Saying "Let's finish the job" and America is about "possibilities," President Joe Biden hit another homerun delivering a passionate, magnanimous, optimistic, enthusiastic, and combative State of the Union address to Congress and the Amerian People this evening (February 7, 2023.)
If there was any doubt that Joe Biden lacked the energy and competence to continue as President, all they need to do is watch this evening's speech, especially the part when the leader of the free world vigorously got the best of Republican hecklers, to the dismay of a desperate (and powerless) Speaker Kevin McCarthy who could not silence them, by baiting (and owning)them to commit to not cutting Social Security and Medicare.
"I like conversion," the President quipped to the House crazies like Marjorie Taylor Greene who called Mr. Biden, to Mr. McCarthy's chagrin, a "liar" for speaking the truth on Republican designs to cut both entitlement programs.
The President started his address, showing magnanimity, congratulating Kevin McCarthy and Hakkem Jeffries for their new House leadership roles. He also praised Mitch McConnell for being the longest-serving Republican leader in history and former speaker Nancy Pelosi, calling her perhaps "the greatest Speaker in history."
In his congratulations to Speaker McCarthy, the President got some laughs by saying “I don’t want to ruin your reputation by saying I look forward to working with you.”
Talking about "finishing the job" and how America is about "possibilities," the President called for bipartisanship over the next year, citing the 300 bipartisan measures (infrastructure, burn pit, the CHIPS Act, electoral count, marriage equality, and gun reform) that were passed in the previous Congress. Later, when talking about budget proposals, the President said "let's discuss our mutual plans together."
Mr. Biden then took a victory lap on the economy, noting that his economic and fiscal plans have led to the most jobs created in the first two years of a Presidency, unemployment at a 50-year low, the recent reduction in inflation, the growth of small business startups, and a renaissance in manufacturing job with the fastest growth in that sector in 40 years, especially in the semiconductor industry where the President said that the American surrender of that industry "can never happen again" and "the supply chain begins in America”
Saying “we’re just getting started," Biden poked fun at Republicans that voted against the Infrastructure law and still want to attend groundbreaking events in their districts even though they voted against the law by stating he would still come to those ceremonies. He also pledged to ensure that all construction materials needed for infrastructure projects would "be made in America."
Turning to those "who feel invisible and forgotten," The President vowed to help them, outlining a series of proposals that should most people support including:
- capping the cost of insulin at $35.00 for everyone.
- Codifying Roe V Wade.
- Job training, housing aid, and medical/suicide prevention assistance for veterans.
- Reducing the budget deficit.
- Making permanent the health insurance price subsidies in the Affordable Care Act (ACA.)
- Taxing corporate buybacks saying "I'm a capitalist but pay your fair share..No billionaire should pay less than a teacher or firefighter."
- Reducing junk fees like overdraft, baggage, and late charges, saying "Americans are tired of being treated for suckers."
- Giving workers the right to organize.
- Restoring the Child Tax Credit passed in the American Rescue Plan.
- Giving people a living wage.
- Home care for the elderly and disabled.
- "Making education the ticket to the middle class," noting "any nation that out-educates us will out-compete us." He proposed giving teachers a raise, preschool expansion, increased Pell Grants, and connecting students to career pathways in high school and community college.
- Prosecute criminals who stole from pandemic relief efforts.
- Funding border security, stopping the flow of fentanyl, and helping dreamers.
- Law enforcement and additional gun reform (including an assault weapons ban) with more resources to help people with mental health issues and to protect communities, saying "when police departments break the trust, they must be held accountable," citing the mother of the most recent victim of police brutality, Tyre Nichols, "something good must come from this.”
- Equality for members of the LGBTQ community.
- Continuing the moonshot program against cancer comparing this to the George W. Bush crusade against AIDS.
The last portion of the President's State of the Union address centered on the importance of protecting our Democracy and fighting for others with Mr. Biden stressing "with Democracy, everything is possible. Without it, nothing is."
Calling Putin's invasion of Ukraine "a test for the ages, test for America, test for the world," Mr. Biden said, "We’re going to stand with you as long as it takes.”
On China, he said, “we seek competition, not conflict. When our sovereignty is threatened (like shooting down the ballon last week,) we will act.”
On American Democracy, the President said, “It’s never been a good bet to bet against America," he said "we protect the right to vote" and there is "no place for political violence in America. We must not give hate a safe harbor...We are at an inflection point…It is within our power, we the people… the nation that embraces light over darkness…hope over fear…we’re the only nation based on the idea that we are all created equal."
The President closed, like most of his speeches, stating "I’ve never been more optimistic...The state of our union is strong...We’re the United States of America...God bless you and God bless our troops."
For those that doubted President Biden was not strong enough to run for reelection, they need to watch this evening's State of the Union address.
If one watches the State of the Union addresses from President Reagan to this evening, this speech will probably rank as one of the strongest delivered.
And as an added bonus for the Biden/Harris White House, watch the dystopian and out-of-touch Republican response by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
The alt-right wing of the Republican Party is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
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