US President Joe Biden delivered an upbeat and unity speech at his second State of the Union address, urging Republicans to work together with his government “to finish the job.”
At a time when he seeks to relaunch the country’s economy, Biden tried to calm the economic anxiety that affects a significant part of the US population, asking this Tuesday for the collaboration of the opposition.
“To my Republican friends, if we were able to work together in the last Congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress. The people have sent us a clear message. Fight for fight, power for power, conflict for conflict. It doesn’t lead anywhere,” said the head of state.
It was the first time Biden had addressed Congress since Republicans won control of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the US parliament, in last year’s midterm elections.
“This has always been my vision for the country. Restore the soul of the nation, rebuild the backbone of America: the middle class, unite the country. They sent us here to finish the job,” stressed the President of the United States of America. America (USA).
Speaking to TSFDiana Soller, a researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations, believes that it was an “optimistic” speech, but it leaves some doubts.
“That very optimistic side does not seem to match what the United States is right now, nor what it will be in the next two years. Therefore, it is a speech turned towards the future, but I am not sure that it is an absolutely realistic future and as solid bases to materialize”.
While Biden made no reference to possible re-election, Diana Soller says the State of the Union address was reminiscent of a campaign launch speech.
“It seems to me that it is an election campaign launch speech. It’s not that State of the Union addresses aren’t speeches that normally, to some degree, praise what each administration has done thus far, but in this case it goes much more to the effect of a future and a set of solutions that are yet to come. they are about to reach”.
Although he has yet to officially announce his plans for the 2024 presidential election, Biden has already declared that he intends to run for re-election and was expected to take an electoral tone in the State of the Union.
Biden chose to place special emphasis on the economic and legislative gains he has made in the past two years, making the same call several times throughout the speech: “Let’s finish the job.”
“Over the last two years, my administration has reduced the deficit by more than $1.7 billion. [1,58 biliões de euros] – the largest deficit reduction in US history. Under the previous administration, the US deficit increased four years in a row. Because of these record numbers, no president has added more to the national debt in four years than my predecessor,” Biden said, referring to Donald Trump.
“Almost 25% of all the national debt, a debt that took 200 years to accumulate, was added only by this Administration,” he added, being booed by the Republicans present in Congress.
Despite having advocated a collaboration with the Republicans, Biden has threatened the opposition to veto the legislation.
“Do not get wrong. If Congress passes a nationwide abortion ban, I will veto it. (…) If they try to do something to increase the cost of prescription drugs, I will veto it, ”he warned.
For more than an hour, Biden appeared before both houses of the United States Congress, in a speech that began shortly after 9:00 p.m. (02:00 a.m. today in Lisbon), in one of the most important ceremonies in American politics.
Trying to convey a message of hope and economic prosperity, the Democrat said the United States is “in a better position than any country in the world” to revive the economy, despite the effects of the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic. 19. .
The American leader referred to the “places and people that have been forgotten”, referring to the working class that has traditionally been the base of the Democratic Party and that, in recent years, has become closer to the Republicans and, in Particularly Donald Trump. .
“While I’m here, we’ve created a record 12 million new jobs, more jobs created in two years than any president has created in four years,” he said.
For Diana Soller, “Biden presented protectionism as a solution for the US economy and as a reason for the growth of the US economy that already came effectively from Donald Trump, but that Biden seems to appreciate.”
This path, he points out, “is extremely negative for Europe because it ends up making Europe a bit of a hostage to this American protectionism that will tend to make European exports to America fall.”
Biden’s emphasis on his economic achievements comes at a time of strong criticism from the Republican opposition of his economic policy.
The White House and congressional Republicans are currently locked in a debate over raising the debt ceiling, with no immediate way out in sight as each side isolates itself in its position.
The Republicans demanded that the Democratic government approve budget cuts on issues such as health or education so that it gives the ‘green light’ in the Legislature to suspend the debt limit, which currently stands at 31,400 million dollars (about 29,000 million euros). and that it was reached on January 19.
Referring to the attack on the Capitol perpetrated by Trump supporters in January 2021, Biden came out in defense of American democracy.
“Two years ago, our democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War. Today, though damaged, our democracy remains unshakable and intact,” he said firmly.
Addressing issues that divide the United States, the Democrat took the opportunity to defend the right to abortion, comprehensive immigration reform, the ban on access to semi-automatic weapons and criticized police violence, in the presence of the mother and stepfather of Tire Nichols. , a young black man who was recently fatally beaten by US security forces agents.
“There are no words to describe the anguish and pain of losing a child. But imagine what it is like to lose a child at the hands of the law,” Biden said, in one of the most emotional moments of the night, upon receiving recognition. ovation.
Joe Biden ended the speech with a message of confidence: “While I’m here, I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of America. We just have to remember who we are. We are the United States of America and there is nothing beyond our ability if we work together. May God bless you all. May God protect our troops,” he concluded.
Source: TSF
