The slight majority of Americans say they are worse off than four years ago, while their assessments of the U.S. economy are subpar and inflation remains a key concern.
I’ll admit that I was one of the privileged few who were comfortable and secure during the pandemic: i had a job that could be remote without issue and i lived in a city that took precautions seriously
But
remote employment was a 100% improvement to being stuck in my office and in a toxic environment
because I was remote, there was no pressure to work extra hours when my projects didn’t require it, which meant my work-life balance was much better
the student loan moratorium helped me and my wife finally save up for a house down-payment and get ahead on our debt
with the extra financial and work security, I finally reached a healthy weight and was the most fit i had been since college
Now, my weight is back up, my job is much less secure, my finances are strained again, and I feel like our future financial security is in question because the economy is dominated by two or three companies that may come crashing back down if AI turns out to be a bubble
This question is so subjective and incredibly personal, so i question the utility of it. But there’s no question for me about how precarious my personal situation feels now vs back in 2020. Back then, our primaries and much of the Campaign revolved around questions that had significant impacts on my life, but this cycle none of what is being discussed in the campaigns have much to do with my personal security. I don’t know if my remote job will last, I don’t know how long my house (that I bought in 2021 thanks to covid stimulus efforts) will be worth more than my mortgage, I don’t know if the items I rely on will continue inflating in cost or not, ect.
Again, I’m incredibly privileged. But democrats have switched focus to what happens if Trump wins, instead of focusing on what happens if they win. Seems like nothing significant is on the table for my family’s security, and that doesn’t comfort me at all. There’s just no hope in this election, all there seems to be is fear.
I’ll admit that I was one of the privileged few who were comfortable and secure during the pandemic: i had a job that could be remote without issue and i lived in a city that took precautions seriously
But
Now, my weight is back up, my job is much less secure, my finances are strained again, and I feel like our future financial security is in question because the economy is dominated by two or three companies that may come crashing back down if AI turns out to be a bubble
This question is so subjective and incredibly personal, so i question the utility of it. But there’s no question for me about how precarious my personal situation feels now vs back in 2020. Back then, our primaries and much of the Campaign revolved around questions that had significant impacts on my life, but this cycle none of what is being discussed in the campaigns have much to do with my personal security. I don’t know if my remote job will last, I don’t know how long my house (that I bought in 2021 thanks to covid stimulus efforts) will be worth more than my mortgage, I don’t know if the items I rely on will continue inflating in cost or not, ect.
Again, I’m incredibly privileged. But democrats have switched focus to what happens if Trump wins, instead of focusing on what happens if they win. Seems like nothing significant is on the table for my family’s security, and that doesn’t comfort me at all. There’s just no hope in this election, all there seems to be is fear.