Super Tuesday happened. Trump and Biden won big across the country. Then Nikki Haley dropped out. It became clear that the race will be between Trump and Biden. Then Biden delivered a slam dunk State of the Union address on Thursday night. And the cringeworthy Republican response delivered by Katie Britt reinforced the real Republican message- Women! Get back in the kitchen! Scary migrants are threatening your family! We need to return to the Patriarchy. We must elect a strong man to take over this country to save us. The strong man we need is a twice impeached, pussy grabber, con man facing 91 criminal felony counts which include stealing our top secret documents and trying to overthrow a free and fair election to stay in power.
SOTU
Trump and the Republicans had set the expectations bar so low when it came to Biden, by saying he couldn’t walk straight or talk or think straight, that Biden looked even more in command when he showed up for the State of the Union speech the night of March 7th. Biden was in fine form. Energized. Ready to mix it up with the Republicans in the audience. Biden not only walked just fine, he spoke forcefully and was in full command. In fact Biden was in his element from the moment he entered the chamber–yucking it up with his pals as he went down the aisle, smiling, shaking hands, hugging– just clearly having the time of his life.
Then Biden delivered a spectacular speech that began by comparing what Roosevelt stood up for in the 1940s at the time of World War II and Hitler with democracy and freedom on the line, to the time we are living through now, threatened by the equivalent of todays’ Hitlers in the form of Putin, Orban, Trump and his MAGA followers. Throughout the talk Biden cheerfully trolled the Republicans who sat stone faced and sullen, looking like hostages. The truth is they are hostages. To Trump. During Biden’s speech they were not able to nod in agreement with the truth or cheer for all the good that has happened in our country on Biden’s watch. They have chosen to live in Trump’s alternate universe in which America is a deteriorating hellscape, in need of rescue by a failed human being.
As Biden spoke, the Dems stood up over and over again cheering for our country’s strong recovery brought about by the CHIPS Act, the Build Back Better Recovery Act, student loan debt forgiveness, and much more. Biden recounted a litany of outstanding successes and took credit for them. That’s important because Americans don’t understand all the work that Biden has done to create these successes both in America and globally. Our country’s economy is the envy of every other nation on earth.
What Biden has also done is to show that Trump and the Republican’s so-called trickle down economics doesn’t work and that building American wealth by improving opportunity for the middle class does work to create a strong economy. The rising tide really does carry all boats. Biden didn’t even mention that the stock market is at its highest point in the history of our country. Corporations and wealthy people also do better as the tide rises for everyone. Biden’s message is actually the populist message Trump pretended to advance but did not actually advance during his time in office. These days Biden sounds more like Bernie Sanders. Corporations must pay their fair share!
Biden also directly called out the Supreme Court justices who were in the chamber. He chastised them for overturning Roe, and predicted that women will stand up for their rights. He made it clear that he was on the side of women’s reproductive rights, voting rights, human rights and progress and that he has an expansive vision for the future for our country. He compared that vision to the one being pushed by Trump- that of a dark and dystopian hellscape where the only way to survive is to go back to a past time that no longer exists.
THE CONTRAST IS HUGE
The contrast was painful and the Republicans in the room were left squirming because they could not cheer for the optimistic future envisioned by Biden and applauded by the Dems. Instead, they are being forced to support Trump’s apocalyptic view of America. Republicans have not yet figured out that when Trump talks about America he is actually talking about himself and how he is feeling these days. Trump feels under attack! Trump wishes he could go back in time! Trump has a dark future coming for him! But Trump owns the Republican Party now. He has installed loyalists as state party chairs and local government. His loyalists are in the House and the RNC and with McConnell out of the way, he is working to pack the Senate with loyalists as well.
So Mike Johnson was forced to wag his head “No” many times as Biden told the truth about January 6th, how Trump has created a culture of disrespect and dishonesty in our country, and how Trump bows down to dictators like Putin. Biden talked about the hypocrisy of Republicans who insisted on having a tough border bill, that Biden agrees the country needs, then, when they got what they asked for, killed the bill on Trump’s orders to keep Biden from having a win and to preserve an issue for Trump to run on.
Republicans in the chamber for the SOTU finally resorted to studying their cell phones- as if there was something more urgent that they had to attend to than the speech going on in the room where they were being masterfully exposed as anti-American and cheerfully ridiculed by a very feisty very mentally capable President Biden.
At times Biden chided the Republicans and baited them as he had done last year when he got the Republicans to say they would not do away with social security. “Oh you don’t like what is going on at the border? Ok then, send me the border bill and I’ll sign it.” “Just let me know if you don’t like all the money coming in for your districts that you voted against and are taking credit for now- I can fix that.”
It was a romp for the Dems, who were standing and cheering. It was a dark night for Republicans. They are stuck defending Trump’s egregious lies and actions. But, look, they did this to themselves. They allowed themselves to become Trump’s sacrificial lambs. As Biden campaigns across the country delivering this upbeat, forward looking speech over and over again in towns across America, Trump will be sitting in courtrooms looking angry and taking boatloads of money from the RNC to cover his legal expenses. That split screen will be what voters see from now until the 2024 election.
When Republican voters support Trump’s re-election campaign they will mainly be funding his legal defense. Do they really want to spend their money on that lost cause?
If Trump gets re-elected, whoever has co-signed the bonds to help him with his civil appeals will be in a position to compromise Trump and get whatever he wants from our government. Say, for example, it is Elon Musk. Or someone like an oligarch who is loyal to Putin. This is something the Founding Fathers worried about happening in the future. That future could become a reality if we don’t get out the vote for Biden.
IT WILL BE UP TO US TO DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THIS ELECTION
Americans might have hoped that the Supreme Court would intervene to prevent a return of a former president like this one who is laser focused on wrecking our democracy. But the Supreme Court did not take Trump off the ballot when it had its chance using section 3 of the 14th Amendment. And the Court has helped Trump delay delay delay the January 6th case that Jack Smith is ready to try before Judge Chutkan in DC. It is clear now that the Supreme Court will not save us from Trump and his MAGA extremists.
We the People will have to save ourselves by voting MAGAs out up and down the ballot. There are MAGAs trying to ban books, take over school boards, suppress the vote and throw voters off the roster of eligible voters in states across our nation. We know what happens when MAGAs are in charge of the House of Representatives. Nothing! Extremists in the House are all about culture wars, fearmongering and being the most outrageous celebrity in government. When they are in charge of government, literally nothing gets done that helps the American people. Trump as president passed only one consequential piece of legislation- a tax cut for the 1%. When the pandemic hit, he was totally incompetent as a leader. A million Americans died.
Americans need to remember how bad life was when Trump was president. Too many Americans have forgotten how we woke up to some new Trump generated calamity every day. What do you want, America? Chaotic or Sane government? The rights of fetal cells over a woman’s right to get life saving medical care?
By way of contrast, here is what Biden got accomplished that many Americans don’t even know he accomplished.
Economy/Employment
- Over the past two years, inflation reduced by two-thirds while unemployment kept low, and economy grew by 3%
- Avoided recession.
- Two of the strongest years of job growth in history
- Nearly 11 million jobs created since 2021.
- Created more manufacturing jobs in 2022 than in any single year in nearly 30 years.
- 3.9% unemployment rate — the lowest in 50 years
- 750,000 new manufacturing jobs
- Near record low unemployment rate for Hispanics
- Near record low unemployment rate for African Americans
- Record low unemployment rate for people with disabilities.
- Awarded the most ever federal contracting dollars to small businesses and disadvantaged small businesses.
- Incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act have spurred companies to spend nearly $300 billion on investments in manufacturing.
- As a result of the CHIPS and Science Act, which provides incentives for domestic manufacture of technology, in just one year, U.S. companies have announced $166 billion in investments in semiconductors and electronics. This will provide American jobs, decrease reliance on foreign manufacturing of critical technologies, and position the US to lead future scientific innovations.
- Creating “workplace hubs” to provide training, re-training, technical education, and apprenticeships in emerging technology and manufacturing.
- Increased funding to the IRS to enable audits of high-income taxpayers, resulting in the recovery of over $160 million in back taxes owed by millionaires and billionaires.
Cost Of Living
- Executive Orders and releases of strategic oil reserves resulted in gas prices more than $1.60 lower than their summer 2022 peak
- $15 minimum wage for Federal workers and contractors
- Over 100 actions to lower household energy costs by $100 per year
- Over 16 million households receiving lower cost or free high-speed internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program
- Commitments from 20 leading internet providers to increase speeds and cut prices
- Inflation reduced by two thirds from its 2022 high.
Health Care & Costs
- Millions of Americans are saving $800 per year on health insurance coverage.
- Four out of five people can buy health insurance for $10/month or less
- Health insurance coverage rates increased by 50% since January 2021
- More people with health insurance – 92% insured is the highest in history.
- Lowered Medicare recipients’ health care expenses, including by capping out of pocket expenses on prescription drugs at $2,000 per year, capping insulin costs at $35/month, and providing free vaccines.
- Lowered the cost of hearing aids by making them available over the counter.
- $37 billion in funding for senior and disability services, including community-based services.
- Improvements to veterans’ health care, particularly for veterans exposed to harmful chemicals.
- Advanced research on cancer and other diseases through the ARPA-H initiative
- “Cancer Moonshot” with the goal of cutting the cancer death rate by at least half over the next 25 years.
- Hosted White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health; with a goal to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases.
Students& Student Loan Debt
- More than 40 million borrowers able to benefit from student debt relief
- Canceled over $22 billion in student loan debt so far
- Increased the maximum value of Pell Grants by $900
Climate/Environmental Protections
- Rejoined the Paris Agreement to combat climate change.
- Over 100 Executive Orders and legislation to develop clean energy, protect America’s lands and waterways, reduce pollution, and stimulate the development of clean energy businesses.
- Reducing costs of electric vehicles (EVs) for families, initiating first national EV charging network, and historic investments into EV batteries and materials
- Assistance to American offshore wind industry and convened the nation’s first federal-state offshore wind partnership.
- New policies and regulations to reduce super pollutants like HFCs and methane gas, and to reduce other emissions fueling climate change.
- $350 million to 14 states for the reduction of methane gas
- More than $1 billion for cleanup of Superfund sites, over $250 million to clean up brownfield sites, and $725 million for abandoned mine lands.
- Restored protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments; and designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument for conservation of lands and waters and to protect tribal cultural resources and support outdoor recreation.
- $1 billion to clean up and restore the Great Lakes
- $729 million to Virginia for railway projects
Reproductive Freedom
- Executive Orders to protect reproductive rights, including access to emergency care, protecting the right to travel, and strengthening patient privacy. Mifepristone availability at Walgreens and CVS without a prescription.
COVID Relief
- 79% of American adults vaccinated against COVID-19, at no cost.
- Mailed over 740 million free COVID-19 tests.
- Funding schools for safe re-openings.
Infrastructure
- Infrastructure investments in all 50 states, D.C., territories, and tribal nations
- Through the Infrastructure and Stimulus bill, over $1.9 trillion to improve, repair, and build water delivery systems, public transportation, high-speed internet, bridges, roads, railways; and to promote American industries, create jobs, and lower inflation.
Crime
- Reduced crime rates: violent crimes down 8% in 2023; in over 175 cities, murder rates down nearly 13%
- Signed legislation to hire more police and invest in community policing.
- Signed legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act
- Signed an Executive Order to improve public safety and criminal justice for Native Americans, and to address the problem of missing and murdered indigenous people
- Executive Orders making sexual harassment in the military a crime and implementing procedures to strengthen the military’s response to reports of sexual assault
Gun Violence
- Signed the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years, including enhanced background checks and other measures to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
Marijuana Reform
- Thousands of pardons for people convicted of simple possession of marijuana under federal law and on federal lands and D.C.
- Initiated review of the drug scheduling of marijuana, with a view to reducing the classification of marijuana from Schedule 1 to a more appropriate Schedule
Voting Rights
- Signed the Electoral Count Act, to protect election integrity.
Diversity/Equality
- Appointed a record number of women and people of color to serve in the Biden Administration
- Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court – Ketanji Jackson
- Most diverse judicial appointments in history, including 66% women and 65% people of color.
- Record number of federal contracts to small, disadvantaged businesses + measures to increase access to credit for small businesses fuel dramatic increases in small, black-owned business and in black family wealth.
- Proposed new regulations to prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities by the medical profession and in the providing of medical treatments.
- Proposed new regulations to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities by child welfare agencies and in child welfare decisions (e.g., foster care services, child placements, etc.)
- Signed bipartisan legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriage.
- Executive Order to protect LGBTQ+ Americans in the military from discrimination in housing, health care, education, and employment.
- Invested historic funding for Tribal governments and Native communities.
Criminal Justice & Civil Rights
- Executive Orders for reforms to criminal justice system, to improve prison conditions, provide assistance to parolees and recently released, and to improve police practices, including banning chokeholds, reducing no-knock entries, creating a national police accountability database, and reducing the transfer of military equipment to police departments
Foreign Policy
- Support to Ukraine against Russian aggression, including weapons and humanitarian aid
- Strengthened NATO, G7, and other alliances.
- Completed the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The withdrawal process was not without mistakes, but a perfect withdrawal would have extended U.S. involvement in a mission that no longer had purpose. “I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not going to extend a forever exit,” said President Biden.
- Significant action to curb Chinese threats to U.S. national security and economic interests, including increased restrictions on China’s access to U.S. advanced technology and hosting the first trilateral summit with South Korea, Japan and the United States, while also working to improve communications between the U.S. and China.
- December 2023, announced sale of over $300 million of military equipment to Taiwan in support of Taiwan’s national defense needs, the 12th military sale to Taiwan since Pres. Biden took office.
- Successful counter-terrorism missions against ISIS and Al Qaeda.
DONALD TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE THE BIGGEST THREAT TO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AND OUR DEMOCRACY THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS FACED IN GENERATIONS.
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