By Ryan Walker, The Daily Signal | March 6, 2024
President Joe Biden on Thursday night will address a joint session of Congress and the American people to persuade voters that his many failures are actually successes.
Don’t buy it.
He will continue a campaign of gaslighting around his administration’s increasingly dangerous border catastrophe, his unaffordable and anemic economy, and his disastrous foreign policy that puts us all at risk. Biden will attempt to persuade us of the strength of his union—but he’s living in a state of delusion, and his primetime speech will make that painfully clear.
The reality of life in Biden’s America has become so far detached from the messaging coming out of his White House, it’s hard to imagine any address will change the minds of voters who have lost faith in the president. But we know he will try.
Here’s what you can expect to hear from Biden—and the hard truths he will continue to ignore:
First, he’s sure to deflect on his role in creating the border crisis. And this issue may best highlight the growing divide between the president’s dishonest view of his administration and the reality Americans face every day.
Biden will claim the historic number of illegal immigrants allowed in the country on his watch has nothing to do with him. He will tell you the humanitarian disaster caused by his blatant encouragement of illegal immigration is not his fault. He will blame Congress for a crisis of his making—a truly Orwellian touch.
The reality? Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas began intentionally and systematically dismantling all semblance of border security within hours of taking the oath of office. Before he was even sworn in, during Democratic debates, he promised to give free health care to illegal immigrants and oppose deportation. As soon as he got to the Oval Office, Biden ended almost all of former President Donald Trump’s policies that deterred mass illegal immigration, such as “Remain in Mexico”; halted construction of the border wall; and turned on a flashing “open” sign that remains on to this day.
The result has been an unmitigated disaster. More than 9 million people have illegally entered the country on Biden’s watch—that’s more than the population of most states, and doesn’t include the 1.7 million people we know have evaded authorities altogether. His incoherent position on the border is overcrowding and overwhelming our schools and health care system, fueling a fentanyl crisis that’s destroying families in every state, and giving criminals free rein across the country—with deadly results.
Unfortunately for Biden, the American people already blame him for the crisis. Almost 70% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the border, and immigration is now the top concern of a plurality of voters. For the first time ever, a majority of Americans support a border wall. That is Biden’s legacy on the border.
We also know Biden will try to persuade Americans that “Bidenomics” is working, that the crime and decay in our cities are nothing to be concerned about, that the military is strong, and that Republicans are a threat to democracy.
Here’s the truth: The president’s economic agenda has led to nothing but strife for average families. Real wages are down, prices are up, and credit card debt is at a record high. A staggering 60% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Even Democrats admit the “Bidenomics” campaign is failing.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan majority of Americans think we have a crime crisis; Biden’s Pentagon is overseeing a historic recruitment shortfall and plunging public confidence; and our enemies have watched as Biden’s administration repeatedly fumbles on the world stage.
Lastly, in perhaps his most cynical gambit, Biden will try to persuade you that Republicans are an existential threat to our democracy. He will make this claim just days after the Supreme Court unanimously overruled activist judges and officials from his own party who were trying to kick his chief rival off the ballot. The irony is stunning, and would be comical if it wasn’t so insulting.
The State of the Union is an opportunity for every president to highlight his successes. But when an administration has so little success to promote, the only thing left to do is deceive and deflect. Instead of taking responsibility for his own dismal record, Biden will desperately attempt to rewrite history while using the federal government against his rivals.
Don’t be fooled. Biden is living in a state of delusion while the rest of us live in reality—far worse off than we were when he took office. No matter what he says in front of Congress on Thursday night, the real state of his union is weak, woke, and weaponized against those who dare to speak out.
Luckily, the American people will have the opportunity to respond in November.
Ryan Walker is executive vice president of Heritage Action for America, the grassroots advocacy arm of The Heritage Foundation.
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