POTUS Rocks the SOTU (2/12/23)
What a week it has been for Democracy. President Biden’s SOTU address was to many the best speech of his career. He was confident, passionate, funny, and hit the right tone for the moment. Republicans lacked civility while Biden remained the adult in the room and deftly used their heckling to corner them into displaying bipartisan support for Medicare and Social Security. He accomplished this all off-script and while millions of swing voters and independents were watching. No one anticipated that chess move.
President Biden also made his case that under his leadership America is on the right path and that his administration is working to serve the American people. He hammered home his vision to bring people together and have the government work for the middle class and those who are forgotten. Biden has always been described as someone who can connect with everyday people but has never been credited with being a great orator. In this speech, he was both.
President Biden summarized his tremendous accomplishments in his first two years in office: the infrastructure package, a bill to rebuild the chips industry, his gun safety legislation, the strengthening of NATO and defense of Ukraine, authorization to lower the cost of prescription drugs including insulin, aid for veterans exposed to burn-pit toxins, and a law to protect democracy that prevents congress from overturning an election.
He set out to show America that he is ready for a second term. He displayed assuredness, dedication, passion, and genuine happiness. America needed this moment and he delivered. As information warriors, it is our job to take this baton and carry on the positive message. Much of America did not watch the SOTU. As activists and amplifiers, we can do our part to share Biden’s successes and contrast them with the chaos makers on the other side.
In more good news, the three Democratic candidates for the Pennsylvania State House special elections swept their races, solidifying a clear if narrow 102-101 majority in the PA House. These are significant wins for the people of PA and will thwart the anti-voting and anti-abortion legislation advanced by the Republicans in that state. Thank you to the members of our Markers For Democracy Giving Circle who believe in the work of supporting state legislative candidates and understand that what truly affects people's daily lives happens at the state level. Now our giving circle moves down the Eastern Seaboard to Virginia where we will support Virginia Democrats running to flip their House of Delegates back to blue and increase the Democratic majority in the State Senate in 2023. Virginians need a Democratic bulwark in their state legislature to protect them from the dangerous policies of Gov. Glenn Youngkin. And Democrats around the country will receive a boost going into 2024 if Virginia Democrats can prevail in their "off-cycle" elections.
While this week has had many high notes, we can’t ignore the horrific devastation from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria which have taken so many lives and devastated thousands of families.
Hug your loved ones tight and let’s keep fighting together to make the world a better place.