It’s a mismatch on the economy. Even as inflation wanes, voters still worry about getting by

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Bartender Catey Regis recently had a costly adventure when he bought a used car — an experience that highlights why voters are concerned about the U.S. economy heading into this year’s presidential election.

During three years at Founders Brewing, the 25-year-old saved up enough money pouring IPAs, stouts and porters to pay cash for a 2009 Toyota Corolla. But then the car’s transmission broke down and she had to take out an expensive loan to buy it. repair, and maintain its support in the middle class.

“To me, it’s a telltale sign of the economy,” Regis explained from a bar stool after her shift. She plans to vote for President Joe Biden over Republican front-runner Donald Trump, but honestly wishes there was someone else on the ballot. .

Judging from the numbers, the US economy looks impressively strong. Last year growth increased by 2.5%. Inflation has decreased. Unemployment is at a healthy 3.7%. Biden tells voters that the numbers point to a better future, while Trump says the gains are just the smoke of his time in office.

But conversations with dozens of voters around Grand Rapids — a city of 200,000 in one of Michigan’s swing counties — show they are thinking about the economy based on their own experiences. And they tell a story about an economy, a country and a world that for many seems to have spiraled out of control.

Most are certain that the US is in a recession. (That’s not the case.) High food prices negatively impact prices. For renters, high housing prices are putting the American dream out of reach. There is a sense of generational divide and more barriers to true financial security.

“The price of everything is going up and even though they’re trying to raise the minimum wage, most people are getting paid the same,” said 28-year-old Cameron Brown, who delivered a hurried judgment as he hurried past Westwood Mall. in the suburb of Kentwood. He said he will vote for Trump because he “runs the country like a business.”

There are several signs in the economic reports that people’s feelings about the economy have improved as inflation has eased after reaching a four-decade peak in mid-2022. People are finding ways to make ends meet, even if few say they get ahead.

However, conversations with voters revealed doubts about Biden’s ability to solve the country’s challenges, and concerns from some that Trump could make those challenges worse.

There is continued concern about a recession. Some voters worried that the fighting in the Middle East and Ukraine would trigger a third world war. Others saw the influx of migrants at the U.S. southern border as a threat to national security and a strain on government finances.

“I feel like there’s a recession going on and I’m living with that,” said Scott Thompson, a 44-year-old small business owner from Caledonia who also drives for Uber. “The cost of living, groceries, cereal, car insurance, and equipment for my business is more expensive.”

Thompson, owner of a telecom reseller, plans to vote for Trump in 2024. “I think Trump did a good job — no, he wasn’t very presidential — but he did what he said he was going to do,” Thompson said. he took a ride to the mall.

Trump cut taxes for businesses and most households in late 2017, imposed tariffs on Chinese imports and borrowed trillions of dollars for pandemic relief. The Biden administration kept the rates in place and launched a new round of pandemic aid, making substantial investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and renewable energy.

But Teresa Johnson is worried about paying her $1,500 rent. Housing costs have risen faster than overall inflation, a problem — exacerbated by higher mortgage rates — that has led more people to rent as prices have risen in the most desirable neighborhoods.

“The president has to fix that,” said Johnson, 62, a black single parent in Kentwood who is a Democrat but is open to supporting Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is running against Trump for the Republican nomination.

The Biden administration has also sent conflicting messages to voters in some cases. Domestic oil production is at record levels, keeping gasoline prices low. But as part of efforts to combat climate change, Biden is also providing incentives to support renewable energy development and phase out fossil fuels.

Charles Kroll, CFO of a fuel distribution company in Grand Rapids, stopped to talk after a recent local “state of play” event and said he’s concerned about the impact of Biden’s climate policies — he calls it the “war on oil and gas ‘ from the president. Kroll voted for Trump in 2016, Biden in 2020 and is undecided this time.

Grand Rapids is the seat of Kent County, which supported Trump in 2016 and flipped to Biden in 2020. According to the Census Bureau, about 10% of the county’s population is black and more than 7% is multiracial. Nearly 40% of the population has a university degree. And among college graduates, more than half are under 45 — a population that has become a vital Democratic constituency.

But those voters’ support for Biden is generally rooted in opposition to Trump, who was twice impeached as president and has been criminally charged since leaving office for a range of activities, including possession of classified materials and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results to undo.

“I won’t vote for someone who could cause so much instability,” said Arick Davis, a 32-year-old co-owner of Last Mile Café in Southeast Grand Rapids.

But Davis is acutely aware that consumers are feeling pressure about how much they can spend and the challenge black-owned businesses like his have in accessing lines of credit to expand. To the extent that the economy is doing well, there is little confidence that it will necessarily be sustainable.

“I’m finding that people are more aware of how much they’re spending – and I feel like people are having trouble budgeting,” Davis said as he waited for a Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce State of Business event to begin . He will vote for Biden, he says, but not enthusiastically.

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Boek reported from Washington.