So how’s the economy from your point of view?
The president tells us regularly how well things are going.
But are we buying it?
A recent Newsweek article would indicate that we are not:
Nearly three-quarters of Americans said they were unhappy with President Joe Biden’s handling of inflation, which is now widely seen as the nation’s top priority for voters.
A record 70% of the general public said they disapproved of Biden’s response to inflation, according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll.
NPR is on board with Biden
NPR says people who don’t buy it just don’t get it, they back the president’s assessment
The economy is strong but voters are not feeling it. This is a problem for Biden
Where is the Yakima economy
So who can unravel the truth? The website smart asset took a look at the economic situation in Washington:
Our study aims to identify the places in the United States that receive the most inbound investment in sectors such as business, real estate, government, and the local economy as a whole. To do this, we took into account three factors: the growth of commercial establishments, the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) and new building permits.
Washington state has 39 counties, and the big three of King, Snohomish, and Pierce do the best, but Smart Asset says among the top ten for economic development, you’ll find Yakima at No. 9.
Washington’s Top 10
Rank | County, State | Business growth | GDP growth (millions of dollars) | New building permits (per 1,000 dwellings) | GDP growth index |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | King, WA | 3.7% | $9,450 | 13.2 | 73.94 |
2 | Snohomish, WA | 5.7% | $2,581 | 18.6 | 35.50 |
3 | Pierce, WA | 6.8% | $2,487 | 14.2 | 34.98 |
4 | Spokane, WA | 5.0% | $1,801 | 14.6 | 31.13 |
5 | Clark, WA | 8.3% | $1,539 | 27.5 | 29.67 |
6 | Whatcom, WA | 4.4% | $915 | 14.3 | 26.18 |
7 | Thurston, WA | 5.8% | $862 | 10.0 | 25.88 |
8 | Kitsap, WA | 4.4% | $810 | 11.4 | 25.59 |
9 | Yakima, WA | 3.8% | $649 | 6.5 | 24.69 |
ten | Benton, WA | 10.7% | $633 | 17.6 | 24.60 |
More polls
In a US News and World Reports two months ago, a Quinnipiac Poll found that 30% of Americans rated the economy as excellent or good, with 68% rating it as fair or poor. That survey also found that despite record economic growth and job gains in Biden’s first year, 36% approve of the president’s handling of the economy and 57% disapprove.
The numbers show Yakima in the top ten growth counties in Washington state. BUT… do you feel it… or do you believe it?