“Biden Is So Delusional He Believes the Economy Is Good”: Criticism of Bidenomics Increases as Democrats Sour on the Policy Nickname

Michelle HollandNov 9, 2023

Minute Read

Democrats are reportedly starting to regret dubbing Biden’s economic policy ‘Bidenomics’ amidst suggestions that the branding is not having the intended effects. As the current administration’s economic policy divides the public, Dems are wondering whether having Biden’s name attached to it will backfire on them.

Anonymous Democrats Make Complaints

“Whoever came up with the slogan Bidenomics should be fired,” one anonymous Democratic strategist told NBC News. “It’s probably the worst messaging you could ever imagine,” they explained.

Biden’s Reluctance

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Two sources connected to White House discussions also shared that Biden was initially hesitant to move forward with the ‘Bidenomics’ label. It was adopted to promote the country’s growing economy, but Biden nursed concerns that it could eventually be used against them.

More Dems Weigh In

Other Democrats, such as Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), have also critiqued the nickname. “I don’t like it either,” Clyburn shared. “The people that he stands for don’t deal with economics. They deal with day-to-day issues. They have to educate their children and feed their families and develop their communities — and that doesn’t sound like Bidenomics.”

Focus Group Research

Research into public opinion on the term hasn’t proved particularly favorable. One firm, Engagious, conducted a study in which one swing voter from a focus group slammed Bidenomics as “a jumbled mess” that was “really hard to explain.”

Struggling to Break Through

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake also gave her view on the phrase. She suggested “Originally, I would have said we didn’t repeat it enough. I would have said we weren’t visible out there. I would have said we didn’t put enough advertising. But we’ve done all of that, and it still doesn’t break through.”

Flailing Approval Ratings

According to a recent Fox News survey, 62% of Americans disapprove of Biden’s approach to the economy, while just 37% approve. This hasn’t stopped Vice President Kamala Harris and other top administration officials from promoting Bidenomics as the best solution for ordinary American citizens.

The American Dream

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In June, Biden gave a speech in which he insisted that “Bidenomics is just another way of saying restore the American dream because it worked before. It’s rooted in what we’ve always worked best at in this country, investing in America, investing in Americans. Because when we invest in our people, we strengthen the middle class.”

Not Media-Friendly

Michael LaRosa, the former press secretary to Jill Biden, had a different but still negative take on the catchphrase. He declared that “Bidenomics” is “just not sexy for the media to cover or simple enough for voters to digest, especially if they don’t see it or feel it.”

How the Internet Sees Bidenomics

There’s been much discussion online of Bidenomics, both the policies themselves and the nickname. Regarding the term, one forum user said, “Political opponents will use it derogatorily. Political supporters will use it for promotion. You will not get a straight answer until after his presidency is completed and some time has passed.”

A Dangerous Game

“Yeah, it’s a dangerous game to actually name it,” one person replied. “The opposition LOVES to steal those terms and make them negative,” they added.

Obamacare Comparisons

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Many people drew parallels between Bidenomics and the Affordable Care Act introduced during Obama’s presidency and subsequently known colloquially as “Obamacare.” One commenter observed, “Obamacare eventually became a fairly popular term with positive connotations, at least in my observation. That’s why I think Biden is branding his economic policies this way.”

Wrong Priorities

Others criticized the name, with one commenter writing, “Politicians are just trying to make a name for themselves not help people. It also puts a target on these branded policies as the next party just wants to tear down the legacy of the last for spite and clout.”

An Unoriginal Template

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One person stated that “any “president”-nomics can be summarized as follows: anything good that happens in the economy is due to my genius and skillful leadership, anything bad that happens is the fault of the previous administration and there’s nothing I could do about it,” with several other people noting that “Reaganomics” was commonly used to refer to President Reagan’s economic policies.

Taking Stabs at the Economy

Some users attacked Biden’s policies themselves as well as the name, which someone described as “Silly. Sillier when you realize he thinks this economy is something to be proud of.” Another moaned that “Biden is so delusional he believes the economy is good.”

“A Terrible Descriptor”

Bidenomics was lambasted by some for being vague and unclear. One forum member said, “So “Bidenomics” seems like a really terrible descriptor as it tells you literally nothing about the policy. Literally anything Biden does is, by definition, “Bidenomics.”

Misconceptions About the Economy

Some people speculated the rebrand was an attempt to clear up misconceptions about the economy among the American public. “He’s just trying to get people to associate the economy with him AND realize we’ve created or recreated 13 million jobs in his 28 months in office,” one person claimed.

Biden’s Bad PR

They continued, “Polls showed that a lot of people thought we lost jobs last year when we have had solid gains every month he’s been president. It’s pretty disastrous PR for Biden to run the country with a 50-year low unemployment and people still rate Trump as better on economics and think we’re in a recession.”

A Problematic Disconnect

Someone else agreed, calling it the biggest issue that “Democrats are struggling to address.” They elaborated, “Americans’ opinions of the economy have never been more divorced from reality than it is now. The vast majority of people thought we lost jobs and were in a recession in the greatest job market in any of our lifetimes and the fastest job growth we have ever, and likely will ever, experience.”