Who cares about Biden's first State of the Union?
At this point in our nation's history, it could be profoundly important
In a few minutes, Joe Biden will give his first State of the Union address. It’s his best opportunity between now and November’s midterm elections to shape the narrative — describing the key choices ahead and explaining where he’s leading America. But there’s far more at stake than mere politics.
Biden needs to frame not only what he’s accomplished and wants to accomplish but also what America stands for at this precarious point in our nation’s history. That should be the choice between democracy and authoritarianism. Biden should emphasize that America’s role in the world is to lead democracies against aggressors like Putin. And then he should connect this to voting rights here in America and the dangers posed by the ongoing assault on democracy spawned by Donald Trump.
Biden should hold senate Republicans accountable for thwarting every attempt to protect the right to vote — rejecting the comprehensive For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (which would have restored those parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that the Supreme Court gutted in 2013), and most recently, the Freedom to Vote Act — which was expressly designed to attract at least ten Republicans in order to overcome a filibuster, but did not. Biden should unequivocally state that this intransigence is undermining what generations of Americans have fought and died for — the defining legacy lying at the heart of the nation: our democracy.
Biden should also make clear that record levels of concentrated wealth inside America also poses a danger to democracy, as big money engulfs politics. (It wouldn’t hurt to use the quote attributed to the great Justice Louis Brandeis — “America has a choice: We can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or we can have a democracy, but we cannot have both.”) He could also use this opportunity to show the connection between inflation and increasing levels of corporate concentration and market power — requiring stepped-up antitrust enforcement.
At this point in the nation’s history when several existential challenges are converging — Putin’s war and the fearful prospect of nuclear armageddon, COVID, climate change, the attacks Trump has provoked on democracy at home, along with racism and xenophobia — what Biden says tonight could be profoundly important.
His address begins in about fifteen minutes. Please watch or listen, and let us know whether in your view he has risen to the occasion.
Love this s quote: “America has a choice: We can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or we can have a democracy, but we cannot have both.”
— Justice Louis Brandeis
The most powerful message of this war has already been sent with no words spoken. Look at the images sent from Ukraine, the people. Those people look like images of New York city! They look like you and me! They look like "consumers." And they look desperate. This is what Authoritarianism looks like. I think/hope this war serves as a wake-up call for many Republicans and Trump supporters. I hope Biden points out to the Republicans that Authoritarianism is what you are seeing in Russia, what abuse of authority looks like. A large majority of Russians did not and do not support this invasion of Ukraine. That doesn't matter in an Autocracy. That does matter in a democracy. Putin is showing the Russian people that their opinion does not matter. His opinion matters! Tonight, is an opportunity to show Republicans what they are supporting, what they are asking for in a government. They have been trapped in an illusion, asleep in a cocoon, spun by authoritarians, by propagandist. Democrats are no different. They, too, are vulnerable to propaganda and illusions. And finally, you have a revolution, or a war and the cocoon is split open, and reality spills out. The reality of authoritarianism is being imposed on the Ukrainian people today and upon the Russian people today, and on the world. If Biden can paint this image clearly tonight, the speech will go down in history alongside the Gettysburg Address.