FOREIGN POLICY

Biden Opposes Putin, Reinvigorates NATO, Defends Ukraine

President Joe Biden’s foreign policy initiatives start with repairing the damage done to NATO and the US involvement in NATO by Trump. The coalition Biden built around defending Ukraine has strengthened and expanded NATO, and has pushed back on Putin’s imperialist desires. The US took the lead in sanctions against Putin that have interfered with his war against Ukraine and helped change the balance of power. This, in spite of the stunning support for Putin the the Republican led House. This week, Hungary finally consented to allow Sweden to join NATO, making it official.

CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT ECONOMY JOBS LEGISLATION

The CHIPS and Science Act Jumpstarts The Tech And Manufacturing Sectors

In August, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act, designed to strengthen American manufacturing and innovation. The act invests $280 billion to bolster US semiconductor capacity, catalyze R&D, and create regional high-tech hubs and a bigger, more inclusive STEM workforce. Almost immediately after Biden signed it, the private sector promised investment of over $200 billion in tech and manufacturing. The economy has gained manufacturing jobs at a pace not seen since the 1950s.

Update:

LEGISLATION LGBTQ+ SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden Signs the Respect For Marriage Act, Protecting Same Sex And Interracial Marriages

In the brutal Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, not only did the Supreme Court overrule Roe v. Wade, Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion stated his willingness to review previous cases protecting same sex and interracial marriage! Because of this, Congress passed, and President Joe Biden signed the Respect For Marriage Act, which enshrines rights for same sex and interracial marriages into law, and requires all 50 states and territories to recognize such marriages as valid.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION STUDENT LOANS

Biden Kicks Off With The American Rescue Plan

Within 60 days of taking office, President Joe Biden signed into law The American Rescue Plan.

Among the many important provisions it contains are:

  • more than 500 million life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations in the arms of Americans,
  • $1400 per person to struggling US citizens,
  • extended unemployment benefits,
  • increased food aid,
  • student loan debt relief,
  • and aid to states, cities, tribal governments, and US territories.

Here’s a more detailed analysis.

GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION

Joe Biden Pushes Through First Gun Control Legislation In 30 Years

President Joe Biden ended a 30-year streak of federal inaction on gun violence by signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

The act created enhanced background checks, closed the “boyfriend” loophole, and provided funds for youth mental health.

See an article on the subject here.

Yes, we need to do more, but getting any kind of meaningful gun legislation in this political climate seemed impossible, and Biden did it.

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE LEGISLATION SOCIAL JUSTICE

Biden Administration Announces $5.8 Billion In Funding To Clean Up Nation’s Drinking Water, Upgrade Infrastructure

Ripped from today’s (well, now yesterday’s) headlines. President Joe Biden has been pushing the elimination of lead pipes from our nation’s infrastructure since he took office, and continues that effort today, with the allocation of an additional $5.8 billion for this effort. This funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

ECONOMY JOBS

Biden Achieves Record Employment

When President Joe Biden became president, the unemployment rate was 6.4%.  By the end of his first year in office, the rate had fallen to 3.9%. 

After going back up to 4.0 in January, 2022, the unemployment rate has been below 4% every month since. 

That’s two straight years.  That is a historically-long stretch of great unemployment numbers. 

For you numbers people, check this out. 

Also, in January, 2023, the unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level since the 1960s!

HEALTH CARE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT LEGISLATION

Biden Caps Insulin Prices

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, out-of-pocket costs for insulin are capped at $35 per month prescription for enrollees of Medicare Part B and Part D.

Although President Joe Biden wasn’t able to extend that cap to people not on Medicare in the IRA, the political pressure he has brought to this fight has caused major drug manufacturers to cap the cost of prescriptions for insulin to $35 per month for millions of people not on Medicare.

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS LEGISLATION

Biden Wrangles $1.2 Trillion for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs

In November, 2021 President Joe Biden succeeded in convincing a reluctant Senate to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

This legislation was a $1.2 trillion bipartisan package to increase investment in the national network of bridges and roads, airports, public transport, and national broadband internet, as well as waterways and energy systems.

BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW CLIMATE ACTION/ENVIRONMENT INFLATION REDUCTION ACT LEGISLATION

Biden Administration Makes Record Climate Investment

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the US has made a $369 billion investment in battling climate change, the largest such investment in U.S. history.

Included in the investments are:

  • Investments in electric vehicles
  • Investments in EV infrastrucure
  • Clean fuel production and adoption
  • Manufacturing Incentives including provisions aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing of clean energy and transportation technologies, including tax credits and grants for companies involved in the production of EV batteries, electric vehicles, and renewable energy components.
  • Public transit and infrastructure. Taken together with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the IRA supports the further development of public transit.

For a deeper dive, here’s an article on the subject.

ECONOMY JOBS

Biden’s Record On Jobs Is Historic — In A Good Way

There are going to be a bunch of jobs posts. Here’s the first.
  • When President Joe Biden took over the presidency from 45, the unemployment rate was 6.4%.
  • By the end of 2021, the rate fell to 3.9%, was 4% in January, 2022, and has been below 4% for the last 24 months.
  • This is a historically low sustained unemployment rate.

And it’s still going. The January, 2024 jobs report was very encouraging, as employment is surging.

ECONOMY

The U.S. Economy Leads the World

President Joe Biden’s approval ratings on the economy are disastrous.  There is a deep disconnect between sentiment and reality.  I’ll be hitting this issue pretty regularly, between the economy in general and the jobs market, among other aspects.

The Pandemic hit the world economy pretty hard.  How nations responded have determined where they are now.  Under Biden, the U.S. has led the world in the recovery.  And it’s not close.  Here are the numbers.

The U.S. economy has, at least in part, steered the global economy away from a recession.

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