US Politics: Biden's State of the Union - February 2023
US Politics - February 2023: Biden's State of the Union
The State of the Union address, the event of the month, was another rhetorical display from the president's speechwriters to stir up more hot air for middle-class Joe. Although well-delivered, the speech's content lacked substantiated detail, nor was it fact-proof regarding social security. It can be summed up in one line - don't be fooled by the patriarchal threats of the '50s; if you don't obey, we'll put you in line, sweetened by the promise to work across the aisles, but I set the conditions.
There is nothing authentic in the speech, nor has there been anything positive for the middle class, nationally or internationally, in the last two years unless the president's definition of the middle class includes union jobs and people making over half a million dollars a year.
Inflation, which only the government controls, could have been stabilized if US produced energy was not restricted. US gas and oil independence and export to Europe could have given the US more negotiation power on a global scale and reduced CO2 emissions. However, printing and distributing money into a recovering and growing economy is the real driver of inflation. Nevertheless, election promises must be kept, and there is always someone to blame.
The economy was already in recovery mode, and the passing of the infrastructure and other bills merely provided money for failed blue states or cities. Each project comes with the label of diversity, inclusion, and equity (and union jobs) as a political tool. Pork is still present, but this is at another level. What if you have a diverse population of only ten percent?
To unite the divided country, the president made his usual rhetorical call for democracy, which we have heard before the midterm and throughout his career. If he wants unity, he must address crime and police reform, secure the border (which would take care of gun law reform), and accept that people have differing opinions. If he is a leader, that is what is expected. The 90% in the middle are okay to negotiate, but tolerating the burning of cities for political gain and jailing demonstrators as political prisoners if you disagree with them requires some rethinking before unity can be reached.
The most hypocritical and almost surreal part of the address was the call for American jobs and reshoring (MAGA). Was it not his party and financial backers who fought the reshoring efforts of the previous administration? The 44th president even called it ridiculous. Now the current president, middle-class Joe, plagiarizes the previous administration's efforts. Perhaps there is good money available for hedge funds, PEG, and VC from the trillion dollars the administration will spend to sweeten the spot. The Chip Act certainly has a whiff of it. Look at the states most interested in it.
What was missing from the speech was the war in Ukraine. What is the strategy and global implications, and what are we doing for peace and real prosperity around the globe, other than fighting wars for democracy? What about the sanctions? There may be a project, but it is not worth mentioning.
Drugs and abortion, both destructive to human life, seem to have different support systems, but it appears that the administration in either case does not have much thought or interest in preserving life, only their political interests. Maybe Biden attests that, in the case of abortion, he sees the separation of church and state and hopes that, as a Catholic, he will be judged by a worldly panel when he goes to heaven. Or sometimes he appears to be above the pope and God.
What about the international sanctions on Russia? When the war started, we heard promises of imposing the "Mother of all sanctions" that would bankrupt Russia like in 1990, but have we seen any effective action? The war is a terrible thing, and both sides are unable to win militarily without complete destruction, leading to more destruction and loss of life. As the death toll and number of refugees continue to rise, not negotiating with a so-called dictator becomes more questionable.
According to sources, 200,000 soldiers and 50,000 civilians have been killed, and an estimated 14 million people have been relocated. While Western news only talks about refugees going to NATO-friendly countries like Poland, around 7 million people have left Ukraine, with 2.5 million going to Russia. The situation seems never-ending, and we wonder where it will all end.
Russia has successfully outmaneuvered other countries' attempts at imposing sanctions by negotiating with other nations. Taking money from oligarchs and their yachts has made good headlines but has not resulted in any significant changes. The IMF predicts that Russia's GDP will grow in 2023, outgrowing Western Europe in 2024. Russia still sells gas and oil to the West, and just recently, they announced cutting output as the EU put a cap on crude oil, leading to a global price increase.
While Europe buys Russian gas from Australia to reduce CO2 emissions, the delivery process may not be environmentally friendly. Sending more weapons to Ukraine may not help the situation, and the shortage of Ukrainian soldiers is a concerning issue. The US recession was avoided, and now we are already involved in directing missiles and strategic support in Poland. The situation is questionable, and the most transparent administration must be asked.
The North Stream 2 explosion is a significant concern. According to Seymour Hersh, the US is the culprit, and this thesis is elaborated with one source. While no one on the planet has asked for an investigation, the explosion could be seen as a terrorist attack or an attack on a sovereign country. If German Chancellor Scholz was briefed on the coup, he would be a traitor. However, no one seems to want to investigate the issue.
The world has many other challenges, and it is time to focus on negotiating with Russia and China rather than escalating conflicts. Biden and his administration should focus on the promises made at the start of their tenure and elevate negotiations on both fronts. Passing unilateral bills does not support the rhetoric on integration and negotiation, and it is time to move away from the MAGA Cult rhetoric. Talk is cheap, and it is time to take effective action.
