It seems Joe Biden can’t catch a break. After the initial euphoria Democrats had following his election, it appears it was only a momentary crush as his approval ratings resemble an Olympic downhill skiing event. Whether it’s the economy, the pandemic, immigration or other world affairs, Joe can’t escape the criticism.
So, what gives?
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Well, there is the typical MAGA crowd. Armed with their red hats and ignorance, they circle the nation crying “Trump Won” like so many classified documents swirling around a toilet bowl. All the while they claim to have “tons of evidence” that they miraculously seem to be unable to produce. So of course, they don’t support President Biden because they refuse to believe he won. As a result, they live in a world of denial gazing at the Creamsicle colored skies.
Then there are the dinosaurs of the Republican Party. They are those who refuse to be beholden to the Orange God, but also will do anything to block President Biden’s legislative agenda. That group includes #MoscowMitch McConnell (R-KY) and two-faced Susan Collins (R-ME). If Mitch is either whining that Biden isn’t keeping his campaign promise of being bipartisan (AKA giving in to Republican demands), he is vowing to do everything in his power to retake his role as Majority Leader by doing nothing.
And finally there are those who voted for President Biden, both Democrats and Independents, who are upset with the economy, continued pandemic restrictions and the fact they didn’t get everything Biden promised as a candidate. They are blaming Joe for any number of issues while they ignore the possible implications if they had voted differently.
MAGA
If any group hates Joe more, it would be hard to find. Perhaps there is an ancient tribe somewhere in the South Pacific that holds a long-standing grudge against Joe’s ancestors and now holds him responsible, but it’s highly doubtful. The MAGA crowd hates Joe so much they tried to overthrow the government.
They hate him so much that they refuse to admit he won the last election. As a result, they are continuing to demand a do-over by conducting endless recounts and launching into tirades, citing tons of evidence that they miraculously seem unable to produce, yet claim it is strong enough to jail millions for their participation in this alleged fraud.
While it would be easy to dismiss this group as a collection of disgruntled kooks, they have their allies in right wing media who fan the flames of discontent with a seemingly endless supply of alternative theories as to why Trump lost. Whether it’s a podcast or cable news show, these media outlets churn out anything that has even a whiff of controversy and repeat it in end loops until their followers accept it as fact, no matter how outlandish.
Even those in Congress hate Joe. They hate him so much they refuse to acknowledge he actually won. Instead of saying so, they demure with the phrase, “Joe Biden is the president”, which leaves open the option for them to add, but he cheated, to appeal to the MAGA base.
In their thirst to appease the Mango Mussolini, they have pledged to impeach Biden should they retake the House in 2023. They have no rational reason to do so other than childish spite. Yet, they hope by demonstrating their fealty to the former resident of the White House, over the Constitution they swore to uphold, they will remain in his good graces and retain their precious hold on the seats of power while destroying democracy.
The irrational reason for their hatred and denial is simple: He’s not Donald Trump.
Democrats and Independents
Even many of those who voted for President Biden are turning against him. A growing number is stating that, if the election were held today, they would vote for someone other than Biden. They cite his “broken promises”, the ongoing pandemic and the state of the economy as reasons for withdrawing their support. They fail to acknowledge that many of these issues are beyond Biden’s control, choosing to hold him to Harry Truman’s “The Buck Stops Here” philosophy, while ignoring the former administration’s “I don’t take responsibility at all” approach.
Due to the dumpster fire that was the Trump administration, Democrats are holding Biden to a higher standard, expecting perfect performance and immediate results. Like a petulant child, when they fail to happen as fast as they want, they threaten to “take their bat and ball and go home” by refusing to support Joe in 2024. They fail to accept that this was the same philosophy that doomed them in 2016.
The Pandemic
When it comes to the pandemic, there is plenty of anger on both sides. One side is dealing with COVID fatigue as coronavirus restrictions drag on despite following masking rules, being vaccinated, and trying to navigate a shifting series of precautions related to the virus.
The other side is claiming government overreach while comparing vaccine and mask mandates to the Holocaust. It’s their refusal to comply that is prolonging the very restrictions they are protesting. This has many labeling the continual rise in cases as the pandemic of the unvaccinated.
Those who remain unvaccinated are continuing to gather in huge numbers to protest these mandates and demanding an end to coronavirus restrictions, particularly in schools. They are ignoring the fact that these protests are super spreader events causing the current death rate to be the highest since the start of the pandemic.
As restrictions continue, both sides are blaming President Biden.
The Economy
The sputtering economy has many confused. The good news/bad news images have many questioning Joe’s ability to effectively lead. Unemployment numbers are down, job numbers are up and businesses are thriving once again as the nation reopens from COVID shutdowns.
The economy shows strength in the future as orders for durable goods increases, interest rates remain at historic lows, and the gross domestic product, a major sign of economic growth, continues at a robust pace.
Yet inflation, spurred on by a higher than expected strong increase in demand, supply chain issues, and companies eager to make up for losses due to the pandemic shutdown, are the key drivers of inflation. Flush with cash from Coronavirus relief programs, many consumers are eager to spend, price be damned. The law of supply and demand allows retailers to charge higher prices because goods are limited due to supply chain issues, and people are all too willing to pay these prices, while also complaining they are too high.
Republicans are only too willing to blame the Biden administration for the nation’s economic woes. They ignore that inflation is worldwide. They refuse to blame businesses that are price gouging because they aren’t being opposed. And they refuse to admit that these business owners are primarily Republicans. Instead, they want to hawk stickers of Biden and place them next to price tags with the phrase “I did that!” in response to the higher prices.
Gee, it’s not like they would want to come up with a solution? Nope. Too easy to point fingers and deflect from facts.
The Stalled Legislative Agenda
Whether it’s gun control, police reform, climate change or Build Back Better, there are numerous items on Joe Biden’s legislative agenda that remain in limbo, and this is causing a great deal of anger among many who voted for him. They blame him for not getting things done when, in fact, it’s stubborn Republicans and a couple of misguided Democrats who are keeping these things from becoming law.
Instead of working with Democrats, Republicans have adopted the philosophy of doing nothing rather than attempting to improve peoples’ lives. Then, they can point to Democrats inability to pass important legislation to increase their chances in the midterms, and ultimately in 2024. It was a winning strategy during the Obama administration, and they hope lightning will strike twice with the same approach.
Yet, Republicans are also taking credit for the infrastructure law they voted against. They are depending on the selective amnesia of their supporters to propel them into leadership positions in both the House and Senate.
And any time there is a legislative victory, Republicans will invariably begin whining about the southern border to deflect from the administration’s successes.
The Goal
The most obvious goal is to make Joe appear to be wildly unpopular. There have been cries from the right that he undergo a test of his mental competency. There have been wild claims that he should be impeached for the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. In their strange obsession with pedophiles, there have been outlandish accusations that he has somehow been inappropriate with minors. This baseless claim has been touted by right wing conspiracy theorists and pushed by Trump and members of his family.
Biden isn’t the first president to suffer from poor ratings a year into his first term. President Obama suffered a similar dip as his legislative agenda with regard to healthcare stalled, yet he was still elected to a second term. At this point in his administration, Donald Trump’s approval rating hovered around the mid thirties. In the modern era only Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter had lower ratings than either Trump or Biden, but both were at the ends of their presidencies and not a year in.
The midterms have always been a referendum on how a president is doing. Typically, the party in power doesn’t fare well as the opposing party takes the opportunity to highlight the failures and minimize the successes of the current administration.
Republicans are sure to point out Biden’s stalled legislation, calling them broken promises. They will comment on the continued restrictions from the ongoing pandemic as a sign of his inability to lead, despite the fact the unvaccinated remain a large factor in a number of cases. They will ignore the epic unemployment figures and GDP growth and instead focus on inflation and supply chain issues.
If Republicans regain control of Congress, they are promising to enact a legislative agenda that will undo many of the gains made under President Biden. They will shut down the January 6th committee, either officially or by choking off their funding. They will elevate those who spread conspiracy theories and the Big Lie. And they will push their ultimate goal of returning Donald Trump to the White House in 2024.
Making Biden look unpopular is high on the Republican agenda. That’s why Democrats need to stop whining about what they didn’t get. They need to unite behind the president, otherwise we risk throwing the country into chaos and allowing those who sought to overthrow the government on January 6th to win.