It is July 9, which means that we are already six months into Biden’s Presidency. Here is a look at six of the most significant moments:
Disclaimer: I recognize that Biden is not solely responsible for any of these policies/decisions. Vice President Kamala Harris and members of his cabinet have significant influence as well. For organization purposes, this headline will read as follows.
1) COVID-19 Vaccinations: During Biden’s Administration, approximately 332 million doses have been administered to the United States public. As a result, the number of cases of COVID-19 decreased significantly. Biden implemented a COVID-relief program aimed at safely re-opening schools, supporting small businesses, and providing emergency stipends to workers. Some feel that Biden’s unemployment assistance ambitions hurt the economy by increasing the federal spending deficit. Another criticism has been that Americans are not returning to work because they can sustain themselves off of the unemployment benefits until this fall, leading to countless job vacancies in cities that just re-opened for business.
2) Infrastructure Proposal: While there are still many details to solidify, Biden has proposed a $2.3 trillion deal that would allegedly fix some of the nation’s outdated highways and public transportation systems. Likewise, approximately $650 billion would be devoted toward climate change related issues. The plan is also said to increase employment by creating jobs at energy efficient plants.
3) World Tour: If you are up to date with my other blogs, you recently learned that Biden visited Europe for the first time as President last month. There, he met with world leaders in an effort to “strengthen” U.S. international relations. Biden also met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss contentious subjects regarding the U.S. election, cyber security, and human rights.
4) Canada: Biden has met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau several times, and most recently, there have been negotiations on when and how to reopen the U.S.-Canada border. Members of Congress, including Michigan representatives and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have expressed concern over the slow progress made, citing that border towns are struggling economically. Meeting with Trudeau is another example of Biden’s effort to coordinate with foreign leaders.
5) Afghanistan: Biden announced that by September 11, 2021, all U.S. troops would be removed from Afghanistan. If it continues to enact, the policy would effectively end the twenty year war in this Middle Eastern region. Critics are skeptical because they fear ending the troop presence in Afghanistan would lead to incentives for a much more active Taliban and further international terrorism concerns. Biden clapped back, asking aloud, “How many more sons and daughters are you willing to risk?”
6) Racial Equity: Biden has vowed to make America a safer place for people of all races, and after the various attacks against Asian-Americans in this country, Biden had the flags lowered to half-staff. He launched initiatives titled “Identifying Methods to Assess Equity” and “Allocating Federal Resources to Advance Fairness and Opportunity.” In other policies, he has mentioned the importance of allocating resources to lower income communities.
Biden’s Presidency has looked quite different than his predecessor’s, and that could be a positive or negative depending on your values and political party. Have questions or thoughts about this presidency? Comment below, and make sure to subscribe to the site if you have not done so already.
-ThatPoliticalKid
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