The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

President Donald Trump came into office four years ago with promises of “draining the swamp” and bringing back manufacturing jobs. Instead, he has used his power as president to further entrench special interest groups and make large corporations and billionaires even richer. Workers around the country have watched as prices for goods and services have gone up and their wages have stagnated. Here in Wisconsin, dairy farms have been closing at an alarming rate, and all too many mom-and-pop businesses have turned the lights off and closed their doors for the last time.

Working families have been struggling for the last four years because of Trump’s policies. The economy isn’t working for working people and the blame lies squarely with Trump. Instead of taking measures to make it easier for working families to make ends meet, Trump brags about the stock market. The stock market is irrelevant for most Wisconsinites because most of us don’t have extra income to invest.

While workers in Wisconsin have struggled to make ends meet the last four years, the rich have been doing better than ever. Trump’s tax cuts for the rich enabled CEOs to sign bigger bonuses for themselves.

Not only did workers’ wages not rise, Trump denied them basic benefits and protections.

Trump has destabilized the economy across the country. Wisconsin has been affected by Trump’s actions more than most. His erratic trade wars have been devastating for Wisconsin manufacturers and thousands of factory workers lost their jobs in the Badger state.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world earlier this year. At the moment, the outbreak in Wisconsin is growing rapidly. Trump has failed to protect Wisconsinites by failing to formulate a plan in response to the pandemic. Millions of jobs disappeared and more than 200,000 people have died. If the president had focused on understanding the problem and working to solve it rather than obsessing over his T.V. ratings and poll numbers, we would be in a much better place now.

Factory workers, farmers, manufacturers, and the communities they support are hurting worse than ever because of Trump’s ineffective leadership. Trump’s attempts to strip away health care, medicare, and social security, especially now, could lead to financial ruin for thousands of Wisconsinites who depend on these services. We literally cannot afford four more years of Trump’s economic policies.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris have a comprehensive plan to not just recover from COVID-19, but to ensure the dignity and livelihoods of workers across the country, reinvest in American manufacturing, and build the economy back better than it was before. It is absolutely crucial for working families to have a president who understands what they are going through and actually cares enough to do something about it. It is in the best interest of workers to vote for Biden and Harris on November 3.

– Brown is a factory worker, activist, and voter who lives in Green Bay. He is an active member of the Democratic Party of Brown County.

 

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