Joe Biden’s Accomplishments Go Unnoticed… And It Could Cost Him The Presidency – The United States has had its lowest unemployment rate for more than 50 years.
More Americans have access to health insurance than ever before.
Large-scale infrastructure projects requiring bi-partisan support in a polarized Congress have been passed.
President Joe Biden’s indeed registered successes during his first term, which is approaching its final year. Whether you adore his policies or vehemently despise them, it’s difficult to argue that the President has not completed anything during his time in office.
Joe Biden: A Failure?
That said, his poll numbers are struggling, and it looks more and like America considers Joe Biden a failure.
He’s been largely disapproved of by the American public ever since August 2021 (more on that later), and most surveys have him equal to a man facing 91 criminal charges across four indictments.
Biden’s lack of popularity has left Democrats exploring alternatives, both within the party and outside of it. Reasons touted include his age, ongoing legal dramas with his first son Hunter, and his desire for a green agenda. However, Biden’s true problem is not to do with policy: his accomplishments simply do not register with voters.
Biden Not Entirely To Blame
External factors are responsible for any president’s popularity, and Biden is no exception.
The media has largely focused on likely Republican adversary Donald Trump and his courtroom battles. From a media perspective, the first former president to ever be criminally charged gathers far more interest than the opening of a new manufacturing plant somewhere in Michigan. Naturally, Trump captures the coverage, and his open response to his indictments provides potential voters with an opportunity to draw their own conclusions.
The President also took control of the country during the midst of a global pandemic. His ideal four-year plan has been altered by the necessity to focus on divisive public health measures. The American he inherited meant that any policy introduced would be met with admiration or resentment, with very little middle ground in between.
Weak On Important Issues
President Joe Biden’s green agenda may be planning for America’s future, but that does not negate the issues facing the public today.
National security is always important for American voters. Predecessor Trump ordered military operations on Islamic State leaders and a prominent Iranian General. Barack Obama, likewise, oversaw an operation which killed Osama Bin-Laden.
On the contrary, America is arguably militaristically weaker on the world stage. The hurried evacuation from Kabul in August 2021 was not well received by the public, resulting in a noticeable change in Biden’s approval ratings. Since then, Russia has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Hamas has launched an operation in Israel in a conflict which will undoubtedly change the Middle East for generations. The U.S. may have supported its allies on each occasion, but Western military successes have relied on other nations, rather than U.S.-led operations.
Immigration is another issue for Biden, not helped by his extension (and broken pledge) of Trump’s border wall. The humanitarian crises in South America have increased illegal migration at the southern border. Biden’s hesitant response to appease all sides of the political spectrum resulted in a concession to his predecessor – not ideal when you’re set to run against him next year.
President Biden’s struggling performance is not entirely his own doing, admittedly. Following in the footsteps of America’s most divisive leader was always going to be a challenge, particularly when Trump’s prominence has not been subdued since leaving office two years ago.
Biden, inevitably, has been consistently compared to the Republican frontrunner, making it difficult to stand out without a radical shift in policy.
Biden’s focus on the future is commendable, but politicians are judged on their future ambitions as much as their past successes. On the problems of today, Biden is perceived to be weak, highlighted most by rising global tensions in regions of American influence.
Perhaps it’s a consequence of branding yourself as a “transition candidate” only to decide on a second term halfway through your presidency; then again, it’s hard for voters to resonate with you as a candidate for the future when you are 86 after a second term.
Either way, Biden has to start registering his accomplishments with voters, even if it means a more aggressive approach on Trump. If he doesn’t, it could cost him the election.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
