America’s For-Biden Future
It’s not easy to assess how Joe Biden has performed in his first 100 days in office. If the effort of his administration in curbing the impact of the coronavirus is commendable, there remain question marks about his government’s handling of many contentious issues like immigration. While the jury is still divided suffice to say Biden has made a start of sorts
When was the last time America had a good President?
Who was the last credible American President?
Who was the last pragmatic American President?
Who was the last popular American President?
To find the answers to the first two questions one has to probably go to the 18th and 19th centuries. The answer to the last two questions will differ from person to person, each will have a different opinion and chances of getting some unanimity on the topic is negligible at best.
Truth be told in the last few decades American Presidency has been more about basking in the country’s superpower status as opposed to making an individual impression. In the period America’s status as a world power has suffered a considerable dent, whatever be the reason. Suffice to say it will take considerable time to recover, if at all.
While covering the 2012 US Presidential Elections for example, I heard a politician say during a rally in Tampa, Florida that Republican candidate “Mitt Romney is a practical problem solver”. Most of the Republican campaign focused on the success of Romney as a businessman and consequently his ‘supposed’ ability to steer the country clear of the prolonged economic crisis.
Before being elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002, a tenure during which he was fairly successful as well, Romney owned a hugely successful business venture (Bain Capital) and was also credited for the success of the 2002 Winter Olympics, when he happened to be the CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Would he have done wonders to America’s faltering reputation? Since he never got the chance one will never know.
Even as Obama campaigned for re-election in 2012 he benefitted from a largely non-controversial image and good word of mouth. While campaigning for Obama former President Bill Clinton did admit not every promise had been fulfilled.
“Nobody could have repaired all the damage in just four years,” he said, adding, “Obama has got better plans for the future and we as a country need to look forward.” America opted to hand him a second term. Did Obama deliver?
Suffice to say in the most recent list of top US Presidents Obama is ranked at №12. He clearly did not manage to find a long-term solution to America’s woes, and also failed to get the economy back on track. The result was that the Democrats and their candidate (Hillary Clinton) suffered in the 2016 elections. Did Hillary also run out of luck because her husband used it up all? Well, that’s up to perception.
Electing Donald Trump was the American voters’ way of expressing their resentment for Obama’s eight years as the American President. From the time Trump announced his candidature to his election and tenure everything happened on expected lines. In that sense Trump didn’t disappoint.
Experts may beg to differ but fact is Trump the President will never be assessed objectively, and that is simply because the Trump the person has caused irreparable damage. That brings us to the incumbent Joe Biden, who’s now completed 100 days in office.
It is a fact that America did not selected Biden. It rejected Trump.
The day (November 20) American went to vote in 2020, Biden turned 78. When he assumed power on January 20 he became the oldest ever to take charge. Why did America opt for a 78-year-old to replace a 74-year-old (Trump)? Noted Indian actor Sanjay Mishra aptly summed it up as, “और option क्या है?” (What other option did they have?)
Did Biden taking over as the 46th American President incite positivity? Well officials from China, the country that has taken advantage of the American decline, didn’t think so. There was a frosty period of silence before China congratulated Biden on his win. Then there were officials who opined China must drop any illusion that its relations with the United States will automatically improve under Biden’s administration.
“American society is torn apart. I don’t think Biden can do anything about it,” Zheng Yongnian, the Dean of the Advanced Institute of Global and Contemporary China Studies, a Shenzhen-based think tank, told South China Morning Post.
“He is certainly a very weak President, if he can’t sort out domestic issues, then he will do something on the diplomatic front, do something against China. If we say Trump is not interested in promoting democracy and freedom, Biden is. (President Donald) Trump is not interested in war… but a Democratic President could start wars.”
There were times during his campaign that Biden took a tough line on China, even calling President Xi Jinpeng a “thug”. Not surprisingly the Chinese foreign policy specialists expected tensions between the two countries to continue under Biden.
In March while Biden insisted he has no intention of seeking conflict with China he nonetheless criticized his counterpart, calling him an autocrat, in a similar mold as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He doesn’t have a democratic — with a small ‘d’ — bone in his body, but he’s a smart, smart guy,” Biden said, adding, “I see stiff competition with China.”
“China has an overall goal, and I don’t criticize them for the goal, but they have an overall goal to become the leading country in the world, the wealthiest country in the world and the most powerful country in the world. That’s not going to happen on my watch, because United States is going to continue to grow and expand.”
However, in his first address to the Congress on 28th April Biden insisted on “competition, not conflict” with China. China and Russian apart America also needs a look at its policies towards Iran.
Besides foreign policy immigration is another major issue that’s turning out to be a difficult proposition for his administration. While Trump had a pretty straightforward stand on the issue the Biden administration’s initial focus has been to revoke many of the orders issued by his predecessor.
However, in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in March Biden clarified that his message to migrants is “Don’t come over” and that “we’re sending back people who cross the border”.
The influx of unaccompanied minors at the US — Mexico border, who have been taken into U.S. custody has shot up. Then there are huge numbers escaping poverty and violence in the Northern Triangle countries — El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — and heading upwards who pose serious concerns. No wonder the Biden administration is under attack from Republicans over the migrant surge at the border.
While Biden and his colleagues have made some progress in tackling immigration, a lot needs to be done.
Foreign Policy and Immigration apart the Biden administration seems to have done a decent job in its first 100 days.
Biden’s focus on controlling the coronavirus situation in the country, the most affected in the world, is commendable. Soon after taking charge Biden’s administration reacted quickly to overcome the problems related to the virus. From signing a USD 1.9 trillion Covid relief law to ensuring an overall increase in the vaccine supply — 200 million doses by the fourth week of April, from mass testing to asking people to take steps to check the spread, a lot of effort has been put in. While the pandemic is far from over the numbers have certainly come down, and that marks a success story.
The United States has also rejoined the World Health Organization (WHO). Only time will say if it is a good move or if Trump was right.
On the economic front it is good news as well. The US economy grew at an 6.4% annual rate — its fastest rate since 2003 — in the first quarter of the year, slightly more than what economists had predicted. According to the most recent IMF forecast the US economy is on a stronger path than before the pandemic, and is likely to be stronger by 2024.
The administration is working towards improving and streamlining the naturalization procedure for green card holders. In February, Biden signed an executive order towards that end. Likewise there are plans in progress to reunite families separated at the border. It is going to be a tedious process, as the task force established will have to go through piles of files, but it is a good initiative nonetheless.
According to the Associated Press (AP) Biden has been able to keep 24 of 61 promises he made for his first 100 days. The positive aspect is he has made progress on all but four of them.
An ABC News/Washington Post poll showed 52 percent of Americans approving the work Biden has done in his first 100 days in office. Likewise a poll conducted by ABC/Ipsos suggested that only 23 percent of Americans felt the country has become more united under his administration. However, about 64 percent of Americans also said they were optimistic about the direction of the U.S. following Biden’s first 100 days.
Suffice to say the major focus of the Biden administration in its early days at work has been to reverse many of Trump’s contentious policies and restore the Obama-era principles. To their credit many plans have been announced. How many of them will be implemented effectively remains to be seen.
That said, America’s challenges are manifold. So are the impediments on the way. It is a country whose failure will ensure schadenfreude, i.e., sadistic pleasure worldwide. It is a country where the liberals are on the rise, and hell bent on inflicting damage to their own country. It is a country whose media is always on the lookout for a negative story to capitalize on, no matter the consequences.
In such a scenario the Biden administration will palpably have to tread in a careful manner. How they emerge out of it will eventually define Biden’s legacy.
