Professors weigh Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on midterm elections
“Biden has had one of the most consequential first terms in the domestic arena of any Democratic president in the modern era,” expert says
EVANSTON, Ill. --- With the expected passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 this week, political scientists at Northwestern University discuss how recent legislative achievements may shape the outcome of November’s consequential elections.
“Politics is not just about what you have achieved but also about what your opponents are offering as a counterpoint,” said American politics and presidential leadership expert Alvin Tillery.
Tillery is an associate professor of political science and African American studies and director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy in Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University. He can be reached at alvin.tillery@northwestern.edu.
Quote from Professor Tillery
“The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is a major legislative achievement for Congressional Democrats and President Joe Biden. The law is the most significant climate measure ever passed at the federal level, and it puts the nation on track to achieve most of President Biden’s pledges about significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. With this major victory, the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and his appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, President Biden has had one of the most consequential first terms in the domestic arena of any Democratic president in the modern era.
“While I think these achievements will earn him some leeway with progressive constituents and boost his poll numbers a bit, I do not think that they will be enough on their own to boost President Biden’s approval ratings and give the Democrats a tactical advantage in the midterms. This is so because it will take some time for Americans to feel the impact of these achievements. Fortunately for the Democrats, politics is not just about what you have achieved but also about what your opponents are offering as a counterpoint. The evidence from the Kansas referendum on abortion rights and the tracking poll on the generic ballot for control of Congress show that the Republicans have handed the Democrats a gift with their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The views on reproductive rights and the right to privacy are far out of the American mainstream, and I predict that they will continue to pay a price for their positions at the polls. In light of this context, the Democrats looking like serious, centrist legislators who are addressing real world problems will only bolster their chances of holding power in November.”
Jaime Dominguez is an associate professor of instruction in the department of political science at Northwestern. His research focuses on race and ethnicity, immigration, urban and Latino politics. He can be reached at j-dominguez@northwestern.edu.
Quote from Professor Dominguez
“The bill allows the Democratic party and its candidates to chalk up points with their base and independent voters. It also shows that the party cares and is working to provide economic relief at a time of high economic anxiety. It gives the party the much-needed agency to say ‘we are working for you, not the other way around.’”