America’s middle class is buckling under the weight of an affordability crisis under President Donald Trump just months ahead of the crucial midterm elections, according to a new poll.
Data compiled by The New York Times and Siena College in January shows that while a majority of voters can afford basics like rent, gas, and groceries, few think it is possible to get ahead, and most believe the middle-class lifestyle is out of reach for the majority of people.
Linchpins of middle-class stability, such as being able to afford healthcare, retirement, and housing, are not guarantees for a majority of respondents.
Separately, the Times reports that both housing and education have become “unaffordable” to more than 50 percent of the voters who responded.
Seventy-seven percent of voters think the previous generation could live a middle-class lifestyle more easily, while two-thirds think that level of stability is slipping out of reach for most people.
Only respondents over the age of 65 were more relaxed, citing fewer concerns than younger generations, regardless of gender, race, or where they lived.
Trump has been trying to convince Americans that affordability is a Democrat “hoax,” using key speeches to try to paint it as a meaningless buzzword.
However, this year’s midterms are expected to be a referendum on his economic success, with predictions about which way the wind will blow largely coming down to how well he’s convinced people he’s making them better off.
Despite a buoyant stock market and strong consumer spending, the poll found that voters still have a gloomy outlook and are riddled with anxiety about their finances.
And despite his bluster about beef being the only commodity that still costs too much, various surveys suggest that most Americans feel their purchasing power is limited, with inflation rates still high enough to take the bite out of paychecks.
Trump has been frequently criticized for his inability to address the cost of living, which has plagued his presidency amid claims that he has focused too much on other areas of governance, such as foreign policy.
He has given speeches in Pennsylvania, Detroit, and Davos in a bid soothe economic anxieties and win voters over. In all of them, he set out to talk about the economy, but got sidetracked by pet projects like obtaining Greenland and instigating regime change in Venezuela.
According to the Times, 51 percent of respondents said his policies had made life more unaffordable, and just 14 percent said they feel they are currently getting ahead. Thirty-four percent said they were falling behind, and 52 percent said they were holding steady.
Despite the flak Trump is getting, the poll found that people still don’t know who to blame for their economic hardship: 31 percent lay it at his feet, 35 at former President Joe Biden’s, and 33 say it is neither of their fault.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
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