An unsuspecting campaign catchphrase has helped Republican candidate Donald Trump generate some recent momentum: " What the hell do you have to lose?”
Similar to the lottery’s “Hey, you never know” appeal to throw caution to the wind, Trump has tapped into the disenfranchised, disenchanted mood of the modern voter.
Gone are the days when the American economy and its affiliated dreams could be counted upon to sustain families and for tough times to be outweighed by smooth sailing. With them, the belief that voters can trust their politicians to do the right thing and to put country before party.
Recent polling shows that voters are beyond mistrustful of their government and have lost hope in its charted course. Just 22% of Americans report feeling confident that the government will do the right thing most of the time. 60% express feeling frustrated with the federal government, with another 20% feeling anger. A scant 18% feel “basically content.”
Evidently, President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 statement remains correct—the nine scariest words in the English language are, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
Of course, these melancholy respondents can hardly be blamed for their dystopian outlook. Since January 2021, the metrics have looked thoroughly depressing. Real disposable income per capita is down 7.3%, and home ownership affordability is down 32.3%. Credit card debt is up 42%, while monthly savings have dropped a whopping 79.9%. The price of peanut butter, eggs, and bread- all reliable staple foods- has risen 40%, as has gasoline. Rent has increased by an average of 19.25%.
In comparison, wages have gone up a meager 12%. It is estimated that the average American family must now spend more than $11,000 monthly above what they did when Biden was inaugurated just to maintain the same standard of living they had enjoyed when Donald Trump left office. If current trends continue, many Americans could realistically be facing homelessness or hunger by the end of a second Biden administration. So yes, truly, What the Hell do We Have to Lose?
Trump’s opponent, in the meantime, seems satisfied to run on joy and positive vibes. While her elite circle may not be feeling the pain of the last four years, the remainder of the nation has. With vague policy proposals and very little by way of plan, the Harris campaign has made a mockery of the suffering of American families and will evidently do so all the way through election day. Those who endorse her, from Taylor Swift to Oprah, are far removed from the daily deliberations of a family in crisis and have likely not thought about the price of gas in recent memory. At this moment, a change in leadership seems the only rational solution to a nation in decline. After all, barring radical change in course, a continuation of the past four years can only logically result in more of the same economic inflation and stagnated opportunity.
How do you feel about Trump’s new campaign slogan? Will Americans be willing to try something different?
Hilary Gunn is a Connecticut native with a degree in Criminal Justice from the George Washington University. She works for a nonprofit and has previously collaborated with the CT GOP as an activist, political campaign manager and field director, and social media organizer. She is currently serving in her fourth term of municipal office and has previously acted as a delegate on the Republican Town Committee.