Since Joe Biden’s inauguration day, the 46th US president has faced his fair share of challenges. As the oldest President in American history, he has been ridiculed throughout his term for his age, and his accomplishments have been undermined by people within his own party and beyond—often for issues outside his control, such as his advancing age and foreign policy. While Biden was far from perfect, he was certainly the right person for America at the right time.
One of the prevalent critiques of Biden’s term has been his responses to global conflicts, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. Critics argue he is not doing enough to end the misery of the Palestinian people brought upon by the Israeli government. While the US plays a significant role in providing Israel with military support that has assisted in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, it’s important to note that Biden’s hands have been tied by various U.S.’ duties. In negotiations, Biden has been hindered by obligations to historic US allies, like Israel, and by majority congressional support for Israel. Biden has also been stricter on Israel’s government and the Israeli Defense Force than every other U.S. president since 2000. Biden has been proactive, publically calling for a ceasefire and demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu end the fighting in civilian areas of Gaza while maintaining diplomatic relations with one of America’s closest allies.
At home, things haven’t been much easier; post-pandemic inflation has made the price of everyday goods skyrocket, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 reignited the debate over abortion rights and access. The Democratic party managed to maintain an extraordinarily slim majority in the House and Senate before the midterms before Republicans regained control of the House in 2023. Still, Biden kept his head down and has worked tirelessly to deliver for the American people, operating on a bipartisan basis to pass bills and improve American lives. For instance, Biden’s border policies have long been scrutinized by both sides of the aisle; still, Biden created a border bill alongside one of the most conservative Senators, James Langford of Alabama, to craft legislation that would appease both parties. It was Donald Trump who later killed the bill for his own political gain, not Biden’s incompetence.
Further, Biden has followed through on many of his campaign promises, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower the costs of basic necessities for Americans. Biden also guided America’s economy past the pandemic inflation and, because of his action, the United States was the only country in the world that avoided a recession.
Joe Biden certainly isn’t everyone’s favorite president, and he certainly won’t be remembered for passing huge, history-altering pieces of legislation; but that isn’t what he set out to do when he ran for his first term in 2019. Nevertheless, Joe Biden has guided America forward and has repaired the damage caused by Donald Trump’s presidency. He refused to play politics when he wanted to get things done, and he willingly worked alongside Republicans at a time when compromise had been in short supply. Joe Biden’s presidency may fade into irrelevance in 20 years, but his work as president over the course of his term is deserving of our utmost gratitude and respect.
