Are We Better Off Than We Were Last Year? You Bet!

By most measures the Biden/Harris Administration has had a successful first year.

That does not mean that they accomplished all their goals.

They did not.

However, after their first year in office, many objective observers can point out that the Biden/Harris Administration has outperformed the mediocrity and embarrassment that was the Trump/Pence team.

After the first year of this Administration:

• Jobs are up.
• Unemployment is down.
• People with affordable and accessible health insurance is up.
• COVID vaccinations are up.
• People combatting food insecurity is down.
• Child poverty is down (but is creeping up again thanks to Mr. Manchin’s and Republicans’ resistance to expanding the child tax credit.)
• Infrastructure investments are happening including the electric grid, broadband expansion, and green venues like electric charging stations, wind and solar.
• Efforts to replace dirty water pipes with clean ones are underway.
• Judicial confirmations that reflect the diversity of America are up.
• The most diverse Presidential cabinet in United States History.
• Stronger vehicle emission standards.
• Greater aid to local governments and schools.
• An expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
• American forces are no longer in Afghanistan.
• Has started to restore its standing in the global arena.

The President announced on January 21 a $20 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility near Columbus, Ohio. On January 19 President Biden announced that 400 million high-quality N-95 masks will be available free of charge at pharmacies and other locations starting as early as next week — the largest deployment of PPE in U.S. history.

This is a record of accomplishment that should be bragged about every day until the 2022 and 2024 elections.

Now much work remains.

Inflation needs to be tackled. COVID needs to be dealt with as a new normal in our nation’s healthcare system. A form of Build Back Better which includes as much of the Biden/Harris socioeconomic agenda needs to be passed. The Administration needs to take as many steps as possible to secure voting rights and protect election integrity. Rising crime rates in some parts of the country, including domestic terrorism, need to be addressed. Russian and Chinese aggression in their regions need to be contained.

But if someone asks if we are better off than we were last year, the answer should be: You Bet.