Biden cites economic progress during State of the Union

By DAVE MASON NEWS-PRESS MANAGING EDITOR

An upbeat President Joe Biden noted the creation of jobs and the fact that “COVID no longer controls our lives” as he delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night before a divided Congress.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the California Democrat who is president of the Senate, sat behind President Biden in the packed House, which included lawmakers, Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices and honored guests, as he stressed bipartisan efforts and other progress. Vice President Harris joined other Democrats in standing up during applause during various parts of the speech. For the most part, Speaker McCarthy remained seated, but did stand at least three times during the speech’s more bipartisan moments.

“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience,” President Biden told those in Congress and viewers watching at home. “Of always moving forward.

Of never giving up. A story that is unique among all nations. We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it….

“Two years ago, COVID had shut down our businesses, closed our schools, and robbed us of so much,” President BIden said. “Today, COVID no longer controls our lives.

“Today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken,” President Biden said.

He noted he has signed more than 300 bipartisan laws such as the Violence Against Women Act, the Electoral Count Reform Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Critics of the Biden administration have cited recordbreaking inflation and high gas and food prices, but the president on Tuesday night pointed to inflation coming down and a decrease in gas prices, which he said are down $1.50 a gallon since their peak in mid-2022.

He also noted food prices were dropping, although not as quickly as he would like.

“Inflation has fallen every month for the last six months while take-home pay has gone up,” he said.

But critics have pointed to excessive government spending for causing increases in inflation and related hardships for families trying to make ends meet.

In addition, small businesses across the country, including some in Santa Barbara, closed during the pandemic, but President Biden pointed on Thursday night to new small businesses.

“Additionally, over the last two years, a record 10 million Americans applied to start a new small business,” the president said. “Every time somebody starts a small business, it’s an act of hope.”

The president also cited the unemployment rate of 3.4%, a 50year low. He also pointed to a near record low for uinemployment among black and Hispanic workers.

“We’ve already created 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs, the fastest growth in 40 years,” President Biden said. “Where is it written that America can’t lead the world in manufacturing again?

“For too many decades, we imported products and exported jobs,” he said. “Now thanks to all we’ve done, we’re exporting American products and creating American jobs.” email: dmason@newspress.com

He said the supply chain should start and end in America.

President Biden described inflation as a global problem caused by the pandemic’s disruptions of supply chains and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s disruption of energy and food supplies through his invasion of Ukraine. Again, critics, have blamed U.S. inflation on government spending.

Among the special guests honored at Thursday’s speech was Brandon Tsay, who bravely disarmed the Monterey Park mass shooter at his family’s dance hall, Lai Lai Ballroom.

After the president’s talk, Arkansas Gov. Sandra Huckabee Sanders, former President Donald Trump’s press secretary, gave the Republican response after the News-Press went to press. Her remarks will be added to the website version of this story, which you can find today at newspress. com, and will be published in Thursday’s edition.