CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – “It’s the economy, stupid” was political strategist James Carville’s 1992 campaign message to Bill Clinton’s people then… and UVA Economist Ed Burton tells Morning News that’s the message from this 2024 campaign. More specifically, it’s inflation in this case, which he says has devastated roughly 70-percent of Americans. Burton says wealthier Americans feel inflation less, and Trump made more inroads among lower income Americans which shows even in our local polling precinct numbers.

Burton says the main cause of inflation has been the fed printing money and buying debt, and the other issue pushing interest rates high is the SIZE of that debt. He says this inflation is not going to be easily or quickly handled.