Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from producer Raymond Rapada. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren A newly released public opinion poll suggests that it’s not enough for JOE BIDEN to simply say he is committed to lowering prices. He must do more to explain to voters what specific costs he’s been tackling. The poll, put together by Blueprint, a new public opinion research initiative, argues that Biden has to have a tailored message on inflation in order to win in 2024. Blueprint came on the scene in recent months with the goal of providing data about existing Democratic policies with an eye on the next election. The group has been putting out data and analysis on how these policies resonate with voters to help Dem operatives and campaigns — including Biden’s — pinpoint what is and what isn’t breaking through. Things are looking up for Biden and the economy as inflation cools and consumer sentiment rises. But prices remain a No. 1 concern for voters. Blueprint’s head pollster EVAN ROTH SMITH told West Wing Playbook that the White House and Biden campaign need to lean into the economic policy accomplishments that voters believe will help combat inflation. “The main lesson from this polling is that there is a policy set that the Biden administration could elevate further than it has — that voters believe will personally benefit them and believe will take on inflationary challenges writ large,” he said. Here are some of the most popular policies, according to the new poll, first obtained by West Wing Playbook. The survey, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Blueprint, sampled 1,012 voters nationwide in early December. — The president’s investment in agricultural supply chains: 78 percent of voters believed it would benefit them, while 54 percent said it would reduce inflation. — Reducing the deficit by $1.7 trillion: 65 percent said it would benefit them, while 49 percent said it would reduce inflation. — Using antitrust to enforce laws against price gouging and price fixing: 71 percent said it would benefit them, while 47 percent said it would reduce inflation. — Allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug pricing to lower prescription drug prices: 65 percent said it would benefit them, while 46 percent said it would reduce inflation. — Approving more permits for domestic oil and gas drilling than any previous president: 55 percent said it would benefit them, while 45 percent said it would reduce inflation. — And finally, banning junk fees…heard about this one before, maybe in this very newsletter?: 73 percent say it will benefit them, while 41 percent say it will reduce inflation. Policies that voters find least beneficial to them, and least likely to reduce inflation, include requiring labor union agreements on large federal construction projects, tax rebates for electric vehicle purchases, canceling $10,000 in student debt and standing with striking workers who want higher pay, according to the data. “We found things that he’s done that people really think will fight inflation. I think there’s no better illustration of that than the agricultural supply chain investments in saying, if this is testing this way, the White House needs to be leaning into this,” Roth Smith said. “Scream it from the mountain tops.” There is a belief among Biden officials that once the campaign dials up spending this year, the president’s policies will be at the forefront of voters’ minds. The question remains which issues they’ll decide to spend the most time on. “While Trump is running on wildly unpopular tax cuts for the rich, the president has a serious agenda to lower the cost of housing, prescription drugs, and other necessities. As people start to tune in more to the race, that contrast will become more apparent,” said BHARAT RAMAMURTI, former deputy director of the National Economic Council. White House spokesperson MICHAEL KIKUKAWA said the White House knows these policies are popular and plans to “ensure every American has heard” about them. “Recent elections show that Americans prefer those policies to trickle-down MAGAnomics, which raises health care costs and utility bills for families while giving tax cuts to the wealthy and special interests,” he said. MESSAGE US — Are you EMMA HUTCHINSON, adviser for clean energy innovation and implementation? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!
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