Why is US President Joe Biden losing popularity?

Today, millions of Americans in 50 states and many US territories are trooping to the polls for this year's crucial midterm elections. More than 20 million have already done their early voting. The projections indicate that the Democrats will get a beating and they are likely to lose control over both the Senate and the House. This is very bad news for the president and the Democrats, as they prepare for the comeback of Donald Trump in 2024.

Historically, all US presidents in recent history have experienced a downturn just after assuming office. But the case of President Biden is the worst. His popularity rating peaked at 55% in March of 2021. From that time on, the rating has gone down, down and constantly and regularly down. Barack Obama and Bill Clinton had much better records. But one of the best was that of President George W. Bush, which soared to 88% in 2001due to his quick and decisive action after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Biden is seen as being indecisive, slow to decide and slower to act. He is being outshone by Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, and India's Narendra Modi.

The biggest culprit that drives Biden's growing unpopularity is inflation, which reached its highest point since 1980. In June this year, according to the ABC News, Biden's popularity rating was a very low 27%. Inflation is being exacerbated by rising gas prices. It has always been true that whenever prices of gas go up, presidential ratings always go down. American political scientists John Sides and Robert Griffin have made extensive studies and their research indicated that there is always a correlative relationship between inflation rates and presidential popularity ratings. The case of President Biden is even worse because even Democrat senators and congressmen are losing their trust in the president.

Trump might have been a nasty person, always divisive in his words and actions, but the economy under him was much better. He is a businessman and he had a better grasp of the socio-economic realities. Biden is a lawyer with not much grounding on finance and economics. His foreign relations records had also been dismal. He has not established enough leadership stature in the international community of nations. His leadership is not felt in ASEAN and his policies in the Asia-Pacific remain anchored on his vague principles of strategic ambiguity. Also, under his leadership, many historic and landmark decisions had been reversed by the Supreme Court, like the famous Roe vs. Wade.

The influx of illegal immigrants breaking into the southern borders from San Diego California to El Paso, Texas, and beyond towards the peripheries of Florida has been sending insecurity jitters to peace-loving Americans who fear the entry of drugs and crime. In fact, the rise of crime incidence, the hate attacks against Asians, including Filipinos, have alienated the Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, and other Asian immigrants. The Biden administration does not appear to be following a coherent, principle-based immigration policy.

Asians including Filipinos have always been largely pro-Democrats, with many exceptions, of course. But this time, there is a discernible pattern of exodus from the Democratic Party to the Republicans. At the end of the day, it is the economy that can make or unmake presidents. Joe Biden is a good man, a Catholic and a decent person. But his administration bungled the economy and they are going to pay dearly for their incompetence. Today, they will end up with much sadness and regrets. It's a pity, but that is how the cookie crumbles.