What Biden didn’t say at the State of the Union – Communist Party USA
The following is based on a report given by Joe Sims at the National Board meeting on March 2, 2022.
Perhaps the most suprizing thing about Bidens State of the Union address the other night is that nary a word was said about the storming of the Capitol. How could that be? A scant few weeks after the coups first anniversary and no mention? What manner of political calculus led Washingtons top Democratic strategists to conclude that it was either impolitic or impolite to mention the most important event in this countrys history? Was it a focus group, a poll, a gut-felt hunch, plain old stupidity, or what?
Gus Hall used to say that the essence of being president was in offending the least number of people, but after January 6th, this is ridiculous!
The answer might lie in the content of a speech pitched smack dab in the middle of center field. After almost 20 minutes of casting fire and brimstone at Putin for invading Ukraine, Mr. Biden called for increased police funding and securing the U.S.s southern border, calls that received standing ovations from both sides of the aisle.
So how are you going to win the midterms by appealing mainly to independents and soccer moms? Hmm.
Four noncontroversial unity proposals were premiered at the joint session of Congress: combating opioid addiction, outlawing ads targeted at children, providing aid to veterans, and renewing the war on cancer. Could these, along with repackaged parts of Build Back Better, be the main planks in this years Democratic legislative agenda?
Hey, Mr. Biden, better call Manchin and Sinema and be ready with some big bucks. You can forget about Mitch McConnell supporting anything you do now or, if you dont change course, in what appears to be your exceedingly short-lived political future.
Now, dont get me wrong: there were some good things in the speech. The president did stress that today, the countrys in a better place. But hell, this was true the second after Trump left office. Unemployment is lower, COVID is receding, and infrastructure legislation has passed.
And the speech did bring attention to voting rights, the PRO-ACT, and trans rights, even though theres zero chance of passage of House-approved legislation on these or any other front in the near term.
In addition, there were strong appeals in the State of the Union to working-class issues like tax fairness, womens equality, and child care. With respect to tax fairness Biden said, Just last year, 55 Fortune 500 corporations earned $40 billion in profits and paid zero dollars in federal income tax. He called for a 15% tax on global corporations in response. Good.
But, while working-class issues were mentioned, they seemed rather muted. By way of comparison, Rashida Tlaib gave a reply to Biden on behalf of the Working Families Party that called for electing a working-class majority to Congress around issues like canceling student debt, raising the minimum wage, recalculating the poverty index, and turning the Rust Belt into a Green Belt. She also took aim at the military budget.
Now thats an agenda one can relate to instead of the other days repositioning. Come on guys! Average is not going to win the midterms! Enough with projecting Bidens sometimes under, sometimes overstated Im-the-normal-guy image and its either me or tbe President of Krazyland.
Indeed, Biden on Tuesday night chose to largely stay away from the sharper issues that have divided the country. This stood in sharp contrast to the GOP reply given by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Reynolds centered her remarks on inflation, mandates, childrens education (read critical race theory), immigration, and government overreach. The Republicans have no fear of feeding red meat to their base.
Thus, the state of the union remains uncertain and unstable, despite the beginnings of a return to normal. But with inflation and now war in Europe, normal may not be enough. People are fearful and nervous, and one has a very strong feeling that the election is going to turn on the price of gas.
Yes, Russias invasion of Ukraine looms large: it was wrong and in violation of international law. In the words of the CPUSAs National Board, War between states is never an acceptable solution and must be rejected in the strongest terms.
The working class of both countries deserves support and solidarity, as does the growing peace movements there. One million signed a petition for peace in Russia recently. Thats huge!
But look: lets get our priorities straight: The main task has to be to work to develop a peace movement and to change the Biden administrations policy. Thats the best way and only way to support the workers of Russia and Ukraine.
The context set by U.S. imperialisms role over the past months cannot be ignored, including Cold War rhetoric, saber rattling, and what might be called a de facto NATOization of Ukraine. By NATOization is meant the arming of the country beginning with Trump and continued by Biden, and the building of infrastructure with potential military uses along with provocative Western military exercises by U.S. and U.K. armed forces.
In this regard, the building of the peace movement must be considered within the context of fighting the fascist danger. In other words, its imperative that a broad movement be built around the key issues today: a cease fire, withdrawal of troops and setting a date for such, ending sanctions, bringing in the UN. These actions could set the stage for additional future steps for peaceful coexistence, arranging regional security, including ending the supply of arms. Here we should be careful not to substitute anti-imperialist positions for what the broader forces in the peace movement may be ready to endorse.
Strong stances will have to be taken and unity among broad forces fought for. All-peoples unity is necessary. As for an election strategy that soft peddles the January 6th insurrection suggested by its absence from mention in the state of the union, as truckers used to say, The only thing in the middle of the road are white lines and dead jack rabbits.
Wake up yall before its too late: whats going to win this election is a mass movement organized around the issues the movement has to adapt to and meet the political moment. The point here is that the issues cant be determined by elites; they have to be constructed and fought for from the ground up by the broad masses of our class and people.
Images: White House (Facebook); Green jobs, Lihn Do (CC BY 2.0); Peace sign, Dyniss Rainer (CC BY-SA 2.0).
See the rest here:
What Biden didn't say at the State of the Union - Communist Party USA
- Trump resumes weapons deliveries to Ukraine - politico.eu - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Russia batters Ukraine with more than 700 drones, the largest barrage of the war, officials say - AP News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Unhappy with Putin, Trump and Congress move closer to Ukraine - The Washington Post - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Trump unloads on Putin after promising more military aid to Ukraine - NBC News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Chinese father and son detained in Ukraine, accused of trying to smuggle out info on guided missile system - CBS News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Ukraine's Zelenskiy to hold more meetings with US officials in Rome - Reuters - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Largest Russian Long-Range Drone Onslaught Of The War Rains Down On Ukraine - The War Zone - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Italy opens Ukraine rebuilding conference as doubts of US defense help remain - AP News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Russia launches largest drone attack on Ukraine as Kyiv pushes US for air defense aid - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Trump Asked About Not Knowing Who Paused Ukraine Weapons: 'I Would Know' - Newsweek - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- 'Trump should fire him': Jeffries reacts to Hegseth reportedly pausing Ukraine weapons - CNN - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Trump says U.S. will resume sending weapons to Ukraine after pausing last week - NPR - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- How Ukraine is Adapting, Enduring, and Striking Back - War on the Rocks - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Trumps sudden shift on weapons for Ukraine takes the war back to square one - CNN - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Trumps Frustration With Putin Preceded Resumption of U.S. Weapons to Ukraine - The New York Times - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- How I Changed My Mind About the War in Ukraine - learnliberty.org - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- 2 killed, 16 injured as Kyiv slammed with drones, ballistic missiles in Russian mass attack against Ukraine for 2nd night in row - The Kyiv... - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Europe's top rights court finds Russia responsible for downing of MH17, rights abuses in Ukraine - Reuters - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Russian Minister Who Had Led Region Later Invaded by Ukraine Is Found Dead - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- In Sumy, Ukraine, the front line is drawing near but we refuse to leave - Al Jazeera - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Ukraine war briefing: US to resume shipments of weapons for Ukrainian defence - The Guardian - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump embarrasses the Pentagon with a U-turn on Ukraine - The Economist - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump says U.S. will send more weapons to Ukraine - The Washington Post - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump says US will send more weapons to Ukraine - Reuters - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump to Resume Sending Weapons to Ukraine - WSJ - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Opinion | The Case for Cutting Off Weapons to Ukraine - WSJ - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- US to send more weapons to Ukraine, Trump says - Al Jazeera - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 'We have to': Trump sending weapons to Ukraine after expressing disappointment with Putin - USA Today - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- US backs Natos latest pledge of support for Ukraine, but in reality seems to have abandoned its European partners - The Conversation - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump says US will send more weapons to Ukraine: They have to be able to defend themselves - New York Post - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Macrons U.K. State Visit: Migrants and the War in Ukraine Are on the Agenda - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- What Is Trump Trying to Do With Russia and Ukraine Now? - Slate - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump says US will resume weapon shipments to Ukraine days after pause - The Independent - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- US to resume delivery of 'defensive weapons' to Ukraine, says Trump - France 24 - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Trump says he'll send Ukraine more weapons: "They have to be able to defend themselves" - Axios - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- The doctor fighting for women's health on Ukraine's front line - BBC - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- US envoy Kellogg to attend Ukraine aid conference in Rome - Reuters - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump says US will send Ukraine more arms - Financial Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Russia and Ukraine trade drone strikes as Kyiv signs deals to boost drone production - AP News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- As Ukraine awaits stalled US weapons, Trump says he's 'helping a lot' in war with Russia - The Kyiv Independent - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Opinion | Trump Is Disappointed With Putin on Ukraine - WSJ - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Through Fire and Faith: Stories of Resilience in Ukraine - CityWatch LA - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- How Trump Can Help Ukraine Win The War And Make Russia Pay For It - Forbes - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Kellogg, Umerov set to meet, discuss resumption of US military aid to Ukraine, Politico reports - The Kyiv Independent - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 'They have to be able to defend themselves' Trump says US will send additional weapons shipments to Ukraine, criticizes Putin - The Kyiv Independent - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 11 injured as Russia attacks Ukraine with hundreds of drones - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Russia hits Ukraine with largest aerial attack as Trump talks to Zelenskyy and Putin - NPR - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Trump has good conversation with Zelenskyy after heavy bombardment of Ukraine by Russia - The Guardian - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Opinion | Dont believe the conventional wisdom. Ukraine can still lose. - The Washington Post - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Ukraine hits Russian airfield day after mass wave of strikes - dw.com - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Trump Hints At New Sanctions On Russia Amid Ongoing Fighting With Ukraine - Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Russia to Involve Laos Troops in Its War Against Ukraine. Heres What We Know - UNITED24 Media - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Dutch intelligence services say Russia has stepped up use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine - AP News - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Ukraine's top general warns of possible new Russian offensive in northeast - Reuters - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Ukraine's Zelenskiy says latest phone call with Trump his most productive yet - Reuters - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Russia launches hundreds of drones at Ukraine just hours after Putin-Trump call Europe live - The Guardian - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Hegseth halted weapons for Ukraine despite military analysis that the aid wouldnt jeopardize U.S. readiness - NBC News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump says US has given Ukraine too many weapons in first public comments on pause in shipments - AP News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump Says He Is Very Disappointed With Putin Conversation on Ukraine - WSJ - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Russia hammers Kyiv in largest missile and drone barrage since war in Ukraine began - AP News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Ukraine war briefing: Trump says he didnt make any progress with Putin after call - The Guardian - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Ukraine looks to jointly produce weapons with allies as the US halts some shipments - AP News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- From Cooking on TV to Feeding the Front Line in Ukraine - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Ukraine scrambles to clarify extent of US military aid pause and 'whether everything will continue' - The Kyiv Independent - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Putin tells Trump he won't back down from goals in Ukraine, Kremlin says - Reuters - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- How Ukraine can cope with the US pause on crucial battlefield weapons - AP News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Putin says he won't back down from Ukraine goals in hour-long call with Trump - France 24 - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Ukraine kills one of the highest-ranking Russian officers of the conflict - CNN - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump allies caught off guard by Pentagons Ukraine weapons freeze - Politico - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump Says He Made No Progress On Ukraine-Russia War In Call With Putin - Forbes - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- BBC Verify Live: Ukraine city strike caught on dashcam, and Mali militants attack town - BBC - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Putin tells Trump Russia won't back down from its war aims in Ukraine - The Kyiv Independent - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Top Russian naval commander latest general to be killed by Ukraine - The Washington Post - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Ukraine: Eighth Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility, Requests for Modification of Performance Criteria, Rephasing... - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- The David Frum Show: Trumps Betrayal of Ukraine - The Atlantic - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump administration military aid halt will only encourage Russia, Ukraine warns - politico.eu - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Pentagon pause on arms shipments to Ukraine part of a global review of pressures on stockpiles - AP News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump admits no progress on ending Ukraine war following call with Putin - MSNBC News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Senior Russian commanders killed by Ukraine since start of the war - Reuters - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- While the World Watched the Middle East, This Happened in Ukraine - The Moscow Times - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]