Seven Achievements by Joe Biden in 2021 That No One Is Talking About

[Harry Bosch]

I think the Beave has a point.
The withdrawal doesn’t crack the top 7 because it has been widely regarded as a debacle. Explaining why someone else is responsible for a debacle doesn’t often belong in a list of proud achievements.

But this is why we shouldn't be the world's policeman. We're not good at it. We tried in Afghanistan for 20 years. Poured trillions into their country (much of it wasted). It's a no-win situation. We should only send in the troops if we have no other choice. And we shouldn't attempt to occupy and rebuild unless we have committed allies in the region who represent the majority, share some of our values hopefully, and are willing to fight for their freedom. Otherwise, we should pull out rapidly.

 

[Elixir]

I think the Beave has a point.
The withdrawal doesn’t crack the top 7 because it has been widely regarded as a debacle. Explaining why someone else is responsible for a debacle doesn’t often belong in a list of proud achievements.

But this is why we shouldn't be the world's policeman. We're not good at it. We tried in Afghanistan for 20 years. Poured trillions into their country (much of it wasted). It's a no-win situation. We should only send in the troops if we have no other choice. And we shouldn't attempt to occupy and rebuild unless we have committed allies in the region who represent the majority, share some of our values hopefully, and are willing to fight for their freedom. Otherwise, we should pull out rapidly.

Agreed.
It had to be done, and there was no good way for Biden thanks to the way Trump set him up. Still doesn’t belong on a list intended for the moronic public, even though imho it took some balls to do it, knowing he’d been set up.

 

[southernhybrid]

I really liked Eugene Robinsons piece today, so I'll gift it for the rest of you.

https://wapo.st/33VJ6xl

Biden admitted that he made some mistakes, unlike the previous president. And, his biggest mistake is that he was acting more like a senator than a president. Eugene says that Biden needs to start acting like the boss. He then goes on to mention Biden's accomplishments, which there are many, although too many people have been too unrealistic, stupid, or are only receiving their news from dubious far right places.

I happen to believe that Biden had a successful and hugely consequential Year One. His biggest accomplishment, in my view, came in the battle against the covid-19 pandemic. When Biden took office, a small fraction of the country was vaccinated against the coronavirus. Today, more than 200 million Americans are “fully vaccinated” and more than 80 million have also had booster shots. Basically, everyone who is eligible — and who has not been brainwashed by anti-vaccine conspiracy theories — now has lifesaving protection against covid-19.

This monumental logistical achievement has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens. If the first duty of any president is to protect the American people, Biden has done his job.

People who have criticized Biden's management of COVID are ignorant of the things he had done. He made the vaccine available to just about everyone in the country. But, Biden can't be held responsible for all the people that believed conspiracy theories, or misinformation and then refused to take a potentially life saving vaccine. Since the jerks on SCOTUS have refused to allow Biden's vaccine mandate, it will continue to be difficult to contain this virus, as it's capable of rapidly mutating.

Quite frankly, I am amazed at all Biden has accomplished so far, considering what he was handed, the divisiveness in the US, and how the sheep like Republicans in Congress are determined to obstruct most of what he tries to accomplish, as well as the two Democrats who don't agree with him. I doubt that anyone could have done a better job and I'm sick of the criticism, especially when it comes from the Democratic Party. But, as I've said before, the Republicans are sheep and the Democrats eat their own. I'm sure the Republicans are joyful every time someone on the left or left of center starts whining about how little Biden has done for them. Don't these people realize they are aiding the Republicans! But, I digress.

As for legislation, Biden can split his Build Back Better package into smaller, focused bills, as he suggested Wednesday. He can dare Republicans to vote against lowering the price of insulin, or making child care and elder care more accessible, or guaranteeing universal pre-kindergarten. And on voting rights, Biden might be able to pick off enough Senate Republicans to fix the Electoral Count Act — and perhaps even to pass a version of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

As one who cared for people who suffered from dementia for the last 18 years of my career, I assure you that I've never seen any symptoms of dementia in Biden. Sure, he gaffes and sometimes rambles and might even lose his train of thought at times. Those aren't signs of dementia. I'm watching him speak right now. I wish everyone his age was as sharp. Let me rephrase that. I wish everyone was that sharp.