump did introduce a significant tax cut that mainly favored large corporations and the wealthiest individuals. This move was indeed welcomed by those who directly benefited from it. However, the broader positive impact on the general population came from Trump’s failure to implement severe budget cuts and other harsh policies he had aimed for.
Despite having a majority in both the House and the Senate when he took office, Trump’s proposed budget cuts hardly saw the light of day in Congress. One of the most notable moments was when Senator John McCain blocked Trump’s attempt to repeal Obamacare. This action preserved health care protections for millions of Americans, contributing to the nostalgia for Trump’s presidency.
Trump’s budget proposals were harsh. They aimed to significantly reduce healthcare, cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) by $193 million, reduce funding for various student loan programs by $143 million, and make deep cuts to retirement programs for federal employees, among other reductions. These cuts would have affected safety net programs, scientific research, job centers, and even proposed the closure of 49 national historic sites. Trump’s vision was to slash budgets across numerous departments, threatening the welfare and pride of the American people.
However, the GOP majorities in the House were divided on how to proceed with these budget cuts. This division led to Trump depending on significant Democratic support to pass budgets. As a result, the sharp budget cuts Republicans had previously enforced to reduce the deficit were abandoned. This shift allowed for increased funding in Democratic priorities, including safety net enhancements and health care research. Under Trump, the country experienced a mix of Republican tax strategies and Democratic spending approaches, leading to a significant increase in the deficit. Nikki Haley highlighted this issue when she ran against Trump for the 2024 nomination, pointing out the reckless spending that continued the economic growth initiated during Obama’s presidency.
The reason why voters might not fully grasp the Democratic influence during Trump’s early years is straightforward. Democrats remained as silent as possible on their contributions. Had they tried to claim credit, Trump might have reversed his policies. He was willing to abandon his plans to dismantle the federal government as long as his losses remained unhighlighted.
Looking ahead, a GOP Congress in 2024 would likely not restrain Trump a second time. His current plans, which include keeping taxes low for the wealthy, harming the environment by increasing fossil fuel use, weakening the civil service, imposing a nationwide abortion ban, and attempting to repeal Obamacare again, would not improve life for the majority of Americans. The policies that voters truly appreciate originate from the Democrats and President Biden.
Jason Paul, a lawyer based in Newton, Mass., and author of “Trench Warfare Politics in the Tinder Era,” along with Jeremy Paul, a professor of Law at Northeastern University, share these insights.