Not only is the economy doing well, but people's perceptions about the economy are also positive. On Thursday's MSNBC Live, host Stephanie Ruhle declared that such positive economic indicators "should concern Democrats looking ahead to November" because voters are giving President Trump credit for them.
After returning from a commercial, Ruhle delved deeper into the results of a Financial Times poll that showed 51 percent of Americans "now believe President Trump's policies have either strongly or somewhat helped the economy." Joined by U.S. Managing Editor of the Financial Times Peter Spiegel, she asked, "Peter, here is what's noteworthy. Last month, just 44 percent believed President Trump’s policies have helped the economy, and now that’s jumped to 51 percent. What changed in the last month?"
Spiegel attributed the increase to a good fourth quarter for the stock market. He also attributed the "feel good factor" to a raise in wages "particularly on the low end of the economy."
Media critics of Trump on the economy have previously stated that the Trump economy was good for the wealthy, but not for those on the lower end of the economic spectrum. Now that there is evidence that those lower wage individuals are in fact doing better they are giving credit to Democrats as Spiegel demonstrated, "Not all of that is because of Trump policy to be sure. Some of it is because a lot of states that are frankly run by Democrats are instituting minimum wage increases. So these, blue collar jobs are seeing increases for reasons other than Trump."
Spiegel concluded, "I think Trump is getting credit for this amongst voters who otherwise would be more skeptical, although there's still a partisan split, so Republicans still think, are more positive than Democrats, numbers for Democrats are going up, saying Trump policies are helping the economy overall.
Here is a transcript for the January 9 show. Click "expand" to read more:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle
9:43 AM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Still to come, a number that should concern Democrats looking ahead to November, we're talking about the economy. It is a strong one. A majority of Americans are saying President Trump's policies have helped the economy, but the poll is not exactly a win for the president. Democrats are going to have to find a lane here.
…
RUHLE: The U.S. Economy which is different from the markets is also overall up. The big question is about you. Are you better off than you were four years ago? Well, for the first time in a Financial Times poll, a majority of Americans, 51% now believe President Trump's policies have either strongly or somewhat helped the economy. Here to dive into these numbers is Peter Spiegel the, U.S. Managing Editor of the Financial Times. Peter, here is what's noteworthy. Last month, just 44% believed President Trump’s policies have helped the economy, and now that’s jumped to 51%. What changed in the last month?
PETER SPIEGEL: Well, we had a very good fourth quarter of the stock market as you said. That’s not the real economy, granted, but it does have a trickledown effect on a lot of people, so there is a feel good factor, but I think the other thing that's beginning to happen is the tight labor market, have begun to see rise in wages, particularly on the low end of the economy. So these poorest off, the lowest workers are seeing real wage increases. Not all of that is because of Trump policy to be sure. Some of it is because a lot of states that are frankly run by Democrats are instituting minimum wage increases. So these, blue collar jobs are seeing increases for reasons other than Trump. I think Trump is getting credit for this amongst voters who otherwise would be more skeptical, although there's still a partisan split, so Republicans still think, are more positive than Democrats, numbers for Democrats are going up, saying Trump policies are helping the economy overall.
