The Biden Misery Index has arrived

NEWS AND OPINION:

Feeling concerned, worried, annoyed, a little fearful and perhaps unsettled? Much of the population appears to be in the same boat.

The “Biden Misery Index” is now on the political radar, and the news may not be very promising for the White House. This handy phrase was cited by Just the News analyst Aaron Kliegman, who notes that the actual term “misery index” is not a new idea.

Indeed, the phrase was first coined in the mid-1960s by the late economist Arthur Okun, who was an adviser to former President Lyndon Johnson. It is meant to measure the economic distress of typical citizens by measuring levels of unemployment and the inflation rate. The “misery index” has been applied to the tenure of several presidents in past decades — and now it appears to be President Biden’s turn. The index hit 11.5% in January — the highest in a decade.

The Biden misery index is percolating upwards, Mr. Kliegman wrote, because Americans are now pessimistic about both the current state of the nation, as well as its future. There is reason for Democrats to worry.

“Public concern over crime, inflation, and other issues could spell trouble for Dems in November,” Mr. Kliegman observed.

A RUSH LIMBAUGH ANNIVERSARY

Thursday marks the first anniversary of the death of radio icon Rush Limbaugh, whose familiar voice, conservative beliefs and keen insight drew millions of listeners for over three decades.

Fox News will present an exclusive interview with his widow Kathryn Limbaugh, on Thursday to mark the anniversary, to be conducted by host Ainsley Earhardt during “Fox & Friends” The show airs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. EST daily.

“Marking the one-year anniversary of the radio icon’s passing, Limbaugh will dive into her husband’s remarkable career, their marriage, his cancer diagnosis along with his final days and legacy,” the network said in a statement.

An extended version of the interview will later be featured on Fox Nation, a video streaming platform.

“Limbaugh first launched his signature ‘Rush Limbaugh Show’ into national syndication with 56 radio stations. At its peak, the show was heard on more than 600 stations by up to 27 million people each week,” according to a biography at RushLimbaugh.com.

But the best, perhaps, was yet to come.

In an unprecedented move on Feb. 4, 2020, then-President Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Limbaugh during the State of the Union address.

“Here tonight is a special man, someone beloved by millions of Americans who just received a Stage 4 advanced cancer diagnosis. This is not good news, but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet,” Mr. Trump said, praising Limbaugh for his “decades of tireless devotion to our country.”

THE LONE STAR FACTOR

Texas leads the nation in primary election races: Lone Star State voters will be the first to go to the polls on March 1 to decide the fate of primary candidates. President Biden will give his first State of the Union address on that very date — but that is another story altogether.

“The March 1 primary in Texas has lots of things to excite conservatives and supporters of former President Donald Trump, and may offer some key insights on things to look for heading into later primaries coming up in the spring and summer, as well as the general election in November,” predicts Matthew Boyle, a Breitbart political analyst.

“This is the first regularly scheduled primary election in the 2022 cycle, and therefore the first opportunity to test Trump’s endorsement in his post-presidency. Trump has endorsed in a boatload of Texas races this year, and has a lot riding on the line starting in the Lone Star State,” Mr. Boyle said.

Indeed, Mr. Trump has endorsed 20 hopefuls or incumbents, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Dawn Buckingham — who is challenging George P. Bush, son of Jeb Bush, for Texas land commissioner.

“How Trump fares on these races — especially if he wins all or most of them — could influence how aggressive he gets in future primaries down the road elsewhere in America,” Mr. Boyle notes in his analysis.

IS IT FRIDAY YET?

Things have been looking grim for Democrats in the midterm elections, now less than nine months away.

So is it Friday yet? That is the question that weary House Democrats must be asking themselves, says National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Berg.

“This week has been brutal. Politico reported on internal Democratic Congressional Committee polling showing they are losing by four percentage points on the generic ballot, and that GOP attacks on Democrats’ support for defunding police and open borders are alarmingly potent,” he points out in a statement.

“On Tuesday, Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York became the 30th Democrat to call it quits. And Democrat school board members were successfully recalled in San Francisco because they focused too much on Democrats’ woke agenda,” Mr. Berg continues.

He has advice for Democratic lawmakers: “The midterms are coming. Retire or lose.”

THE ICE CREAM FACTOR

“The only state where Joe Biden is at 50% approval is Vermont. We’re not yet sure if Biden has lost Ben & Jerry, but give it time,” advises Twitchy.com, a news and opinion site.

“Ben & Jerry” — with the ampersand — of course refers to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who founded Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company in 1978 in Burlington, Vermont, and have been very open about their progressive values. There is, in fact, a whole “Progressive Values” section at the company’s website.

POLL DU JOUR

• 52% of U.S. voters have an unfavorable opinion of Republicans in Congress; 17% of Republicans, 62% of independents, 78% of Democrats, 54% of men and 50% of women agree.

• 39% have a favorable opinion of the Republicans in Congress; 80% of Republicans, 23% of independents, 13% of Democrats, 39% of men and 39% of women agree.

• 6% overall have heard of Republicans in Congress but have no opinion; 2% of Republicans, 11% of independents, 7% of Democrats, 5% of men and 8% of women agree.

• 2% overall have never heard of Republicans in Congress; 2% of Republicans, 3% of independents, 2% of Democrats, 1% of men and 3% of women agree.

SOURCE: A Politico/Morning Consult poll of 2,005 registered U.S. voters conducted Feb. 12-13.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @Harperbulletin.