Comment: US election ‘trade-off’ between values and economy is a false choice

The idea that a Republican presidency is better for the economy is a fallacy, it has always performed better under Democratic administrations

US President Donald Trump addressing supporters during a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday: his party has no claim on sound economic management. Getty

One hears many strange things nowadays, not least because “they” are flooding the zone with misinformation. Without a shared set of facts upon which to base ethical and policy debates, democracy inevitably breaks down.

The system’s virtue lies in its unique ability to elevate and consider a broad range of ideas emanating from society. Ideally, through a good-faith exchange of arguments and a weighing of the alternatives, a majority of voters converges on the best ...