To those who feel he’s not doing enough to protect Ukraine from Russian invasion, Biden announced $800,000,000 in new military support Thursday. He tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease the high prices of natural gas and oil, and reopened offshore sales of oil and natural gases on public lands. Biden also tried to reduce the supply-chain bottlenecks that have plagued the nation’s ports.
The president hopes that the announcements, which are made in almost daily rollouts and with a more intense travel schedule, will be a contrast to Republicans who, he claims, spend more time complaining than proposing solutions.
Biden stated that he meant it sincerely at a recent meeting of the Democratic National Committee.
It’s not clear that he is attracting much support. According to a new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 45% approve of the way Biden handles the presidency and 54% disagree. The poll was taken between April 14-18 and shows that the approval rate is roughly the same as last month but lower than the 63% approval rating for the president a year ago.
Biden has some bright spots. The number of applications for unemployment benefits has fallen to its lowest level in many decades, and wages are increasing. After the pandemic-induced slump, the economy is now growing.
Despite rising crime rates in certain parts of the country, and inflation at its lowest levels since 1981 these are not boom times for many. 70% of Americans consider the country’s economy poor. A further 33% of Americans say they approve, while 66% disapprove. Nearly all Republicans and Democrats disapprove.
The primary elections next month will show whether Democrats embrace Biden’s vision for a moderate party to counter the increasingly far-right GOP.
In Ohio, Rep. Rep. Ryan in Ohio is well-positioned to win the Democratic nomination to a Senate seat. His message appeals to blue collar workers and is consistent with Biden’s overall approach. However, Conor Lamb, a moderate in his native Pennsylvania could face John Fetterman in a close Senate primary.
Biden suggested that one of the best ways to deal with his political problems is to travel and present directly to voters the effects of his policies. Biden has been increasing his domestic travel to promote the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package which cleared Congress last autumn. Biden is currently in Seattle after a visit to Iowa, North Carolina and New Hampshire last week.
However, some of the top Democrats in the race for office aren’t asking for the president’s assistance. Beto O’Rourke , a former Texas Rep. said he doesn’t care about national Democratic figures visiting his state since he is running for governor. Florida Rep. Val Demings was campaigning for Senate. was not comital about Biden’s help as was Ryan.
“My philosophy is: I’m running. I am the candidate. Ryan stated that he doesn’t require any validators at the Knox County Democratic Party office, Mount Vernon, Ohio. Nearby were cardboard cutouts depicting Obama and Hillary Clinton. Biden was not present, but there was a campaign sign with his name on it.
Ryan was uncharacteristically blunt when Ryan was asked if Biden’s appearance could cause harm.
He said, “I don’t know.” “I don’t know.”
According to administration officials and their allies, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris plan on increasing U.S. travel in the coming weeks and on increasing their fundraising for the Democratic Party. However, most of their activity will likely take place in the later summer and early autumn — after the primaries have concluded and voters have made their choices at the ballot box.
Some within the administration want Biden and Democrats drawn closer to Republicans. For example, they argue that the president should more forcefully point out a Texas Republican Governor’s new study. Greg Abbott’s decision not to inspect truck travel more than once cost the U.S. $9 billion within ten days.
Biden, at a Thursday Democratic fundraiser held at a Portland yacht club, predicted that Democrats would gain two seats in November in order to secure a 52/48 Senate majority.
He said that the Republicans were being overthrown by “the far right”. It’s not conservative in the traditional sense of conservatism. It’s mean. It’s ugly.”
However, it is not always easy to blame the other party in the face of mounting problems. Democrat Terry McAuliffe tried to make the race for Virginia governor last year a referendum on modern-day GOP dangers — even calling Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin “Trump in a sweater vest.” McAuliffe lost in a state Biden barely won a year ago.
Some of the White House’s most loyal allies claim it will be up to Biden, regardless of what Republicans do, to get voters moving ahead of November.
Wes Bellamy, the founder of Our Black Party which promotes issues that strengthen African American communities, said, “He’s not an efficient communicator.”
Bellamy stated that the president speaks in a tone that isn’t very appealing to his base, and that they don’t do a sufficient job of being active on ground.
The fact that the president may not address one problem but cause another is an added challenge. For example, some of the actions taken by the administration to control prices at the pumps go against Biden’s pledges to combat climate change. This is especially true after his social spending bill “Build Back Better” was defeated in Congress.
Brett Hartl, chief political strategist for the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, stated that “His midterm strategy in respect to the environment was pretty underwhelming” and is unlikely to work.
Hartl stated that Americans, especially young Americans, who backed Biden in 2020 believing he would make the country greener are now disillusioned by “a steady trail of defeats regarding the climate crisis.”
Jen Psaki, White House press secretary suggested that Biden might help Democrats avoid a Republican midterm defeat by using the phrase “Don’t compare me with the Almighty; compare me to other options.” This is something Biden used frequently while running for the White House in 2020.
“Really, they don’t have anything in the cupboard, if we look at them from the other side. They don’t have a plan,” Psaki stated at a recent event to “Pod Save America.”
