The 2024 GOP Primary hopefuls repeatedly slammed the economic policies of President Biden and offered alternatives throughout the second Republican debate in California. During the debate, Biden spokesman Kevin Munoz called the candidates "the most extreme slate in history" for "embracing a MAGAnomics agenda that would wreck the American economy and devastate working families."
"Before our very eyes, the most extreme slate of presidential candidates in history are embracing a MAGAnomics agenda that would wreck the American economy and devastate working families. Under MAGAnomics, the super-wealthy and corporations win. Middle-class families lose. Big pharma wins. America's seniors lose. It's fitting to watch this same, unpopular trickle-down playbook of more tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, shipping jobs overseas, and higher costs for families center stage at the Reagan Library. MAGAnomics only works for the rich and powerful, while the rest of us get left behind," the full statement read.
But is this really the case?
Multiple polls have shown that Americans are dissatisfied with "Bidenomics," as the President has promoted them, with 74% of ABC poll respondents expressing disapproval at the state of the economy. 87% said they were unhappy with gas prices, while 91% were unsatisfied with food prices.
The Wall Street Journal reported that with rising interest rates, fewer Americans are taking out loans to buy a car or invest in a mortgage for homes, with Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi saying that a new car or house is "completely unaffordable for the typical American household because you’re mixing the higher borrowing costs with the high prices."
With that said, what were the candidates on the GOP Primary debate stage saying?
Vivek Ramaswamy called to "unlock American energy" by means of "drill, frack, burn coal, embrace nuclear energy."
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum slammed the Biden Administration's subsidizing of electric vehicles (EVs), which he said played a role in the ongoing auto workers' strike in Detroit.
Finally, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a two-pronged attack not only on President Biden, but former President Donald Trump as well, saying "Where’s Joe Biden? He’s completely missing in action from leadership. And you know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record, where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that sets the stage for the inflation that we have."
