Trump’s Economic Performance

To the Editor:
There is a lot of criticism of Trump’s personality, personal behavior, and response to COVID-19, but that is only part of the issue. The other side is what he has accomplished in his 3.5 years in office.
Recent Republican campaign ads on TV, as well as several letters I’ve read in papers, claim that Trump has done a lot for the U.S. economy, but as an independent voter, I’ll be darned if I see it.
Few claim that he has made any progress on major issues like foreign affairs, infrastructure, health care, or education despite all his campaign promises, but the mantra of his contribution to our economic well-being somehow persists. The reality is different.
Unemployment was at a 70-year low. He pumped almost a trillion a year into the economy due mainly through tax cuts, so our GDP briefly rose to 3% in ’18 but was settling back into the low 2% range before the pandemic hit.
Our trade deficits are higher under Trump than under Obama.
By championing fossil fuels, especially coal, and undermining renewable energy, Trump put us well behind several other countries in the new rapid growth of the most important emerging industry – renewable energy.
I applaud the fact that he has put a serious cramp in illegal immigration.
I have seen no economic proposals from him or the Republican Party for the future. Given the economic damage by his bungling the response to the coronavirus, he doesn’t provide much hope for improvement in our present condition.
Biden has specific proposals and since he was part of the Obama team, he can be trusted to try to accomplish them.
Vote for Trump if you wish, but it is probably wise not to expect much positive economic performance, just more boasting.