Hey Reader,

Ah - the first presidential debate of the season is upon us. Tonight President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will take the debate stage in Atlanta at 9:00 pm EST for a historic event. It will be the first time a president and former president have ever debated. It will also showcase two historic nominees - President Biden who is now the oldest President in history and former President Trump who is the only president to be criminally convicted.

The sad thing? These televised national debates have turned into an entertainment spectacle. Quick quips perfect for a 30 second ad blitz have replaced elevated discussions around policy and the role government should play. We track speaking time as if he who talks more is the victor. The event itself has even become commercialized - moving away from public media sources to syndicated broadcast stations behind a paywall. In reality, these debates are now an opportunity to entertain the American public. It is American Idol on steroids, but the victor has tremendous power over our lives.

And that is a problem that we all hold responsibility for.

We can tune in tonight and play into being entertained or we can task ourselves with the responsibility to show up to these debates with an open, but critical mind - raising the bar for each candidate because anything less isn't worthy of the title of President of the United States. In this spirit and through the lens of Faithonomics' work, I want to share a few suggestions on what not to do tonight at 9:00pm EST if you plan to tune in.

Do not fall for the argument that a president is responsible for inflation. Sure, a president can implement policy to respond to inflation, but our economy is a mighty and complex beast that even the power of the oval office cannot control. This is why the Federal Reserve exists and why it is fiercely independent of partisan politics. Inflation also isn't just a result of policy - greed, supply & demand, and innovation all play a role. Want to learn more? I suggest this New Yorker article or this Yahoo! Finance article.
Do not fall for the argument that low unemployment rates equals economic advancement. As of May 2024, the unemployment rate in the United States was at 4% or around 6.6. million people - which historically speaking is low. Yet, 41.9 million people use SNAP benefits (i.e. food stamps) and 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck (according to a Payroll.org survey in 2023). Sure - unemployment is low, but are we providing high paying, quality jobs or simply hiding behind a statistic because it makes us look good?
Do not overlook it when a candidate pivots away from a question. This will happen often tonight. The moderator will ask one question and the candidates will simply choose not to answer it or to pivot to something they can celebrate instead. Candidates have become so efficient at this bait and switch that by the time they've concluded, we've forgotten the original question that was asked. Choose to be critical and figure out why they didn't want to answer that question in the first place.

I do have one final piece of advice and it may be my most important: Do not keep watching if you find yourself getting stressed or emotional. I'm serious. Neither candidate deserves that power over you. Practice your self-care now because this political season is just beginning. Have FOMO? Don't - everything will be recapped in the news over the next few days. This presidential election is important, but so are you and your wellbeing.

With Wild Imagination,

-Rayce

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