I have never logged into my bank or savings account and wondered if it was forward that day. When I worked in finance, no client ever asked me if the stock market or their brokerage account was forward today. It was always, “Am I up or down,” and by what percentage. This may seem obvious, but the distinction is both material and meaningful when it comes to elections. This election may be one of the most impactful votes or deposits you make on your future for the next four years and beyond. The account is America, her balance is low and the debt is high. Now, forward is on the ballot, but I believe upward is too.

Remember, the dominant narrative for the past decade-plus was queued up by MSNBC in October of 2010 with its Lean Forward campaign. Next came Clinton’s rip-off of the FedEx logo design with the arrow in the H, prompting Obama’s logo designer to claim her’s was intended to “express the idea of moving America forward” in 2015. The newest iteration of this neuro-linguistic mind trick is to make one think a vote for Harris will help us all chart a new way forward, whereas a vote for Trump will take us backward or back in time.

The truth is, this election and every election is about moving upward or downward, hence the Regan dictum “are you better off” than you were four years ago. I recently wrote that the Harris tax plan is not based in reality or what Americans need. Both parties share the blame on our national debt and the logical constraints this will place on our nation over the next two decades.

The decision on the ballot is between one that will continue in stagnant growth, government dominating the economy, and battles with inflation due to interest ballooning and bond market realism, or one predicated on energy dominance, a growing economy more focused on manufacturing, private sector dynamism through innovation, and overall smaller government. My life experience and judgment tell me Harris is the former and Trump the latter despite what elites may say.

The past four years have brought us forward enough! But, the nation was moving upward during the first Trump presidency with all its flaws and ginned up media hatred before COVID struck. No one has articulated a better vision for America than one that puts her citizens first, economy first, prioritizes American interests internationally on trade, wars and alliances than former President Trump. He could strengthen the contrast by simply saying, “I want to lift all Americans up and will pursue policies that do such over the next term.”

A bold upward agenda would stipulate real improvement in the quality of life to be achieved, on tangible terms like better education, increasing wages, safer communities and economic growth. (News flash to team Trump and Harris who both tout the stock market: It’s not an economic indicator, is inflated and prone to bubbles.) The upward idea encapsulates ambition, excellence and aspiration, each something worth striving for, but realizing it will take effort and sacrifice.

Neither party seems willing to sacrifice any ground, but the journey upward will require each of us to give some for the sake of the nation. Upward is about empowering our people and communities to climb higher and reach their own individual peaks of success. Ecclesiastical leaders often encourage us to choose higher ground or journey to higher ground as we move throughout life claiming the right path is always upward. Last, we do not need a new way forward, a great leap forward or anything other than an articulated path UPWARD!

David Hursey is a policy analyst who served on Utah’s COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force and as special assistant to the president of the Salt Lake Chamber. He has worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and several presidential and congressional campaigns. He holds a master’s degree in Middle East studies and political science from the University of Utah and lives in Salt Lake City.