President Biden’s State of the Union address made me realize that his job as president has been quite remarkable, but he goes unrecognized. The Washington Post reports that a recent poll indicates that 62 percent of Americans think Biden has accomplished “not very much” or “little or nothing” during his presidency. My guess is that they will judge his speech the same way despite its excellence.
These Americans are very wrong. Among the accomplishments Biden could have (and in some cases did) list were sending stimulus checks to millions, providing student loan forgiveness up to $20,000 to millions of Americans, nominating and seating Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, appointing more Federal judges in a two-year period than any president since JFK, securing millions of COVID-19 vaccines, rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, re-engaging in the World Health Organization, reversing Trump’s Muslim ban, reopening Obamacare enrollment, ending Trump’s Transgender Military Ban, passing an extensive Infrastructure plan, enshrining Gay Marriage into law, reforming the Electoral Count Act, and introducing sweeping immigration reform.
My guess is that Americans don’t appreciate Biden because he is not a gifted orator—he’s famous for his gaffes (and there were some during the speech)—and because so much of his time in office has been spent undoing the damage inflicted by is predecessor, Donald Trump. But he’s a hard worker that accomplishes an amazing amount while not calling attention to his achievements.
It’s time for us Americans to do our homework and come to appreciate what this ordinary Joe has brought us.
Tom Glenn, Writer 