2020 Election – ‘the economy, stupid’ again?

This Spotlight looks at the US’s economic recovery in the last couple of months and assesses what has enabled it to regain course. Along the way it speculates on how far its performance can help President Trump’s re-election effort; absent of the pandemic he would be fighting this year’s campaign on the strength of the economy since 2017 and continuing his pivot towards economic nationalism and ‘fair trade’ deal-making overseas. Has the virus negated all goodwill and relevance for the prior three years of growth and job creation? Many will criticise the administration for failures in the public health side of the crisis, but are these being overlooked by voters because the more important ‘bedside manner’ is found (and not lacking) in Trump’s attention to the economy? Lastly we focus on the latest talks in Congress to outline a further stimulus bill, and to what extent the President can influence them.