President Joe Biden promised to halt Russian aggression in Ukraine, contain skyrocketing US inflation, and deal with the fading but still hazardous coronavirus in his maiden State of the Union speech Tuesday night, speaking to a worried nation and worried globe.
Mr. Biden stated that he and other members of Congress are united “with an unflinching conviction that freedom will always win over tyranny,” regardless of party differences. As he began his remarks, he requested the legislators in the House chamber to stand and salute the Ukrainians. They stood up and applauded.
Mr. Biden praised the valor of Ukrainian troops as well as the dedication of a re-energized Western coalition that has worked to strengthen the Ukrainian military while crippling Russia’s economy through sanctions. He warned of repercussions to the American economy as well but said ominously that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions would not be limited to Ukraine if there were no consequences.
Russia to pay for their actions
“We’ve learned this lesson throughout history: when dictators don’t pay a price for their actions, they create greater disorder,” Mr. Biden said. “They continue to move.” And the costs and threats to America and the rest of the globe continue to rise.”
As Mr. Biden spoke, Russian forces were intensifying their attacks in Ukraine, bombing the country’s second-largest city’s central plaza and Kyiv’s major television tower, killing at least five people. The Holocaust memorial at Babi Yar was also harmed.
In punishment for the invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Biden declared that the United States will follow Canada and the European Union in banning Russian planes from its airspace. He also announced the formation of a task force to investigate the crimes of Russian billionaires, whom he described as “corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars from this terrible regime.”
He promised that the US and its European allies would come after their yachts, luxury apartments, and private jets, saying, “We are coming for your ill-gotten money.” “Putin may encircle Kyiv with tanks, but he will never win the Ukrainian people’s hearts and souls,” “Mr. Biden stated the following. “He will never be able to erase their desire for liberty. He will never be able to break the free world’s determination.”
Prices for American families have been rising even before the Russian invasion brought energy bills soaring, and the COVID-19 pandemic is still doing havoc on families and the economy. Mr. Biden highlighted proposals to combat inflation by reinvesting in American industrial capacity, speeding up supply chains, and relieving employees of the burden of childcare and eldercare.
Mr. Biden stated, “We have a choice.” “Depressing wages and making Americans poorer is one strategy to combat inflation. To combat inflation, I have a better strategy. Not your wages, but your costs.”
Mr. Biden’s decision to enter the House chamber without a mask reflects the drop in coronavirus case counts and new federal instructions aimed at resuming pre-pandemic activities. However, during last year’s insurgency, the Capitol was newly enclosed due to security concerns.
The White House had envisioned Tuesday night’s speech as an opportunity to highlight the improving coronavirus outlook, rebrand Mr. Biden’s domestic policy priorities, and show a path to lower costs for families grappling with soaring inflation, all against the backdrop of unrest at home and danger abroad. However, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week and Mr. Putin’s nuclear bluster, it has taken on new relevance.
Energy Secretary Gina Raimondo was held in a safe location during the speech, as is typical, ready to take over the government in the event of a disaster, a relic from the Cold War that has taken on new significance in light of Mr. Putin’s threats.
Mr. Zelenskyy said he pushed Mr. Biden to convey a forceful and “helpful” message about Russia’s invasion in an interview with CNN and Reuters. The White House confirmed ahead of time that Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova will be in the gallery with first lady Jill Biden to witness Mr. Biden’s speech.
As a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, rising energy prices risk aggravating inflation in the United States, which is already at its worst level in 40 years, eroding people’s salaries and jeopardizing the economy’s recovery from the epidemic. While the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe may have helped to defuse party tensions in Washington, it did not eliminate the political and cultural divisions that are casting doubt on Mr. Biden’s ability to fulfill his campaign promise to foster national unity.
Biden addressed after poll shows the public is not happy with him
Mr. Biden addressed an American public dissatisfied with his performance. According to a February AP-NORC poll, 55 percent of people disapprove of how Mr. Biden is doing his position, while 44 percent favor. This is down from a favorable rating of 60% in July.
White House officials acknowledged the country’s mood is “sour” ahead of the speech, noting the lingering pandemic and inflation. Mr. Biden used his remarks to highlight the accomplishments made over the last year — with the majority of the US population now immunized and millions more people working — but he also noted that the job isn’t done yet, expressing American dissatisfaction.
The national mentality, according to Mr. Biden’s aides, is a “trailing indication” that will improve over time. However, time is running out for the president, who must rescue his first-term program in order to restore his party’s political fortunes before the November midterm elections.
Before Mr. Biden spoke, House Republicans claimed that the word “crisis” best defines the condition of the country under Mr. Biden and Democrats, citing everything from an energy policy that allows Russia to sell oil overseas to domestic difficulties such as job creation and immigration.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy stated, “We’re going to push the president to do the right thing.” At least a half-dozen politicians had tested positive for COVID-19, including Reps. Jamie Raskin and Pete Aguilar, both members of the committee probing last year’s Capitol disturbance, and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif.
Mr. Biden primarily rehashed prior promises this year in pursuit of feasible steps he hopes can garner bipartisan backing in a sharply divided Congress before the elections, where his speech to Congress last year saw the unveiling of a big social spending package.
The President also cited November’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which included investments in everything from internet broadband access to bridge construction, as an example of government reaching a consensus and creating progress for the country. He also urged senators to reach an agreement on competing competitiveness bills that have passed the House and Senate, both of which are aimed at reviving high-tech American manufacturing and supply networks in the face of mounting geopolitical challenges from China.
Biden pitched for Make in America
Mr. Biden remarked, “Rather than relying on foreign supply chains, let’s produce it in America.” Many of Mr. Biden’s other legislative ambitions have been blocked on Capitol Hill since Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin killed the massive “Build Back Better” spending measure that Mr. Biden championed last year.
Mr. Biden attempted to resuscitate parts of the legislation as part of his pitch to voters, but with a new emphasis on how policies like extending the child tax credit and lowering child care costs could provide assistance to families as prices increase. He also explained how his climate change initiatives would help lower- and middle-income families save money while simultaneously creating new jobs.
Mr. Biden made a pitch for lower healthcare costs as part of that effort, touting his plan to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, as well as an extension of more generous healthcare subsidies now available through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, where 14.5 million people get coverage.
Biden also talked about Gun Culture and Police Reform
Officials said he recommended additional mental health programs that align with rising bipartisan interest in Congress amid evidence that the pandemic has harmed the nation’s psyche, as well as new ways to increase access to health benefits for veterans afflicted by exposure to garbage burning while serving.
Mr. Biden also called for action on issues such as voting rights, gun control, and police reform, all of which have lacked Republican support. In addition, the president advocated for federal judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be confirmed as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court by the Senate. He nominated her just a few weeks ago.