Who Wants to Be a Billionaire?

In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s stunning victory here in the US presidential election, several attempts to explain the result have been attempted by a steady stream of individuals eager to blame Harris’s defeat on a combination of racism and sexism/ misogyny. This clearly overlooks the overwhelming support that Trump gained from women and ethnic minorities in all parts of the country. 

Moreover, it overlooks the fundamental issue driving the electorate, which was neither racism nor misogyny (although both certainly exist in the US), but rather the economy and the cost of living. This may seem a rather quaint concept to those sitting in TV studios or in Ivory Towers, here in the US and around the world, pondering the possible direction of US foreign policy, or America’s place in the world. Indeed, Joe Scarborough referred to such issues as ‘reductive’ live on TV today.

His wife, Mica Brzezinski, daughter of the former national security advisor had to correct him over the cost of butter, which he believed was $3. She advised him it cost $7. It is not. It’s $8.99. Incredulous, he asked if it was ‘wrapped in gold.’ You could not ask for a more perfect moment to encapsulate the disconnect between the electorate and those preaching to them. It is reported that Ms Brzezinski and former Congressman Scarborough have a combined annual salary of $16 million and a joint net worth of $45 million. Clearly, taxes will cut that figure in half, but don’t cry for them as they lament the election result and the short-sightedness of the American electorate. 

They are merely two of the celebrities who have openly supported Kamala Harris’ doomed campaign in the face of overwhelming public apathy for her cause. They, along with Bruce Springsteen, Oprah, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jon Bon Jovi, and of course the late night talk show hosts who hard working people can’t possibly stay up late enough to watch as they have jobs to go to in the morning.

The combined wealth of these individuals far exceeds $3 billion, yet they encouraged Americans to vote against their better economic judgment and support the policies of an administration that has overseen a crippling rise in inflation over the past 4 years. Those who fail to understand economics point to the current rate of inflation as a sign that the economy is rosy. It is not. The inflation under Biden remains baked in. The fact that the rate has dropped recently is absolutely no help as wages have fallen far behind with no comparable increases to match prices. 

In case anyone doubts the cost of living in the US, I went to the store today to prove a point. A loaf of bread costs $4.50, soup costs $6.50, milk costs $6, eggs cost $7.50, chicken costs just shy of $13, a quiche costs $9.99. This may all be fine if you’re Born to Run and can easily Shake It off. However, if you’re Born in the USA, chances are you’re Living on a Prayer trying to make the ends meet. 

This is why Donald Trump won. Americans simply could not afford to continue as things were going under Harris/Biden.