Forget Growth as Democratic Strategy

National GDP growth rates are a poor guide to what voters reward in elections. Politicians should prioritize short‑term, visible policies (affordability, price stability, immediate public services and salient foreign‑policy stances) rather than grand plans to boost long‑run GDP that neither persuade voters nor map neatly onto government capacity. — If adopted, this reframing would reorient party platforms, budget priorities, and the public argument about the role of federal economic policy in everyday life and electoral politics.