Donald Trump would be on track to win a historic landslide in November ā€” if so many US voters didnā€™t find him personally repugnant.

Roughly 53 percent of Americans have anĀ unfavorable opinionĀ of the former president. And yet, when asked about Trumpā€™s ability to handle key issues ā€” or the impact of hisĀ policiesĀ ā€”Ā voters routinelyĀ giveĀ the Republican candidate higher marks thanĀ President Biden.

In aĀ YouGov surveyĀ released this month, Trump boasted an advantage over Biden on 10 of the 15 issues polled. On the three issues that votersĀ routinely nameĀ as top priorities ā€” theĀ economy, immigration, and inflation ā€” respondents said that Trump would do a better job by double-digit margins.

Meanwhile, in aĀ recent New York Times/Siena College poll,Ā 40 percent of voters said that Trumpā€™s policies had helped them personally, while just 18 percent said the same of Biden. If Americans could elect a normal human being with Trumpā€™s reputation for being ā€œtoughā€ on immigration and good at economics, they would almost certainly do so.

Biden is fortunate that voters do not have that option. But to erase Trumpā€™sĀ small but stubborn leadĀ in the polls, the president needs to erode his GOP rivalā€™s advantage on the issues.

  • DrPop@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    The child tax credit checks were for 2021 which was Biden. Also him making sure just name was on the checks created delays and is just an ego things. Also when they doubled the standard deduction they took away exemptions.

    • Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      For example, prior to increasing the standard deduction you could deduct a portion of your rent and bills if you worked from home. I used to take advantage of this and ended up owing taxes for the first time thanks to them taking away exemptions. Luckily my alimony is from 2018 or I wouldnā€™t be able to deduct that anymore either.

    • mwguy@infosec.pub
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      8 months ago

      The supermajority of Americans take the standard deduction. You have to understand math to take the other routes. So removing those exemptions was not a negative to the majority of lower and middle class Americans.

      It may have delayed the checks, but the checks stopped under Biden. And thatā€™s what people remember.

      They were paying the credit out early during COVID, not simply including it in your taxes. To the average person it looks like more moola.

      • DrPop@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        As someone who deals with this everyday for work I can tell you the tax cuts and jobs said act of 2018 did not help anybody but those that already had money. The tax returns got"simpler" but as for families they didnā€™t see that much of a difference or owed more.