A Time Out to Review Mr. Biden's Work
...it has been stellar
The energy around Kamala Harris for President is stunning in its intensity and breadth. As we marvel at it, though, let’s take a look at the work of the President she served.
BECAUSE HE DESERVES IT…AND BECAUSE BEING FAMILIAR WITH THEIR RECORD WILL HELP YOU PROMOTE HER CANDIDACY.
In his classy exit speech, the President acknowledged feeling that his record deserved another term, even as he was foreclosing that possibility. No doubt, that record does deserve a second term, especially considering that half of his Presidency has been spent trying to deal with an embarrassingly dysfunctional MAGA-dominated House of Representatives.
Yet during his administration America was able to:
Get Covid under control;
Rebuild an economy whose low unemployment rate and economic growth are the envy of the world;
At least somewhat narrow the still-unconscionable income gap in this country;
Eventually tame the inflation that was a worldwide phenomenon resulting from the supply chain tangles and labor shortages wrought by Covid;
Lower drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate with Big Pharma;
Pass an infrastructure bill and begin long-overdue infrastructure projects, many of them in “red” states;
Pass the CHIPS and Science Act, bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to America;
Pass and begin massive investments in a greener economy and infrastructure to combat climate change…
…while at the same time producing more crude oil than any other country in the world for six years in a row, and setting an all-time record in 2023 ( Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration - https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545).
Perhaps his biggest contribution was on the world stage, where he led NATO’s resolve (and expanded NATO’s membership) to defend democracy in Ukraine against Putin’s aggression (which, don’t forget, Trump complimented as a “brilliant” move).
Yes, Biden has been criticized for failing to get immigration under control, and yes, the problem has worsened during his administration. But note that this has been an issue for decades that Congress has failed to address. And recently, when Republicans’ designated bargainers worked with the administration to craft a plan that by all accounts hewed to a Republican wish list, Republicans double-crossed their own bargainers, refusing to support the resulting bill because Trump wanted the problem to fester as a campaign issue, and avoid “giving Biden a win.”
This has been a very successful administration, with almost six months left to add to its accomplishments. Keep them in mind as you speak to family, friends, acquaintances about November’s choice.