Rarely does a president take on the burden of delivering a State of the Union address when America’s labor unions are in real crisis. There is no denying that America in 2024 is a country in political crisis.
The presumptive Republican presidential candidate was charged with a crime. 91 state and federal crimesamong which: invalidate the legitimate 2020 election.31 percent of Trump supporters and nearly a quarter of Biden supporters now have doubts. Is democracy still working? In a country so divided. Meanwhile, members of Congress like Congressman Byron Donald are vowing to abolish democracy altogether. refuse to certify election results It hurt Republicans.
Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday night not only acknowledged the serious threats to democracy facing our country, but also took direct action against the Republicans responsible for undermining America’s confidence in our electoral process. challenged. That’s the battle Biden hopes will decide the 2024 general election. If he’s right, the Republican Party is in serious trouble.
“The lies about January 6th and the 2020 election, and the conspiracy to steal it, posed the most serious threat to our democracy since the Civil War, and they have failed,” Biden said. “America has stood strong and democracy has prevailed. But the threat still remains and we must be honest that democracy must be protected.”
Defending democracy is familiar territory for Biden. The 2022 midterm elections were decided based on the wrong judgment of some of Mr. Biden’s senior advisers. referendum on democracy.The consultant class at that time was criticized Biden’s defense of democracy It’s too vague and complex for American voters to understand. They warned that they would fixate on table issues such as jobs and the economy.But Biden’s judgment proved correct and he succeeded. shorted out Predicting a Republican takeover of the Senate.
But even in the short two years since that election, democracy has experienced significant setbacks. Donald Trump is now openly pledging to exercise the office of president as “president.” tools of dictatorship To resolve personal political vendettas. CPAC, the MAGA movement’s largest organizing event, currently has pro-Trump speakers on stage. support the end of democracy And the second time was a successful attack on the United States, like the one on January 6th.
Biden’s dire words are not rhetoric—American democracy is truly in a life-or-death struggle.
“As we have done since I was elected president, I ask all of you, regardless of political party, to come together and protect our democracy,” Biden shouted in one of the most energetic moments of the night. is. “Let’s respect free and fair elections! Restore faith in our institutions! And make it clear that political violence has no place in America.”
Many Americans now see this struggle as a dangerous new political reality. In an August Morning Consult/Bipartisan Policy Center poll, 82 percent of voters He had serious concerns about the state of democracy.What a YouGov/CBS News poll conducted earlier this year found Half of voters chose to protect democracy This is the first time in modern history that American voters were more concerned about the fundamentals of democracy than they were about their wallets.
The Republican-led assault on American democracy is broader and more calculated than President Trump’s autocratic pledge to simply overturn the ballot box. As Biden pointed out, Republican efforts to restrict freedom are most visible in the ongoing war on reproductive freedom. Especially in vitro fertilization treatment.
Biden spent much of his remarks highlighting the oppressive horrors of Republican efforts to roll back women’s access to basic reproductive health care.It’s also a problem for Republicans. realize that they have failed And cannot be dealt with reliably. Biden is not only raising the issue of reproductive rights, he is committed to it.
“Many of you in this chamber [Donald Trump] They promise to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom. God, what freedom will you take away next? ”
Biden spoke to a growing number of voters by focusing on reproductive freedom. 20% of RepublicansThey feel that the Republican fight against abortion has become a national disgrace. If Mr. Biden were able to cut off even a portion of voters in close states, House Republicans in crisis would suffer a crushing defeat. As Republican leaders scramble to address the problem, Boiling voter revolt Biden’s focus on abortion is about more than just good government. That’s winning politics.
By making the State of the Union a report on America’s battered democracy, Mr. Biden is trying to combine his political aspirations with his voters’ love of freedom. That pitch paid off in 2020 and 2022. Biden, the Democratic Party, and democracy all depend on whether American voters hear Biden’s call again.
Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Third Degree Strategies.
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