He is a politician running for reelection in a tight race. He’s going to claim credit for anything good that happened during his term that voters might possibly believe.
That’s not even meant as a criticism; it’s just how the game is played.
Politicians claim all sorts of things that have, at best tenuous connections to reality.
We shouldn’t accept the claim that Biden fixed the economy, nor Trump’s claim that Biden broke the economy, nor either of their claims that they’re going to fix it next term.
Presidential candidates certainly say things about the economic policies they’d like to see enacted, but most of the actual policy making is up to congress, and monetary policy is the domain of the Federal Reserve.
Factors which no part of the US government has direct control over often have a bigger impact than those that it does, from plagues to wars on other continents to business conditions.
A president could, in theory make a campaign promise about what kind of people they would nominate to the Fed board. A friendly enough senate might even confirm those nominees.
Other than the chair and vice-chair, board members serve 14 year terms, which are intended to help insulate them from politics. A president with very specific ideas about monetary policy could put their thumb on the scale a bit, but the system is designed to resist that.
The weird part is people think the president caused any of that or has the ability to fix it.
Why did Biden say he already fixed the economy then?
He is a politician running for reelection in a tight race. He’s going to claim credit for anything good that happened during his term that voters might possibly believe.
That’s not even meant as a criticism; it’s just how the game is played.
You can’t claim credit for something you couldn’t help fix.
Politicians claim all sorts of things that have, at best tenuous connections to reality.
We shouldn’t accept the claim that Biden fixed the economy, nor Trump’s claim that Biden broke the economy, nor either of their claims that they’re going to fix it next term.
So Biden’s a lying dog-faced pony soldier.
Aren’t they all?
There’s this thing presidential candidates run called a campaign and in this campaign they lay out their economic policies.
Presidential candidates certainly say things about the economic policies they’d like to see enacted, but most of the actual policy making is up to congress, and monetary policy is the domain of the Federal Reserve.
Factors which no part of the US government has direct control over often have a bigger impact than those that it does, from plagues to wars on other continents to business conditions.
You do know who nominates the fed chairman, right?
I do. I also know that Trump nominated Chairman Powell to his first term, and Biden nominated him to his second. Seems they agree on something.
That’s not even unusual; four out of the past five Fed chairs were nominated by at least two presidents from different parties.
So we agree the president can make a significant change to the federal reserve which you said is involved in monetary policy. Which means…
A president could, in theory make a campaign promise about what kind of people they would nominate to the Fed board. A friendly enough senate might even confirm those nominees.
Other than the chair and vice-chair, board members serve 14 year terms, which are intended to help insulate them from politics. A president with very specific ideas about monetary policy could put their thumb on the scale a bit, but the system is designed to resist that.
I’ve made my point. Good talk.