Biden’s State of the Union – and the stories people tell us from across the country – make the case for economic optimism
President Biden’s State of the Union address outlined the progress the US has made on a variety of fronts over the past two years. The President highlighted key economic legislation he signed into law to rebuild America’s crumbling infrastructure, boost domestic production and adoption of clean energy technologies, and lower costs for working families’ core expenses such as prescription drugs, health care, and utilities.
Despite those accomplishments, a poll released this weekend found only 36% of Americans believe Biden has accomplished much or much as president. However, after the State of the Union address, an Exit poll found that 62% of Americans are very or somewhat confident that Biden will provide real leadership for the country. While some brand the president’s address as his opening sales pitch for a possible re-election, the policies he spoke about are not empty promises on a campaign trail.
The timeframe for implementing the guidelines for new programs can range from months to years, so communities may not always reap the benefits immediately. Though the president acknowledges the current realities of economic hardship, Biden foreshadowed an economic hope that will grow as investments begin to transform Americans’ lives. As these policies come into effect, more economic success stories will emerge.
The stories of real people who volunteer at the Center for American Progress show how transformative and meaningful this policy is. For example, Americans have already saved thousands of dollars in health care costs, including by capping Medicare beneficiaries on insulin costs at $35. It’s life-changing for people like Robin, a senior who still works part-time after paying $1,800 a month for insulin. Others, like Bernetha, who began skipping prescriptions for her chronic illness because she couldn’t afford them, are eagerly awaiting further policy wins yet to come into effect — such as the $2,000 prescription cap of Medicare beneficiaries drug spending. Thanks to these savings, she can not only fill her prescriptions, but also start her long-overdue retirement.
Investments in America’s infrastructure have given communities tools to modernize and expand economic opportunities. In Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma, Biden’s internet affordability program saw Kandie’s internet bill drop from $100 a month to $24 a month. Meanwhile, in Cochise County, Arizona, Mignonne’s organization opened a new telemedicine hub for rural community members as fiber optic cables connected the facility to the broader broadband network.
America’s clean energy investments aim to create 1 million new US jobs – and some experts predict the actual number could be significantly higher. It has brought hope to people like Jacob, a third-generation boilermaker in Arizona. He sees the new southwest regional hydrogen center being built as the best way for boilermakers to share their skills, boost union membership, and predicts that 240 new boilermakers will be hired there under the president’s plan.
President Biden has spearheaded a string of successful legislative gains in an economy that is doing well numerically. The unemployment rate is the lowest in 54 years – since 1969. Americans have started more small businesses in the past two years than in any biennium on record. Annual inflation has fallen for six straight months. These numbers mean more when people can feel the effects in their daily lives. While not all Americans are familiar with Biden’s agenda, it will transform their lives significantly in the years to come.
Sage Warner is Stories Director at the Center for American Progress and Action Fund. She is currently completing her MPH at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a major in Politics and Management. More information about the Stories program can be found here Here.
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