{"id":711,"date":"2025-06-05T03:47:54","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T03:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/?p=711"},"modified":"2025-06-20T02:48:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T02:48:20","slug":"us-election-japanese-resident-view","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/us-election-japanese-resident-view\/","title":{"rendered":"The U.S. Presidential Election: Local Atmosphere Through the Eyes of a Japanese Resident of 20 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!-- ===== Helper CSS (\u30d5\u30a9\u30f3\u30c8\u3068\u30cf\u30a4\u30e9\u30a4\u30c8) ===== --><\/p>\n<style>\nbody{\n  font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,\"Segoe UI\",Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;\n  line-height:1.55;color:#111;\n}\n.hl-yellow{background:#ffeb3b;padding:0 4px;}   \/* \u8981\u70b9\u30fb\u80af\u5b9a *\/\n.hl-blue  {background:#99f9ff;padding:0 4px;}   \/* \u6ce8\u610f\u30fb\u8ab2\u984c *\/\n.center{position:relative;width:100%;max-width:640px;margin:1em auto}\n.center iframe{position:absolute;inset:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;}\n<\/style>\n<h2 class=\"styled_h2\">What&#8217;s at Stake in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election?<\/h2>\n<p>Hi\u2014Suzuki here from Eco Drive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In this post I&#8217;ll share what it feels like to experience a U.S. presidential race up close, and then dive into the key themes shaping the 2024 contest.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first half is a broad, evergreen look at how U.S. elections work, so even if you&#8217;re reading this after 2024, you&#8217;ll still find plenty of useful context.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prefer video? Watch the full breakdown here:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"center\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;\">\n  <iframe title=\"U.S. Presidential Elections: How They Differ from Japan\"\n          src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OqL-W4MvQdE\"\n          allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>The videos embedded in this article are narrated in Japanese, <strong>but English subtitles are available.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">1. Voter Engagement Runs Deep in the United States<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18764\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecodriveondemand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\u30a2\u30a4\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30c1P2.png\" alt=\"Americans take presidential elections seriously\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>First, let&#8217;s talk about how seriously Americans take their elections.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve lived in the U.S. since 2004 and have been through several campaign cycles.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">What always strikes me is the sheer level of public engagement\u2014especially when the White House is on the line.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>During a presidential year the atmosphere shifts up a gear: candidates blanket every media channel, debates dominate prime time, and whole communities rally around voter drives.<\/p>\n<p>The result is a nation that treats Election Day like a civic Super Bowl\u2014everyone has an opinion, and nearly everyone shows up to play.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Campaign Season Transforms the Look and Feel of Every Town<\/h3>\n<p><center><br \/>\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Scenes You'll Only See During a U.S. Presidential Campaign\"\n          src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ccp3U9jzGnw\"\n          width=\"282\" height=\"500\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/center><\/p>\n<p><strong>Once election season kicks into gear, you can literally feel it on the streets.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Volunteers line busy intersections waving oversized placards, pitching their candidate to passing cars and pedestrians.<\/p>\n<p>Ordinary households join in, too\u2014yard signs and porch banners shout, &#8220;This home backs Trump!&#8221; or &#8220;We&#8217;re with Hillary!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In Japan, most campaigning is handled by the candidate&#8217;s own team, but in the U.S. community members roll up their sleeves and get involved at a grass-roots level.<\/p>\n<p>One company I worked for had a big parking lot and some spare office space; during the Obama years, we even donated the site as an official polling station\u2014run entirely by local volunteers.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Turnout Is Relatively High, Too<\/h3>\n<p><strong><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">That grass-roots energy shows up in the numbers on Election Day.<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the 2020 presidential race, <strong>66.8&nbsp;% of eligible Americans cast a ballot<\/strong>\u2014roughly two-thirds of the electorate.<\/p>\n<p>For comparison, turnout in Japan&#8217;s most recent Lower House election was about 55&nbsp;%, a gap of more than 15 percentage points.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">America&#8217;s Two-Party System: Democrats vs. Republicans<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18766\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecodriveondemand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\u30a2\u30a4\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30c1\u305d\u306e\u4ed63-3.png\" alt=\"U.S. two-party system: Democrats and Republicans\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Two main factors, in my view, drive this high level of civic engagement.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\"><strong>The first is America&#8217;s entrenched two-party system.<\/strong><\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Every presidential race comes down to a Democrat versus a Republican.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Choosing a president therefore means choosing which party\u2014and which worldview\u2014will steer the country for the next four years.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Because policy agendas differ sharply between the parties, the election outcome can reshape national priorities and touch people&#8217;s day-to-day lives in very tangible ways\u2014so voters pay close attention.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">How Does Japan Compare?<\/h3>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-blue\">Japan, by contrast, posts some of the lowest turnout numbers among industrialized nations.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>A big reason, many analysts argue, is that the Liberal Democratic Party has held power for most of the post-war era.<\/p>\n<p>When voters assume the ruling party won&#8217;t change, they often feel the election won&#8217;t change much either.<\/p>\n<p>That &#8220;nothing will really be different no matter who wins&#8221; mindset\u2014especially common among younger voters\u2014helps explain why so many stay home on polling day.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">A Direct Vote for the Nation&#8217;s Top Leader<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Another turnout booster is the way the United States actually picks its president\u2014by direct popular vote (filtered through the Electoral College), rather than through an internal party process.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Because citizens feel they themselves are choosing the country&#8217;s top decision-maker, their personal stake in the outcome naturally rises.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Add to that a distinctly American fondness for &#8220;hero&#8221; narratives.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>From comic books to blockbuster movies, U.S. pop culture loves a champion who swoops in and defeats the bad guys.<\/p>\n<p>Many voters bring that same mindset to politics: they want a strong leader who can break the gridlock and &#8220;save the day.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That yearning for a decisive hero is part of what keeps the presidential race front-and-center in the public imagination.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">2. How Democrats and Republicans Differ<\/h3>\n<p>The second topic is the key differences between the two major parties.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Democrats are generally described as &#8220;liberal.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In American politics, liberal means prioritizing diversity while pursuing social fairness and equality. Democrats tend to favor innovation and progress over strict adherence to tradition.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Policy areas they traditionally emphasize include:<\/mark><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Social safety nets and public assistance<\/li>\n<li>Education funding<\/li>\n<li>Environmental protection<\/li>\n<li>Expanding access to healthcare<\/li>\n<li>Raising the minimum wage<\/li>\n<li>Combating climate change<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The party&#8217;s color is blue, and states that reliably vote Democratic are nicknamed <em>&#8220;blue states.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Republicans, by contrast, are known as &#8220;conservative.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Conservatives are generally cautious about rapid change and place a higher value on traditional principles, social order, and limited government intervention.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Their core policy focus has historically been:<\/mark><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Economic growth through free-market policies<\/li>\n<li>National defense and military strength<\/li>\n<li>Tax cuts to spur investment and job creation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The GOP&#8217;s signature color is red, and states that lean Republican are called <em>&#8220;red states.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Who Backs Each Party?<\/h3>\n<p>Traditionally, <strong>Democrats have drawn much of their strength from blue-collar and unionized workers<\/strong>\u2014voters who see the party as a champion of wages, workplace protections, and social programs.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Republican base was once dominated by college-educated white voters<\/strong> who favored low taxes and limited government.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">But voting blocs are shifting.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>In recent cycles, a noticeable slice of Hispanic and Black voters\u2014groups that leaned Democratic for decades\u2014have moved toward the GOP.<\/p>\n<p>Where these communities ultimately land could decide the next election, making them the swing constituency both parties are chasing hardest.<\/p>\n<p><center><br \/>\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How a New President Can Shift the National Mood\"\n          src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yirofAkN8HM\"\n          width=\"282\" height=\"500\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/center><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">3. When the President Changes, the Mood of the Nation Shifts<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecodriveondemand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\u30a2\u30a4\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30c1\u305d\u306e\u4ed61.png\" alt=\"A new president, a new national mood\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>For our third point, let me share how the country&#8217;s atmosphere has shifted each time a new president took office.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">During my years in the U.S. I&#8217;ve lived through several transitions, and each one felt like the nation hit the reset button on its overall mood.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Take 2009, when George W. Bush handed the keys to Barack Obama\u2014just months after the Lehman Brothers collapse.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-blue\">The economy was in free-fall, and I remember Japanese companies pulling up stakes and retreating home.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p><strong>Obama&#8217;s team quickly rolled out major stimulus programs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unemployment, which had been climbing relentlessly, finally leveled off, and a sense of optimism crept back into everyday conversation.<\/p>\n<p>You could literally feel the country&#8217;s outlook brighten as the recovery slowly took hold.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">How the Obama Years Affected Everyday Life: Enter Obamacare<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The single most memorable policy shift of the Obama era was the Affordable Care Act\u2014better known as &#8220;Obamacare.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For me, it was a lifesaver.<\/p>\n<p>Back in late 2001 I quit my salaried job to start my own business.<\/p>\n<p>Along with my corporate ID badge, I also gave up employer-sponsored health coverage\u2014and I had no idea how steep individual premiums could be.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-blue\">The sticker shock was real. Cash flow at a brand-new startup is razor-thin, and I simply didn&#8217;t have thousands of dollars to throw at private insurance.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Going uninsured wasn&#8217;t an option, but paying full freight looked impossible\u2014until Obamacare rolled out.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Because the law ties subsidies to your income, I qualified for significant help. Overnight my monthly premium dropped to a level a young entrepreneur could actually afford.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>That financial breathing room let me keep building the business instead of scrambling just to cover medical bills.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Clean-Energy Push Under Obama: A Quieter, Greener Roadway<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Another signature move by the Obama administration was its big bet on clean energy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>New fuel-economy standards spurred automakers to roll out ever-thriftier models, and EV development kicked into high gear.<\/p>\n<p>Back in 2008\u20132009 gasoline prices spiked to eye-watering highs.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Overnight the public fell in love with hybrids like the Prius, trading thirsty SUVs for fuel-sippers at a record pace.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Federal rebates sweetened the deal, so new-car sales surged\u2014and the average vehicle on the road got noticeably newer and more efficient.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The vibe on the streets changed, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Where once lifted SUVs and drag-strip exhausts shook the pavement, they gradually gave way to quieter, cleaner cars.<\/p>\n<p>I remember thinking: the whole city just sounded calmer.<\/p>\n<p><center>\u3010Catch the second half of the discussion here\u3011<\/center><\/p>\n<div class=\"center\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;\">\n  <iframe title=\"Key Battlegrounds in the 2024 Race: Trump vs. Harris\"\n          src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wTARjuaBkq0\"\n          allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">What Changed When Trump Took Office<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18770\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecodriveondemand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\u30a2\u30a4\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30c1\u305d\u306e\u4ed615.png\" alt=\"Changes under the Trump administration\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">The hand-off from Barack Obama to Donald Trump came with a crystal-clear slogan: &#8220;Make America Great Again.&#8221;<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That rallying cry fueled huge expectations\u2014especially in the business community\u2014that Trump could deliver a dramatic economic turnaround.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The marquee policy was an aggressive tax overhaul.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Corporate tax rates plunged from 35 % to 21 %, freeing up cash for companies to pour into new plants, equipment, and hiring.<\/p>\n<p>Wages climbed, payrolls expanded, and profits swelled\u2014sparking a powerful bull run on Wall Street.<\/p>\n<p><strong><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">GDP growth accelerated, and unemployment fell into the 3 % range\u2014its lowest level in half a century.<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With the U.S. economy humming, more Japanese firms jumped into the market, and the business landscape felt genuinely super-charged.<\/p>\n<p><center><br \/>\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What the 2017 Trump Administration Actually Did | Life in the U.S.\"\n          src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F658EnvSesc\"\n          width=\"282\" height=\"500\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/center><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Pandemic Response Under the Trump Administration<\/h3>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the U.S. economy took a massive hit\u2014but Washington moved fast with sweeping relief measures.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Personally, I never felt distrust or frustration toward the federal response, and I rarely heard complaints from fellow business owners.<\/p>\n<p>What stood out most was the <em>speed<\/em>: stimulus checks, payroll-protection loans, emergency grants\u2014new programs seemed to roll out almost overnight.<\/p>\n<p>And it wasn&#8217;t just top-down aid. At the community level, local groups mobilized donation drives and mutual-aid funds in record time.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than skepticism, I felt a sense of &#8220;Only in America&#8221;\u2014confidence that the government and our neighbors alike would step up and make sure no one was left behind.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">4. Looking Ahead to the 2024 Election<\/h3>\n<p>With all that history in mind, where does the race stand today?<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">The GOP is running former President Donald Trump, while the Democrats have put forward Vice President Kamala Harris.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Most polling shows a razor-thin margin, but the consensus right now gives Trump a slight edge.<\/p>\n<p>Whoever wins will steer the country in very different directions.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>If Trump returns to the White House<\/strong> we&#8217;d likely see a renewed focus on pro-business tax and regulation cuts, plus a tougher line on immigration.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If Harris prevails<\/strong> expect a stronger push for liberal social programs, climate action, and an expanded safety net.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s path to victory would rest on three pillars:<\/p>\n<p>1&nbsp;) an intensely loyal base,<\/p>\n<p>2&nbsp;) the economic track record many remember from his first term, and<\/p>\n<p>3&nbsp;) the perception that his business instincts can once again jump-start growth.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18772\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecodriveondemand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\u30a2\u30a4\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30c16-10.png\" alt=\"Donald Trump and Kamala Harris\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Even critics concede that Trump&#8217;s first term was\u2014love it or hate it\u2014largely &#8220;promise made, promise kept.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-blue\">He also delivered his share of inflammatory rhetoric, especially on immigration, and those remarks still cast a shadow.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Yet for many voters the perceived results\u2014tax cuts, a booming stock market, low unemployment\u2014outweighed the controversies.<\/p>\n<p>Harris, meanwhile, vaulted into the spotlight as Joe Biden&#8217;s designated successor.<\/p>\n<p>Some pundits argue her media &#8220;honeymoon&#8221; may have been her high-water mark so far.<\/p>\n<p>She hasn&#8217;t fully fleshed out a signature policy slate, and\u2014despite an impressive r\u00e9sum\u00e9 as a former prosecutor and California attorney general\u2014skeptics question how she would perform as commander-in-chief.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">5. How 2024 Differs from the 2016 Trump-Clinton Showdown<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Trump-versus-Hillary race in 2016 was a global media spectacle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Back then, public opinion toward Donald Trump felt far more skeptical.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">Many\u2014including myself\u2014wondered whether a candidate with so little political experience could really handle the Oval Office.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>Fast-forward to today and the mood has shifted.<\/p>\n<p>Four years in the White House gave voters a front-row seat to Trump&#8217;s business-style decision-making and executive instincts.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, the 2024 conversation is less about &#8220;Can he do the job?&#8221; and more about whether people <em>liked<\/em> the results they saw the first time around.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">A Brush With Assassination\u2014Luck Still on His Side<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The recent assassination attempt was nothing short of shocking.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A bullet whizzed past Trump&#8217;s face, missing by inches\u2014an escape that can only be called miraculous.<\/p>\n<p>The now-iconic photo of him, blood running down his cheek while he thrusts a fist skyward beneath the American flag, felt like an image straight out of a textbook on U.S. leadership.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">I&#8217;m not the only one who came away thinking, &#8220;This man seems to have fate on his side.&#8221;<\/mark> Many Americans appeared to draw the same conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Heading into November, the question is how voters will weigh that dramatic moment\u2014and Trump&#8217;s prior record\u2014when they decide whether to give him a second term.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">6. How the Trump Years Looked From a Business Owner&#8217;s Chair<\/h3>\n<p>From an entrepreneur&#8217;s standpoint, the previous Trump administration was a decidedly pro-business era.<\/p>\n<p>Broad tax cuts and aggressive deregulation reshaped the playing field almost overnight.<\/p>\n<p><strong><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">My own company was able to ramp up capital spending and hire more staff\u2014opportunities we could not have afforded under the old tax burden.<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We weren&#8217;t alone. Across the U.S. many small- and mid-sized firms used those savings to expand operations, launch new product lines, and generally take risks they might otherwise have postponed.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">What Would a Second Trump Term Mean for the EV Industry?<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18775\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecodriveondemand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/\u30a2\u30a4\u30ad\u30e3\u30c3\u30c1T4\u30ed\u30b4\u306a\u3057.png\" alt=\"How a Trump comeback might impact the electric-vehicle sector\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Under a Democratic administration, environmental protections and social programs usually get a boost.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-blue\">A return to a Trump-led GOP, however, could put extra pressure on certain industries.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>The former president has already said he would eliminate federal incentives for electric vehicles\u2014a change that could sting automakers, battery suppliers, and charging-network companies alike.<\/p>\n<p>Without those tax credits and rebates, the entire EV ecosystem might find its growth curve flattening just as it&#8217;s gearing up for mass adoption.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Will Immigration Rules Tighten Again?<\/h3>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-blue\">Immigration is the other big wild card.<\/mark><\/p>\n<p>If Washington makes work visas harder to get, companies like ours\u2014staffed largely by expats\u2014could struggle to secure talent.<\/p>\n<p>Fewer new arrivals would also shrink our potential customer base and, in turn, our revenue.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"styled_h3\">Looking Back at Trump&#8217;s First Term<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The interesting thing is that during Trump&#8217;s previous four years, most of those worst-case fears never materialized for legal applicants.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Policy crackdowns focused mainly on undocumented immigration, while properly filed visa petitions continued to move forward much as before.<\/p>\n<p>So while the rhetoric can sound tough, the practical impact on law-abiding foreign workers might again prove limited.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, there are legitimate concerns. But weighing the pros and cons, I suspect the broader economy\u2014thanks to pro-business tax and regulatory stances\u2014could still net out positive over the long run.<\/p>\n<p><mark class=\"hl-yellow\">In short, each administration brings trade-offs, yet from a strictly business perspective a second Trump term would likely tilt the playing field in favor of owners and entrepreneurs.<\/mark><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What&#8217;s at Stake in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election? Hi\u2014Suzuki here from Eco Drive. In this post I&#8217;ll share what it feels like to experience a U.S. presidential race up close, and then dive into the key themes shaping the 2024 contest. The first half is a broad, evergreen look at how U.S. elections work, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-life-immigration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=711"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1398,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711\/revisions\/1398"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecodriveautosales.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}