US job seekers put their vote where their wallet is: 'Money went a lot further four years ago'
The financial health of America – and the taxpayers who support it – seems to be a top ticket issue in the 2024 presidential election, especially for those who are looking for work.
"I just want the younger generations to have a future… that's what I'm most worried about… just because I feel like America and the world is kind of all on fire," Rochelle Koperdak from Dayton, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.
"How about just focusing on getting jobs done? I'd like to see more of that, more results from their actions," said Lori Willis from Pace, Florida. "I feel like they all have the power to do what's right, and I feel like they all have their hands tied by a pack, and that's really sickening."
"Are [the candidates] going to make my company more politically correct or are they going to increase my company's functionality?" asked Cheryl Persson of California
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The three voters are all open to work and currently seeking new employment, and recently took part in RedBalloon and PublicSq.’s joint Freedom Economy Index survey for job seekers.
Out of the nearly 100,000 active employees included in the survey, seven in 10 said their personal finance situation is either "worse" or "much worse" today than one year ago.
What's more, Koperdak, Willis and Persson also agreed that their financial situation is much worse than four years ago.
"Back then, with Trump in office, I felt a lot more secure. He had the [Tax Cuts and Jobs Act], and that lowered the taxes for both individuals and businesses," Koperdak, a civilian program contract manager for the U.S. Air Force, explained.
"That kind of gave everyone more breathing room. Plus, I feel like he focused on deregulation, which helped businesses grow and create more jobs."
"Now under the Biden administration," she continued, "we're kind of seeing the effects of increased regulation and the policies that seem to prioritize government spending over private sector growth. And I feel like the difference is that economic stability we had under Trump."
"I was a full-time employee," Willis, an interior designer, pointed out, "a federal contractor to the government. The contract ran out, so now I've resorted back to offering interior design services on my own. That has kept me afloat, but I would much rather prefer to have a steady, full-time position with a design company or an architectural firm, which is what I've done in the past."
"My family's income hasn't changed, but our comfort level has significantly decreased," stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher Persson said. "Money went a lot further four years ago. We were able to cover our bills and still have money saved. The economy has plummeted with the current administration, and to add on to that, where I live in California, the cost of living is much higher."
Additionally, 44% of the survey respondents said they aren’t making enough take-home pay to cover their daily expenses. The three job-seekers detailed feeling the most financial pressure from rising grocery costs, health care bills and the housing market.
"Health care costs [are] probably the most expensive for my family right now. That along with food costs and rising inflation," Willis said. "But I wouldn't say it would be my No. 1 ticket issue. My No. 1 ticket issue would be to get the border closed."
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After preparing for hurricane season and gathering supplies, Willis also mentioned that her family considered dipping into their emergency non-perishables "just to get by."
Persson said what’s most challenging is "not being able to purchase a house," as it’s a "symptom of a bigger issue. It all circles back to economic health. We as a country are economically unwell. As is with most elections, the economy is in the forefront."
During Trump’s term, Koperdak allegedly owned two homes she earned revenue from as rental properties, but was forced to sell both and relocate herself due to expensive up-keep in recent years.
"Inflation is just out of control. That's the only word I have for it. Everything from groceries to gas is more expensive," Koperdak said.
"With the Biden administration cutting fossil fuels, transitioning to green energy very quickly, I feel like we've seen higher energy costs which trickle down to everything else in life. So this is my top-ticket issue, definitely heading into November. I want a candidate who will bring back the policies that help keep costs down."
All three career hopefuls put an emphasis on private sector job creation policies having an impact on their vote. Fox News previously reported that 16% of new jobs created under the Biden administration were government or public sector, while Trump saw a 7.4% government job growth.
Economists have also shot down the Biden-Harris "misleading" claim that there’s been a booming post-COVID job market, as U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data has shown the economy added 6.33 million jobs in Trump’s first three years in office, more than double Biden’s figure.
"I am definitely pessimistic if [Harris] is our president. I just felt a sickness in my stomach, whenever I imagine that," Willis said. "But if Trump manages to get back in office, I feel like he can turn the ship back around to where it was."
"If the election was held today, I would 100% vote for Donald Trump," Persson noted. "He's shown himself to be a strong president who has a great love for this country and its people. With that love and caring comes an ease of leadership. With that leadership comes strength, and with strength comes respect. Respect for America's president has been nonexistent both at home and internationally for the past four years."
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"I'd vote for the candidate who's committed to bringing Trump's policies back, which is Trump himself," Koperdak said. "We had lower taxes, fewer regulations and a focus on American jobs."
"The Biden administration… I believe it's really hurt the economy," she continued. "And I feel like since Biden has had almost four years to fix it, it should be back up again… I'd choose a candidate who prioritizes economic freedom and lower taxes and job creation, because those are the policies that made me feel financially secure, and that I could succeed."