President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union Address and reflected on the importance of freedom and democracy as America emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and looks towards the future.
“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. A future based on core values that have defined America,” Biden said. “Honesty. Decency. Dignity. Equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor.”
Biden emphasized the importance of freedom within the United States as he shared his hope to restore women’s right to abortion care with Roe v. Wade as well as guaranteeing citizens the right to in vitro fertilization treatments across the country.
Biden also ensured that his establishment of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention as well as his hopes to ban assault weapons and pass universal background checks do not violate citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms and are meant to protect students and citizens within the U.S.
“Many of you in this Chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom. My God, what freedoms will you take away next?” said Biden.
Biden also said how he hopes to raise up members of the middle class and the lower class within American society while still allowing the upper class to be successful. Biden referenced how he cut back the cost of prescriptions for seniors and eventually hopes to cut back prescription costs for all U.S. citizens. He also said he wants to raise the minimum tax on corporations as well as billionaires while cutting back on tax breaks for companies.
Biden also plans to manage the current housing crisis by giving Americans $400 a month for their mortgage payments until the mortgage rates come down as well as renovating 2 million affordable homes to help bring rents down for citizens.
“Showing once again, Wall Street didn’t build America…The middle class built this country!” said Biden.
Biden referenced a bipartisan bill that he created and has not been passed but would bring security reforms to the border. This bill would hire border security agents and officers, provide more drug detection machines, and hire more immigration judges to sort through all of the cases that are piling up at the border. Even while advocating for border reforms and security, Biden ensured the public that he will not separate, demonize, or ban immigrants from the U.S. due to their faith.
Biden also talked about the effects of the war in Gaza and how he wants an immediate ceasefire for at least six weeks in order to free the hostages being held by Hamas and help ease the current crisis and tension occurring in Gaza.
Reflecting on the improvements seen in the U.S. since the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden said how he created 15 million jobs in 3 years and lowered the American unemployment rate. He also reported an increase in small business and job growth for minorities and how he has strived to bring more jobs to America while exporting more American products.
“Turning setback into comeback. That’s what America does!” said Biden.
With Vladimir Putin’s current attack on Ukraine and the January 6th storming of the Capitol, Biden said that, “not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault here at home as they are today.”
Even with these current attacks on democracy throughout the world and within the U.S., Biden explained how he still sees a future where when, “defending democracy, you don’t diminish it. I see a future where we restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms, not take them away. I see a future where the middle class finally has a fair shot and the wealthy have to pay their fair share in taxes. I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence. Above all, I see a future for all Americans!”