The media is full of doom and gloom for Democrats in this new year. Is it that bad? Does President Biden need to reset his agenda? Jennifer Rubin, in The Washington Post, says yes and offers some suggestions. Here is part of what she had to say:Democrats have taken to broadcasting their panic in public, as they are wont to do. Their anxiety is understandable. . . .
So far, the White House has responded with a “glass is half full” message. The economy is roaring back, it says. Unemployment has plunged. The American Rescue Plan and the bipartisan infrastructure plan were major accomplishments. A slew of diverse, well-regarded federal judges have been confirmed.
The Biden administration is right in one respect: If the economy is strong, inflation is down and the pandemic is largely in the rearview mirror, Democrats have a fighting chance. But if the economy and the pandemicare headed in the wrong direction, Democrats are cooked. As such, Biden’s failures now threaten to dwarf his accomplishments, which is why the president is facing Democrats’ rising hysteria about this year’s midterm elections.
Be prepared to hear a lot about a “reboot” or “reset.”. . .
The question for Democrats now is whether Biden can reset his presidency before the midterms to help stave off disaster. With prospect of a lawless, authoritarian GOP in control of one or both chambers of Congress, Democrats cannot risk big losses in 2022. Democrats need Biden to correct course — promptly.
The most obvious issue for Biden is the China competitiveness bill that has already passed the Senate. The legislation would increase research-and-development funding, bolster the domestic semiconductor industry, help end the microchip shortage and build out domestic supply chains. Reports suggest the House and Senate are on the verge of agreement. Biden should champion that effort and stress his success in countering China’s economic advances. (Democrats have a legitimate gripe that the bill shouldn’t have languished while Biden fought a losing battle over the Build Back Better bill.)
Biden should also take on crime. Rising rates of murder and other violent crimes in major cities are a real concern. Treating crime merely as a gun-safety issue will not put voters’ minds at ease. A bill or executive order combining enhanced training and support for police, targeting violent domestic terrorists, and focusing attention on international gangs and human traffickers (which the administration has targeted) would help reassure voters that Democrats care about both public safety and endemic racism in our criminal justice system.
Biden should also add to his to-do list a push to investigate and regulate social media companies. Social media — the bane of both the right and left — might be the juiciest target around. Biden could easily tout child and privacy protections as well as legislation that would demand greater transparency and deny these companies a litigation safe haven if they don’t police themselves.
Finally, Biden should be leading on serious ethics reform for both the executive and legislative branches. Banning individual stock ownership for members of Congress, enhancing the powers of inspectors general, putting teeth into the Hatch Act, requiring presidents and vice presidents to release tax returns, restricting presidents’ “emergency” powers and other good-government initiatives may resonate with cynical voters. Republicans who oppose anti-corruption efforts would be easy targets in the midterms.
Biden is not wrong to seek credit for the economy, covid response and several legislative accomplishments. But he must shift focus from losing efforts to those he can win. Good policy and good politics sometimes coincide. In this case, a revised agenda might stabilize a rocky presidency and prevent a midterm wipeout.
