Women Uphold the American Economy and Its Democracy

Why Conservatives Fear Women’s Independence and Freedom

The Trump administration continues to attack women’s rights because women hold serious power in the economy and at the ballot box. The US GDP is strengthened by discretionary spending, of which women are the driving force. Despite this, Trump issued an executive order that would inhibit women from continuing to maintain the health of the US economy. Women also hold the power in the ballot box, successively increasing the gender gap in voter turnout since 1980. The SAVE Act, introduced by the GOP, would disenfranchise millions of women from registering to vote. The Trump administration has been attacking women’s rights since his first presidential term, because of the power women hold in supporting America’s economy and democracy.

Discretionary Spending Power

Women play a vital role in driving a strong, thriving economy through their significant contribution to discretionary spending, one of the key engines of economic growth. Discretionary spending is anything outside necessities, such as rent, utilities, and groceries. Consumer spending accounts for approximately 70% of America’s GDP. In other words, the economy grows when consumers spend more money outside of necessary spending. Women’s contribution to the GDP has been steadily increasing since 2019, as their spending growth has outpaced men’s significantly. Bank of America released a study entitled What’s The Power of a Woman’s Wallet? supporting these claims. In this study, Bank of America concludes, “Women-through their increased participation in the workforce, importance to service-providing sectors, and amplified spending power–are playing an increasingly important role in US economic growth.” The power of a woman’s wallet is nurturing the continued healthy growth of the American economy.

Trump’s Attack on Women’s Financial Independence

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) was signed into law in 1974, granting women the opportunity to grow their financial possibilities. Before the ECOA, it was legal for moneylenders to discriminate against unmarried women. Women needed a male co-signer, usually their husband or their father, to obtain lines of credit. Not only did this stunt women’s potential financial growth, but it also made it difficult for women experiencing domestic abuse to leave their partners.

On April 23rd, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) that undermines the protections granted by the ECOA. Even though this law can only be changed through Congress, it doesn't mean that independent agencies won’t obey in advance (Target rolling back DEI initiatives because of Trump’s EO 14151 is a stark example). Newsweek live news reporter Sophie Clark states, “If independent federal agencies abide by the order, they will stall litigation protecting women from being discriminated against for credit, and they will roll back guidance and regulations which were in place to protect people's rights.” The ECOA protects the financial independence of women. Stripping these protections not only harms women but will undoubtedly erode the strength of America’s economy.

Higher Voter Turnout

Women have consistently proven to be reliable and engaged participants in one of the most fundamental civic responsibilities: voting. The voter turnout gap between men and women has continuously grown since 1980. For the past 45 years, women have consistently turned out to vote at higher rates than men. According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), women have historically favored democratic nominees, with Black women being the prominent force in continuously supporting the Democratic party.

Voting Barriers

In early April 2025, the U.S. House passed the SAVE Act. This is a voter suppression measure that could potentially disqualify millions of eligible voters from casting their ballots. The SAVE Act would require a person’s current legal name to match the name that is on their birth certificate. With approximately 80% of women in heterosexual marriages taking their husbands' last name, this would add extra barriers for women to register to vote.

The GOP’s reasoning for this is under the guise of preventing illegal immigrants from participating in elections. Not only is it exceedingly rare for illegal immigrants to attempt voter fraud (The American Immigration Council only found 10 cases of this happening since 1980), but this would disenfranchise millions of women from voting. The SAVE Act also directly threatens the voting rights of Trans individuals, another marginalized group consistently attacked by the Trump administration. The SAVE Act is a blatant move to lower voter turnout, which Republicans have known secures a win for them. As the conservative political activist Paul Weyrich stated in 1980, “Our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.”

The Power of Women

It is clear that women are upholding the American economy and democracy, and this is why conservatives have continuously fought to strip away the rights and independence of women. Trump’s executive order, “ Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy,” is a blow to the protections that allowed women to grow their capital independently. The power of a woman’s wallet is sustaining the health of the largest GDP in the world. Eliminating the financial protections of the ECOA will continue to gut the economy, as all of Trump’s economic policies already have. Women, and especially Black women, have been the powerhouses of the democratic party. Not only do women more reliably turnout in elections, but they also primarily support democratic nominees. As a consequence, the GOP introduced the SAVE Act, which disproportionately affects women who are eligible voters. Akin to how white women benefit the most from DEI, these measures, meant to attack marginalized communities, affect heterosexual women the most. Based upon how vehemently conservative representatives fight to undermine the rights of women, one could infer that they are aware of the power of women and fear it. Therefore, it is vital for women to recognize their impact politically and economically and refuse to back down when those threatened by their power try to take it away.