What are we rewarding Republicans for in the midterms?

As we approach the midterms, the question arises, what are we rewarding the Republicans for? I mean, so far they have only done three things:

  1. Promote the big lie;
  2. Obstruct the Democratic agenda;
  3. Gerrymander their districts.

And what is their solution to inflation? Tax cuts and “trickle down” economics. BTW, if you still believe in trickle down economics, maybe you should also answer the next email from a Nigerian prince promising to wire money into your bank account, if you’ll just provide them with your data.

What about Biden?

I know a lot of people are not excited about Biden because he’s not exciting. He’s not charismatic, like Barack Obama or Bill Clinton. The former stutterer is not a great orator. Nor is he avuncular quirky like Bernie Sanders, whom I still love.

But he’s actually been a very solid President. Especially in comparison with what came before.

First of all, let’s look at what Biden is not responsible for.

  1. He’s not responsible for gas prices or inflation.
  2. He’s not responsible for Krystem Sinema or Joe Manchin.

How do we know that he’s not responsible for gas prices or inflation? Because gas prices and inflation have gone up throughout the Western World, all in countries where Biden is not the President. 

Instead, what is causing gas prices and inflation to go up is a combination of (1) supply chain hangovers caused by the Covid pandemic, (2) the war in Ukraine, and (3) record corporate profits. None of those things are Biden’s fault.

Also, Biden is not responsible for Kryten Sinema and Joe Manchin, two Senators who have (for reasons of their own) decided not to cooperate with the other Democrats when it comes to creating exceptions to the filibuster. The voters of Arizona and West Virginia are responsible for these two.

Now let’s look at what Biden has accomplished in two years. It’s actually a pretty impressive list:

  1. He managed to get the American Rescue Plan of 2021 enacted, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill primarily intended to rebuild infrastructure, but also providing money for Covid-19 funding, cybersecurity, and health care (despite resistance from Manchin and Sinema);
  2. Announced the cancellation of $10,000 in student loan debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000;
  3. Helped to avert a U.S. rail strike, which would have exacerbated supply chain problems; 
  4. Pardoned thousands of persons convicted in federal courts of simple marijuana possession;
  5. Authorized Medicare to negotiate the prices for certain drugs;
  6. Invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure the availability of glass vials, syringes, and other vaccine supplies at the federal level;
  7. Rallied NATO in opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine;
  8. Nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court;
  9. Reduced the federal deficit by $350 million in 2021.

I mean seriously, people, given that he got no cooperation from the Republicans and very little from Manchin and Synema, that is not a bad list of accomplishments.

So if somebody tells you that Joe Biden hasn’t done much, just let them know that he’s actually done quite a bit.

About a1skeptic

A disturbed citizen and skeptic. I should stop reading the newspaper. Or watching TV. I should turn off NPR and disconnect from the Internet. We’d all be better off.
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2 Responses to What are we rewarding Republicans for in the midterms?

  1. Anonymous says:

    “Joe Manchin”?? “So if somebody tells you that Joe Manchin hasn’t done much, just let them know that he’s actually done quite a bit.“. Don’t you mean Joe Biden?

  2. Pingback: Well, now the Midterms are upon us | A (or One) Skeptic

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