Road to the White House: What will work better for Indian Americans? Trump’s ‘America First’ or Biden’s ‘Made in America’?
A roaring economy and the lowest unemployment rate in half a century were the trump cards Republican President Donald Trump had up his sleeve to win four more years in the White House.
Then came the coronavirus pandemic out of the blue to wipe out the gains of last five years in just 19 short weeks with the economy shrinking by almost a third (32.9) in the second quarter and a staggering 54.1 million initial jobless claims.
From a very strong average of 56% approval rating to a 38% disapproval rating at the beginning of the year, Trump’s approval/disapproval rating crashed to 49% to 47% ratio in July, according to four leading polls.
His net approval rating (approval minus disapproval) in ABC News/Washington Post, Fox News, NBC News/Wall Street Journal and Quinnipiac University has dropped from +18 points in January to just +2 points in July.
Economy is still Trump’s best bet against his presumptive Democratic rival Joe Biden, who has seen his lead over Trump shoot up to 7.8 points in the RealClear average of polls after the slump.
RELATED: Road to the White House: Immigration: Trump’s merit with wall vs Biden’s welcome for all (July 26, 2020)
Biden touting his role in pulling America out of the 2008 financial crisis as President Barack Obama’s Vice President, has challenged Trump’s “America First” agenda with a competing brand of “Made in America” economic nationalism.
Trump, who won the 2016 race with a promise to “Make Great Again,” has pulled out rabbits out of hats before and has promised to do it yet again.
Pushing states to reopen amidst a still raging pandemic, Trump is now betting on a “great American comeback,” with the economy coming “roaring back” and with that his fortunes.
But who between Trump and Biden would be better on the bread and butter issues for four million Indian-Americans, who have risen to become the richest ethnicity in America, with an average household earning almost double the US average. Let’s take a look.
Trumpeting his “Promises Kept,” Trump cites the first major tax reforms signed in 30 years providing tax relief for 82% of middle-class families and providing $415 billion in tax relief for small business owners.
President Trump is unleashing economic growth and jobs, his campaign says boasting of 3.1% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and generating six million new jobs.
RELATED: Trump, Biden campaigns wooing Indian Americans (July 21, 2020)
The unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest point in 50 years, and wages have grown at more than 3% for 10 months in a row with the manufacturing industry creating nearly half a million new jobs.
Hispanic, Asian and African American unemployment rates have all reached record lows under President Trump, it says.
The Workforce Development Advisory Council established by President Trump’s executive order has already created on-the-job training opportunities for 6.5 million Americans.
The Trump administration also prioritized the economic empowerment of women at home and across the globe with the launch of Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, it says.
His rival Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ plan accuses the Trump Administration of “pursuing economic policies that rewarded wealth over work and corporations over working families” even before covid-19.
RELATED: Biden vows to end green card caps, increase H-1B visas (July 15, 2020)
Joe Biden, his campaign says, “has a plan to create millions of good-paying jobs and to give America’s working families the tools, choices, and freedom they need to build back better.”
The Biden plan will mobilize the American people in service of four bold, national efforts to address four great national challenges.
First, mobilize American manufacturing and innovation to ensure that the future is made in America, and in all of America.
Second, mobilize American ingenuity to build a modern infrastructure and an equitable, clean energy future.
Third, mobilize American talent and heart to build a 21st century caregiving and education workforce which will help ease the burden of care for working parents, especially women.
Fourth, mobilize across the board to advance racial equity in America.
RELATED: Joe Biden vows to lift Trump’s H-1B ban if elected (July 1, 2020)
To see this agenda through, Joe Biden will make new, bold investments and speed up the timetable for many of the 10-year investments he has already announced, it said.
“He will pay for the ongoing costs of the plan by reversing some of Trump’s tax cuts for corporations and imposing common-sense tax reforms that finally make sure the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share,” the campaign said.
Biden, it said, also has a “strategy for manufacturing and innovation to ensure the future is made in America, in all of America, by American workers.”
MORE FROM ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE:
Indian American senator Kamala Harris tops Biden’s VP list (July 29, 2020)
Biden taps Indian American Medha Raj to lead his digital campaign (June 30, 2020)
Indian American Rep. Pramila Jayapal endorses Biden (April 27, 2020)
Kamala Harris exits the presidential race (December 3, 2019)
Tulsi Gabbard exits presidential race, backs Joe Biden (March 19, 2020)
Iack from India, Trump targets Indian American voters with Taj, Modi ads (February 28, 2020)
Here are seven Indian and South Asian Americans serving in key 2020 campaign positions (May 21, 2019)
Former Hillary and Sanders campaign aide Kunoor Ojha joins Warren campaign (May 12, 2019)
Meet Sabrina Singh, the Indian American National Press Secretary for Cory Booker (May 6, 2019)
Sharmeen Khan joins Biden campaign as Deputy Research Director (May 2, 2019)
Biden-Harris will be a winning combination in 2020 (April 26, 2019)
Tulsi Gabbard outraises Kamala Harris among Indian American donors (April 20, 2019)
Indian American Impact Fund endorses Kamala Harris for President (April 17, 2019)
Kamala Harris remembers her Indian American mother as she officially launches her White House bid (January 29, 2019)