Staff Reports
Biden’s recent admission that he was “stupid” for not putting his name on pandemic relief checks adds a fresh layer of irony to his economic narrative. In a speech at the Brookings Institution, the President seemed to be channeling some serious self-reflection, likely prompted by the regret that he’s been sitting on a mountain of missed marketing opportunities since he took office. Donald Trump, the previous president and reality TV star, made a clear mark with his name on those checks, a genius branding move that Biden clearly wishes he had emulated.
While touting the so-called “strong economy” under his administration, Biden seemed to urge Trump to embrace Democratic policies as if they were some sort of communal bonfire of ideas. The irony of a sitting president encouraging his political opponent to keep the spirit of big government alive is something that could only happen in Washington, D.C. It was almost as if Biden was pleading for the recycled scraps of the Democratic agenda to find new life post-Pandemic and post-Trump.
Biden’s speech was flush with statistics that were supposed to shine a halo around the Democratic economic record—a record that many disillusioned Americans have found about as appetizing as a plate of cold Brussels sprouts. With inflation skyrocketing and the cost of living through the roof, it’s no surprise that more than 60% of voters registered dissatisfaction with the economy heading into the midterms. That’s not just a bad report card; that’s like showing up to the final exam with no preparation and a hangover.
Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump didhttps://t.co/6EX2MB7Gtk pic.twitter.com/wTnPJltrE4
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 11, 2024
Let’s break down Biden’s confident assertion that he’s handing Trump a “strong economy.” Sure, the unemployment rate is sitting at a supposed 4.2%, but that figure hardly conveys the reality many Americans face daily. Groceries cost more than ever, and families are squeezing every penny, yet the administration wants us to believe the economy is thriving. It’s a classic case of putting lipstick on a pig, and folks are starting to see right through it.
As Biden took jabs at Trump’s potential economic policies, he was just as eager to criticize the Project 2025 initiative— a plan that aims to reshape the federal government and roll back several big government mandates. The President seemed to hope that his criticism would stick, warning that such drastic reform would result in an “economic disaster.” But what he fails to grasp is that many Americans are desperate for change, and if the status quo in Washington has anything to do with his current approval ratings, voters may be more than ready for a complete overhaul, even if it ruffles a few feathers in the D.C. establishment. After all, it’s not about how many jobs you can create; it’s about whether those jobs can pay the bills without sending Americans crying for their wallets on grocery trips.
