- Feb 5, 2002
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The United States has just endured the most rancorous and contentious presidential campaign in most of our lifetimes. Many pundits (including this one) have also described the campaign as the most divisive in U.S. history. I still believe it was. But what has emerged from the divisiveness is the most diverse coalition that any Republican presidential candidate has ever assembled. President-elect Trump won record numbers of votes from African Americans and Hispanics by a Republican candidate. And he performed much better among women than most election observers and analysts predicted he would.
So what are some lessons from this result? And what mandates remain, especially for American Catholics? The answers are a mixture of economic and social factors.
First, the economics. During the campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris was unable to articulate any substantive ways that her administration would differ from the Biden administration. When asked specific questions about inflation, for example, she could not satisfy American voters that she had a plan. In contrast, Donald Trump has advocated specific issues to ease economic pain, including targeted tax cuts on overtime and tips, for example. Clearly, a large part of the electorate voted for economic change. This confirmed a lesson that was made famous during the President Clinton years: It’s the economy, stupid!
Continued below.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
So what are some lessons from this result? And what mandates remain, especially for American Catholics? The answers are a mixture of economic and social factors.
First, the economics. During the campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris was unable to articulate any substantive ways that her administration would differ from the Biden administration. When asked specific questions about inflation, for example, she could not satisfy American voters that she had a plan. In contrast, Donald Trump has advocated specific issues to ease economic pain, including targeted tax cuts on overtime and tips, for example. Clearly, a large part of the electorate voted for economic change. This confirmed a lesson that was made famous during the President Clinton years: It’s the economy, stupid!
Continued below.
Trump victory signals new hope of coalition building for Catholics
The diverse coalition that carried Donald Trump to victory may provide opportunities for Catholic social teaching.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
