Staff Reports
The White House, while Congress is almost done with its business for 2023, sent out a memo on Monday taking aim at Republicans for their weak economic policies and what they called an “extreme” political agenda. The GOP fired back, as they tend to do, with their own counter-attacks.
According to the memo, President Biden, who’s no spring chicken at 81, has supposedly overseen a “historic crisis” at the southern border. They blame his policies for this mess. They also pointed to a “massive spike in inflation,” claiming the average American family is shelling out over $11,400 more due to higher costs. On top of that, they’re not fans of Biden’s foreign policy, which they say has made America’s enemies bolder.
White House, Republicans trade attacks over economy, border as 2023 winds down https://t.co/r7csjzBIS8 pic.twitter.com/7AKZlTkSSQ
— New York Post (@nypost) December 18, 2023
On the flip side, the Biden camp praises themselves for bringing about “meaningful progress” for hardworking Americans in 2023. They mention their efforts to up wages, slash “junk fees,” bring down unemployment, and chip away at prescription drug and energy costs. They’re also pumping up the Inflation Reduction Act, calling it the “largest investment in climate action ever.”
Meanwhile, the GOP isn’t shy about calling out what they see as the other side’s shortcomings. They say Biden and company don’t have a plan to ease the financial burden on families. Their only idea, according to the memo, is to shower the wealthiest Americans and big corporations with trillions of dollars in tax cuts. The Biden team accuses GOP congressional members of wanting to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and thwart efforts to lower the costs of insulin and prescription drugs, among other things.
While all this back-and-forth is happening, Senate Republicans are still hashing things out with the White House over a $106 billion national security package to help out a few countries and tighten up the US border. On the immigration front, the Republicans have linked their support for the security package to changes in asylum policies. They’ve got their feathers ruffled over the influx of over 2.47 million migrants crossing into the US from the southwest border in fiscal year 2023.
As House Republicans head off for their holiday break, they’ve got some reassurance from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that military aid won’t dry up before the year is out.
Back to the Biden crew, they’re celebrating some cost savings for consumers, like lower gas and travel expenses and grocery prices compared to the year before. They’re not trying to hide the fact that the president oversaw the highest inflation in 40 years. But they’re quick to point out that workers’ wages are still higher than what they were pre-pandemic.
But leave it to the GOP and conservative voices to throw some cold water on the parade. They argue that when you factor in inflation, workers’ paychecks have taken a hit since Biden moved into the White House.
When it comes to Biden and things he’s got his hands in, Republicans aren’t shy about letting their feelings be known. They’re not holding back when it comes to calling out what they see as Biden’s economic shortcomings. They say his economic policies have sent prices soaring while tanking his approval rating. They’re not afraid to remind everyone about food and other necessities costing a whole lot more, the southern border being wide open, and American tax dollars being sent off to foreign lands.
And, to put a bow on it, they’re throwing out Biden’s less-than-stellar approval ratings as a cherry on top of their arguments. According to one poll, only 34% of folks are giving Biden a thumbs-up, while 61% have the opposite reaction. As for Vice President Kamala Harris, she’s doing a bit better, with a 37% approval rating and a 57% disapproval rate.
