Why Now President Biden?
On Wednesday, August 24th President Joe Biden announced a new plan to forgive over $10,000 in student loan debt. For many in Washington D.C., this news came like an avalanche, with Conservative Republicans and Moderate Democrats publicly criticizing the plan. So why now, Mr. President?
President Biden understood the basic fact and realities: he is simply not popular. Real Clear Politics shows his approval rating at a mere 40 percent. And like any un- popular president, Biden may be fearing the midterms and possibly a primary challenger in 2024. It is no secret the far left of the Democratic party loath the president,
and with resistance from the Republicans, Biden’s fans are far and few between. Biden understands that in the mid- terms, the party in power has a historical disadvantage: just look at the 2018 blue wave or 2010 red wave. These are very troubling times for Biden. But perhaps this is the political Hail Mary his career needs?
Even if the democrats somehow do well in mid- terms, i.e., maintain the senate, Biden’s position is far from assured within the Democratic Party. One thing is clear: this is an act of political pragmatism. Biden’s victory in the 2020 primary was pulled off by a last-min- ute touchdown in the form of Jim Clyburn’s endorsement in the South Carolina primary. Combined with
his coronation by the Demo- cratic establishment, Biden bounced back and defeated the far-left candidate Bernie Sanders. It is also important to remember Biden won the general election under the venire of moderate politics and anti-Trump rhetoric.
The reality is that President Biden is willing to test the limits of executive power to achieve political gains. That is clearly why Biden did this simple political pragmatism as a reaction to his falling approval rating among young Democratic voters. Mao said, “politics is war without blood- shed.” It is all war, and there are no rules but sheer pragmatism– a reality that the president understands as he sports his Douglas MacArthur aviator glasses.