[Test] Commentary: Why is US President Joe Biden looking upbeat about 2022

WASHINGTON DC: US President Joe Biden’s regrettable and somewhat rambling comments on the tense situation in Ukraine during a Jan 19 press conference understandably drew the attention of America’s allies and foreign policy analysts.

But for those of us with the patience to listen to two hours of “pure, unplugged Joe Biden”, that press conference was also a great opportunity to gain some insight into how Biden views his first year, and what to expect from him moving forward in domestic and foreign policy.

Taken as a whole, what was most striking about the Jan 19 question and answer session was how upbeat Biden appeared.

One reporter after another laid out the disappointments of Biden’s first year in office, focusing primarily on domestic policy: Biden’s major social spending programme – Build Back Better – is stalled in Congress. Voting rights legislation was poised to fail in the Senate.

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Inflation is high. COVID-19 continues. And the country is more polarised than ever.

Had Biden overpromised? How would he course correct?

Most politicians in Biden’s position would be inclined to attempt a reframing of these disappointments, but it’s difficult to maintain that posture over two hours.

ALL IS NOT LOST FOR BUILDING BACK BETTER

However, all is not lost. The Build Back Better bill was way too big to garner any Republican support (and by extension Manchin and Sinema’s support).

But if it’s broken apart and Republicans are engaged in rewriting, key pieces may win passage. For example, the child tax credit, piloted through one-year funding in the American Rescue Plan, demonstrated that it was possible to cut child poverty by 30 per cent in one year.

 

However, all is not lost. The Build Back Better bill was way too big to garner any Republican support (and by extension Manchin and Sinema’s support).

But if it’s broken apart and Republicans are engaged in rewriting, key pieces may win passage. For example, the child tax credit, piloted through one-year funding in the American Rescue Plan, demonstrated that it was possible to cut child poverty by 30 per cent in one year.