Rhifyn 1203 Issue 1203
18 Nov ember 2024
Cardiff University’s Student Paper | Established 1972
18 Tachwedd 2024
gair rhydd TRUMP WINS Read Online
Source: Gage Skidmore (via Flickr)
The Pyschology Behing Voter Behaviour Hannah Prince Science Editor
WILL TRUMP ACTUALLY BE BETTER FOR THE US ECONOMY?
Lauren Tutchell Head of Politics
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rump will be better for the economy. That is what the majority of his voters, from the diehard MAGA to the desperate and disenfranchised Americans, seemed to be telling themselves when they put a cross next to his name in the polling booth. But Trump’s path to “Make American Great Again” actually appears to involve shrinking the economy, reducing workers’ rights, retracting women’s rights, raising prices, lowering employment, and giving tax breaks to the wealthy (funny that). And despite twenty-three of the world’s most notable economists—all of whom are Noble Prize winners—warning America that Trump’s economic policies will stoke inflation, no one seemed to listen. The narrative was already set in place and there was seemingly nothing the Democrats could do to change it. Contrary to popular belief, the American economy is, according to facts and figures, actually doing really well. The US economy had the strongest pandemic recovery within the G7, growing three times as fast as France and Japan, and four times as fast as Britain. Under Biden, the unemployment rate was the lowest in fifty years. The Trump presidency added 6.7 million jobs, Biden added 16 million. Wages are up, the stock market is hitting all time highs, and inflation has now fallen to around 3%. The problem is, American people are not feeling it in their pockets. The memory of peak pandemic-induced in-
flation (where it hit 9.2% in 2022) is still fresh, with two-thirds (67%) of voters saying the condition of the economy is “not good/poor” according to an exit poll. Despite low inflation, prices remain high, with goods and services costing consumers about 20% more today compared to February 2020, per CPI data. But Biden had no control over the pandemic-rattled economy he inherited, and surprisingly enough, there is no magic
“stop inflation” to underneath the President’s desk in the Oval Office. While Trump got to ride the coattails of Obama’s strong economy that he had carefully crafted over eight years, Biden had to face the immediate task of heading off a recession as the country slowly started to recover from the pandemic economic slump. Russia’s war against Ukraine has also contributed to inflation, dramatically increasing energy and food prices. The price of gas was a big issue for voters in this election, but instead of blaming Putin, they allowed MAGA to convince them it was purely Biden’s fault. Instead of looking at other countries across the world—who have all largely been suffering with inflation, recessions, and hardship as a consequence of the pandemic (including our own, of course) — or listening to the economic experts, Americans looked towards the multi-billionaire Elon Musk for advice. This is a man who made $20 billion overnight as a direct result of the Trump win, a man who will largely benefit from the tax cuts that Trump is planning on giving to corporations and high-income earners, and a man who openly admitted he would be “fucked” if Trump lost. Really sounds like an impartial and reliable source to get economic advice from. Evidence shows that Trump’s economic proposals would, on average, lead to a tax cut for the richest 5% of Americans, and a tax increase for all other income groups, with..
To read the full story, turn to Page 15
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y the end of 2024, there will have been 64 national elections around the globe, including the UK and the US. With the results of the US presidential election recently finalised, it's interesting to look into the unconscious psychology behind how voters make their decisions when they go to the polls. There are many factors that will influence how people decide to vote on the day of an election, from upbringing, religious views, what the people around you are doing...
To read the full story, turn to page 20
The Apprentice: The Making of the 47th President
T.R Cunnick Contributor
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he Apprentice is the film, the origin story, the creation of Donald Trump as we all know him—its release and its timing clearly deliberate. The film—dealing in evidence, in fact—has rippled many red waves over the pond and the notoriously thin-skinned Trump has denounced it from on high. The film is a chronology of Trump’s rise during these early, formative periods (from 1973 to 1988) and specifically his relationship and mentoring by Roy Cohn, a NY lawyer famous...
To read the full story, turn to page 16
Politically Undecided? Never Fear, the Celebs are Here! Miriam R.M Southall Contributor
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t’s clear that we are living through truly historic times, witnessing events that future generations will remember forever. This US presidential election may go down as one of the most divided in America’s political history, with tensions and animosity skyrocketing between parties and the public. The political climate has been filled with suspense, marked by assassination attempts and presidential candidates struggling at times to string a sentence together, let alone potentially run...
To read the full story, turn to page 11