As Donald Trump takes office on Monday, we need to think about how his administration will be evaluated, especially in terms of its economic success.
Since the pandemic, the US Economy has outperformed its peers on several measures, making it the object of envy around the globe.
But the inevitable problem is that the American people do not share that view, as Joe Biden and the Democrats found out in November.
The divergence between Americans' confidence in the economy and the actual robustness of the economy suggests that traditional economic indicators are inadequate for assessing Trump's tenure in office.
Income inequality
The primary focus of Trump's 2017 inaugural address was the restoration of power and prosperity to the populace.
It would be more suitable to evaluate criteria outside growth or GDP this time around.
The income gap widened under Trump's first administration and is now at an all-time high.
Two of the candidates, trump and Biden, have pointed to manufacturing as a potential solution.
However, the percentage of workers employed in factories is at an all-time low.
The disparity in opportunity extends far beyond economics, wealth, and employment.
Housing
Voters' concerns about the economy in the last election went beyond rising food costs and unchecked inflation in the wake of the outbreak.
The American dream appeared out of reach for many Americans even before the pandemic.
Homeownership, which is its foundational principle, seems more elusive now than it has in decades.
One possible metric by which Trump's presidency may be evaluated is the ease with which people can buy a property.
Tech & power
The future of the United States may also depend on Trump's newfound friendship with tech magnates.
The possible outcomes could be the focus on artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and a tech-bro worldview.
The possible results are drastically different, although this is difficult to quantify.
While crypto at least increases Americans' wealth, AI increases their productivity and happiness.
On the other hand, we have the dystopian scenario where unchecked AI does more than just eliminate jobs.
And another crypto bubble causes a financial disaster because it is not regulated.
Golden era?
The US Is entering a golden era that undermines the ability of regular people to thrive, Biden said in a farewell address last week.
Perhaps the most important metric for Trump's presidency will be how accurate that assertion is.
When we look at the biggest economy in the world in four years, will American voters still see the same thing?
Alternatively, will they be even more disillusioned upon seeing a land controlled by oligarchs?
(With inputs from the agencies)