The ‘Bidencade’ snarls traffic around nation’s capital

NEWS AND OPINION:

Well, if you’re going to tie up traffic around the nation’s capital, you might as well go big. That is what happened Tuesday evening when President Biden journeyed from the White House to a pair of political fundraisers in Chevy Chase — a most attractive town in Maryland just over the D.C. line.

It was all in the timing. Mr. Biden departed the White House at about 4:10 p.m. — just when the infamous D.C. afternoon rush hour is typically entering its hair-raising phase.

Complications ensued when security-minded officials shut down the inner loop of the infamous, 64-mile Capital Beltway that surrounds Washington and passes through Maryland and Virginia.

The lanes were blocked for an hour or so near the American Legion Bridge to accommodate the presidential motorcade. Lanes on two other nearby roads were also closed. Traffic came to a standstill.

“The Beltway comes to a complete stop for the presidential motorcade. I knew I should have taken the bus!” tweeted Montgomery County Council President Evan Glass, using his personal Twitter account.

He included a photo of himself standing outside his vehicle at 5:17 p.m. Tuesday, stuck in the mother of all traffic jams. Cars stretched into the distance while drivers pondered their fate.

The president departed the Chevy Chase area around 7:30 p.m. and was back at the White House in half an hour, according to a handy summary from WTTG-5, the local Fox TV affiliate. The event, however, became a major news item.

Here are a few headlines from news organizations that monitored the event:

“Liberals turn on Joe Biden over a traffic jam” (New York Post); “Motorcade snarls traffic after closure of Beltway’s inner loop” (Washington Post); “Motorcade mess: President’s trip backs up Beltway for miles” (NBC-4 Washington); “Traffic fiasco on 1-495 due to Secret Service” (WUSA-9 Washington); “Was Beltway closure due to Biden’s Chevy Chase visit?” (Daily Voice); “Motorcade ‘on the loose, on the move’ causes delays on Capital Beltway’s Inner Loop” (WTOP radio); and “Why did Biden’s motorcade shut down DC’s arterial highway?” (Washington Examiner).

‘LIBERAL CODE’

The recent direction of the U.S. economy is of concern to the Republican Party, which continually tracks the trajectory of the nation’s financial matters.

“Bidenomics — it’s a punchline, not an economic plan,” according to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which provided the proof in a brief analysis, complete with active links to pertinent information.

The analysis was presented in five succinct points — and here they are:

• President Biden’s economy resulted in the 4th of July cookout costing 14% more than it did just 2 years ago.

• Only 1 in 3 Americans approve of the direction of the economy.

• 57% of Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck.

• There’s a 25% chance of a recession in the next 12 months.

• There’s nearly $100,000 in national debt per every person in the United States.

“Bidenomics is just liberal code for more reckless government spending fueling inflation. Extreme House Democrats all support it, but everyday Americans see none of the benefits,” said Will Reinert, NRCC national press secretary.

A POWERFUL NEW FELLOW

The mission-minded Heritage Foundation announced Wednesday that former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is joining the organization as a visiting fellow focused on national security, cybersecurity and intelligence.

“Mr. Ratcliffe will focus on chairing a forthcoming project to hold China accountable for COVID-19, advising Heritage leadership on national security and intelligence policy, and helping Project 2025 build out policy recommendations for intelligence reform in the next presidential administration,” the organization said in a statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

Project 2025, by the way, is the organization’s new push to perfect conservative policy recommendations and a governing agenda to take back the White House. The effort is bolstered by input by a broad coalition of some 65 conservative organizations.

“Former DNI Ratcliffe brings a wealth of knowledge and unique insight when it comes to the national security issues this country faces,” said Kevin Roberts, president of the conservative Washington think tank, also in a statement.

“I am thrilled he is joining Heritage as we continue to safeguard the nation from threats abroad as well as work to rein in unaccountable federal agencies and protect the American people from an increasingly weaponized federal government here at home,” Mr. Roberts said.

Mr. Ratcliffe is ready.

“Throughout my public service, I have both admired and often relied upon The Heritage Foundation’s incredible work in advancing conservative policies, which have improved America’s national security posture. I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to now contribute to those efforts as a visiting fellow,” he said in a statement.

POLL DU JOUR

• 91% of small-business owners in the U.S. say that small businesses are vulnerable to rising interest rates.

• 76% of the owners say rising interest rates are limiting their ability to raise capital.

• 74% say rising interest rates make it harder for them to pay back business loans.

• 73% say it’s now harder for them to borrow money because banks are tightening lines of credit.

• 71% expect their revenue to increase in the next year.

• 59% say the “overall health” of their business is good.

• 54% say inflation “is “the top challenge” for small-business owners.

• 50% say that they have delayed plans to expand their business in response to higher interest rates.

• 49% say they have taken out a loan within the past year to cover higher costs due to inflation.

• 47% anticipate increasing staff in the next year.

• 24% say the U.S. economy is “in good health.”

• 23% cite supply chain issues as a major concern.

• 20% say maintaining revenue for the business is a major concern.

SOURCE: U.S. Chamber of Commerce/MetLife survey of 752 U.S. small-business owners conducted May 8-24 and released Wednesday.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.