OPINION:
So this is how Washington, D.C., works these days: The media sets the narrative, “everybody in America loves Joe Biden.” They then commission a poll to prove their narrative, “Americans overwhelmingly support President Biden’s agenda.” That poll is then used by the White House to justify their initiatives, “we have the vast majority of American support.”
Wash, rinse and repeat. The propaganda is regurgitated on a never-ending loop, used to brainwash Americans into believing President Biden is a boring, moderate, likable leader whose radical agenda doesn’t threaten the very core of our nation’s institutions and beliefs.
Some may be buying this, but more honest polling, done by the Senate Opportunity Fund, shows many are not.
It’s true, Americans love free things. Free infrastructure, free child care, free health care, paid leave and college tuition support. When pollsters, like Monmouth University, frame questions like: “President Biden recently proposed a $2 trillion infrastructure plan to be spent on roads, bridges and trains, internet access, power grid improvements, and clean energy projects. In general do you support or oppose the plan?” It’s not surprising, 68% of respondents say they support it.
But it’s all in the trade-offs. Americans — in their heart of hearts — know nothing is free, and give more truthful answers if they’re asked about Mr. Biden’s $2 trillion in spending in context. When presenting both sides of the argument, including Republican’s criticisms that only 6% of the spending is dedicated to actual infrastructure, that it will raise your taxes and give Nancy Pelosi a slush fund of cash to dole out at her discretion, support is much lower.
Under those perimeters, Mr. Biden’s “Jobs Plan” receives only 47% support, and 40% disapproval — hardly a vast majority, according to Senate Opportunity Fund polling. Moreover, when contrasted with the Senate Republicans infrastructure plan — which costs $550 billion and focuses only on real infrastructure projects, respondents prefer it to Mr. Biden’s plan by a 10-point margin.
Now, you won’t hear any of this in the news. Mainly, because the Biden administration is working overtime to govern as though they have a mandate, and don’t need to compromise with Republicans. The mainstream media is happy to report on why this is a good thing, buying into the hoopla that he’s the next FDR and the GOP are just obstructionists.
But Mr. Biden has no such mandate. He won the presidency only by about 42,000 votes decided in three states; Republicans flipped 15 congressional seats compared to the Democrats’ three; and his party didn’t pick up any state legislatures in the 2020 election.
We live in a deeply divided country — even by public polling standards, Mr. Biden’s 100-day approval rating is the lowest of any president since Gerald Ford, with the exception of President Trump. President Obama had a 63% approval rating in his first 100 days, compared to Mr. Biden’s 53%. Mr. Biden promised he would work to unify the country, but his radical spending programs, with absolutely no Republican buy-in, is only tearing it further apart.
This is perhaps by design. Mr. Biden is a man of his party, and his party is being ruled by the likes of Mrs. Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. His own White House is staffed with Obama-era officials, who use his low-profile and moderate persona as a tonic to push their radical agenda. Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believes Mr. Biden has “definitely exceeded expectations that progressives had.”
Overall, Mr. Biden is proposing about $6.1 trillion in new government spending, equating a huge federal takeover of the nation’s economy. Any one of his three proposals, the American Rescue Plan, the American Jobs Plan or the American Family Plan, would be among the most expensive legislative agendas ever adopted by Congress.
Despite his cheerleaders in the mainstream media, Americans are increasingly becoming concerned of who is going to have to pick up the tab, and are growing weary of the game.
According to Senate Opportunity Fund polling, government spending has shot back into the forefront among the most important economic issues facing our nation, falling only behind jobs and unemployment, and the cost of living. Among conservatives, it’s now the No. 1 issue. There’s growing fears of taxes being raised and wasteful government spending.
It’s true President Biden is no President Trump — there are no late-night tweets or big personality debates. It’s also true, however, if President Biden jams through his radical agenda without any bipartisan support, he too will become a one-term president.
Americans are catching on to the charade.
• Kelly Sadler is commentary editor at The Washington Times.
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