Govt 9: What did Biden/Harris and democrats accomplish so far? (v1.2)

Biden is too old. So, the taunt goes. But look at what this "old" man and Harris accomplished in a few years. It is extremely impressive by ANY measure. I go by RESULTS!! My second criteria for a presidential campaign contribution are character which President Biden has an abundance of. The last criteria is Class. I believe history will rank President Biden among our finest presidents. I am offering this blog entry as a PUBLIC SERVICE. 

Update 8/20/2024: Unfortunately for him, Biden had to close his 2024 reelection bid. After his 2024 DNC convention speech, this is what a writer wrote. "And when the achievements he proudly proclaimed Monday have faded, Biden will be remembered for generations — just like the first president, George Washington — as much for the way he left office as for what he did when he held it."

You may disagree with a president's policy. That is not what this is about. This is about his and Harris accomplishments in advancing his policies. 

• Biden got out of Afghanistan. This was a quagmire the US was stuck in for two decades. Agreed, the execution was not perfect, but the strategy was right on. It freed up the military to focus on Europe and China and other places.
• The American Rescue act protected the businesses/economy/people/states through the pandemic. Agreed there was more unpaid for spending in the bill than I felt was warranted, but look at what would have happened to businesses, people, states and the economy otherwise.  
• Biden handled the health aspects of COVID well. Vaccines and treatments were developed, and large numbers of populations were protected. PCR test supplies were created. Multiple vaccine boosters, and antigen tests were made available. Masks were created. Masks were mandated only for federal employees/contractors whose wellbeing were his direct responsibilities. Mask policy for states was states responsibility. 
• Huge investment in the nation's infrastructure in the bipartisan infrastructure bill. In a highly polarized environment, Biden sought and found bipartisanship. 
• The first major bipartisan gun safety bill in decades was passed. Much more is needed but this was groundbreaking. Again, Biden sought and found bipartisanship. 
• The bipartisan CHIPS act was passed greatly boosting production of CHIPS at home. This is vital for the nation. Again, Biden sought and found bipartisanship. 
• A bipartisan act was passed to help veterans who suffered injury through burn pits. Again, Biden sought and found bipartisanship. 
• The Inflation reduction act took a huge bite towards the climate problem, did a big cut in deficit, and reduced cost of many prescription drugs for Medicare patents and gave the IRS funds to expand and improve services/tax collection. He saw this through despite fierce GOP opposition. 
• Biden pulled together NATO allies, strengthened NATO, and strongly supported Ukraine to protect itself from Russia and support its economy during conflict, and punished Russia for aggression against Ukraine. Finland and Sweden's path to NATO was greased by Biden countering Turkey's intransigence.  
• Only congress can really solve the border problems. Presidents can only apply Band-Aids (see my essay on immigration: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/09/us-immigration.html). Biden ended the inhumane policies of the previous president at the border, and (once the pandemic and consequently title 42 band aid ended), put in a new set of Band-Aids to increase security and reduce illegal border crossings. But it is not enough by a long shot. Congress needs to act. 
• Biden strengthened ties with Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan and some pacific islands to counter China. Biden strengthened ties with India. Biden signed agreement with Australia to supply nuclear submarines. Biden upgraded ties to Taiwan and supplied more self-defense capability to the island. 
• Biden stabilized the deteriorating relationship with China and brought it to a safer more stable level despite intense competition with that country.  Biden has successfully kept the competition with China under control and stopped it from erupting into an open war. 
• Biden currently has a major middle east effort ongoing involving Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Palestinians. This could be huge if it clicks. 
• Biden hired a diverse federal workforce and nominated a large number of judges with diverse backgrounds. He appointed a black female supreme court justice. 
• The moderate democrats and the progressive democrats were at each other's throats. Biden pulled the party closer together and created a governing coalition. 
• Biden secured the release of many Americans wrongfully languishing in foreign prisons. He recently had 5 Americans in Iran released. 
• Biden stopped Iran and Hizballah and Syria and Houthis from entering the Israel-Hamas war by positing a strong deterring force in the region. He worked with allies in the region to contain the conflict. He provided defense capabilities (like iron dome missiles) to Israel and pushed Congress to fund it. He persuaded various parties to let foreigners trapped in Gaza to exit to Egypt and had aid to Gaza civilians delivered in a reliable way from Egypt and later on via sea and greatly facilitated negotiations for hostage release by Hamas. He persuaded Israel to agree to Humanitarian pauses. Biden has tried to extend aid to Palestinians who are trapped in the middle of the conflict in Gaza between Hamas and Israel. He has also tried to influence Israel to soften its tactics in Gaza to avoid even larger Palestinian causalities. Biden stopped the attempts by the Houti forces in Yemen to disrupt shipping and trigger further escalation
• Biden defused a major crisis precipitated by house GOP that would have caused a national default. 
• Biden pushed through a temporary funding extension in November 2023 to avoid a shutdown by supported it even though it was not structured the way democrats wanted. 
• The Biden administration has not suffered any major scandal, or any major people exits. 
• The Biden justice department held January 6 law breakers to account and is now scooping up/indicting the higher ups. 
• The electoral count act was updated. What happened during congressional counting of presidential electoral college votes on Jan 6 can never happen again.
• Inflation shot up to over 8% as the economy came out of the pandemic shock. But it has steadily decreased and is now at 3.2%. The economy has not slipped into a recession so far as the interest rates went up. 
• Debt to GDP ratio hit 136% in second quarter of 2020. It has come down significantly to about 123% in second quarter 2022. But higher interest rates for new borrowing is now starting to increase it again. 
• Unemployment rate has been holding pretty steady at around 3.2% which is very good. 
• Biden helped craft a history making tough bipartisan deal on border, but the GOP nuked it to keep the problem festering for political advantage. There will never be such a favorable deal to the GOP offered by the democrats again. Since congress did not act, Biden passed an executive order to shut down asylum claims once a threshold of migrants is passed. It would have been much better with a congressional law. 
• Biden helped nudge a deal in 2024 February to again avoid a disastrous shutdown. 
• After a sustained effort by the white house and others, the house finally passed legislation for aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. It will clear the senate easily.
• When Iran attacked Israel, Biden helped guide Israel's response to be more nuanced, so it did not flare up into a huge new middle east war. 
• The US under Biden got the UN security council to unanimously pass a resolution for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza war between Hamas and Israel. 
• The US unshackled nuclear power in the US for climate change with huge bipartisan vote. This changes the game on climate!!  
• Biden relaxed immigration rules for undocumented spouses and children of US citizens. 
• In a great act of selflessness, Biden withdrew from the reelection race even after overwhelmingly winning the primary to make way for his VP running mate Kamala when it became clear his support was way down due to doubts over his age and health. Biden is 81. The transition to Kamala as the presidential candidate was very smooth, rapid and seamless.
• Biden was the prime mover to close a multi nation massive swap with Russia where many Americans and western citizens were freed as part of the swap. In total Biden brought back 70 Americans wrongfully detained abroad - many imprisoned before his term started. 
• Overall Biden forgave $175 billion in student loans for 5 million students. 

Only thing they failed to accomplish, that they set out to accomplish, was pass the build back better bill with many progressive democrat ideas that some moderate democrats baulked at. Build back better bill was the key vehicle to launch a demand side economics vision sometime called Bidenomics. Biden also was unable to get back into the Iran nuclear deal that was unfortunately cancelled by the previous president. Biden also tried to forgive student loans to ease the burden on the young with mixed success. 

Clearly Hunter Biden has not conducted himself in the most ethical way during parts of his life. But the travails of a son in no way implies anything at all about the father. All I see is a fathers love for his only living son. I have seen or read absolutely nothing that shows any corruption on the part of Biden relative to his sons' activities. The GOP house can try to impeach Biden at their own peril. The impeachment inquiry just opened (without a floor vote) has all the hallmarks of a fishing expedition and starkly demonstrates speaker McCarthy's weakness. I have seen nothing but great character on President Bidens part.  

Update 7/24/2024 after impeachment inquiry ended: As Democrat Raskin said on Fox news with Republican Comer (who led the impeachment inquiry) by his side - "I think Comer did a magnificent job exonerating Joe Biden of all the fraudulent charges that were raised against him in this Congress". Ha Ha Ha!!