It has been over a year since the 2020 presidential elections, and much has changed since that December, in politics, policies, and sentiment around the country. Since the first year of Biden, the presidency has reached its end and it is important to look back and see what were some wins and losses that the administration sustained this year.
There are several different crises happening all at the same time, and the United States is not the only country dealing with multiple systemic issues. However, every country is dealing with crises in its own way.
Pushing and approving a $1.9 trillion relief package for individuals, families, and businesses impacted by COVID-19, has been one of the biggest wins in the year. Ditching the past administration’s efforts by downplaying or rejecting what the scientists and researchers were saying regarding the pandemic, the Biden admin took over the vehicle of pandemic and steered it towards the route led by science.
Despite hardships along the way in trying to protect the nation and prevent the healthcare system from crumbling, Biden’s handling of COVID-19 has presented a huge difference. Over 63% of the total U.S. population is now fully vaccinated, with many individuals going towards their booster shots, in spite of all the roadblocks created by the opposition in derailing the vaccination efforts.
On the other hand, inflation during the first year of the Biden presidency was up by 6.8%, more than the wage growth throughout the year. Despite the surge in the economy and the decrease in the unemployment rate, inflation has caused many difficulties for people throughout the country. Despite the initial messaging branding this rise in pricing of housing, groceries, and energy as temporary, the admin now claims it could extend longer to sustain the economy.
On losses, the country faced criticism for its abrupt and unplanned withdrawal from Afghanistan, a move that was not unprecedented but rather was done haphazardly without a proper plan to be executed.
Legislations also have been stalled, despite those that passed with a majority. The voting rights bill and the Build Back Better act have both been pending approval in the Senate since no majority has been reached. For BBB, Biden faces opposition from his own party members, as Joe Manchin holds the key to the approval. The president himself said it best, “There’s a lot of talk about disappointments and things we haven’t gotten done. We’re going to get a lot of them done, I might add,” this coming year might be more challenging, but there are also some accomplishments from the previous year that have taken the load off the admin.
