‘Weathering storms’: Issues could define Biden’s term
WASHINGTON – Over the next month, President Joe Biden will try to get his stalled policy agenda moving again, prevent a harmful government shutdown and raise the nation’s debt ceiling to avoid economic catastrophe.
It’s a tumultuous stretch that could define – and possibly derail – his presidency.
Biden, who was already grappling with the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and rising wave of coronavirus infections, is now plunging headfirst into a multitude of thorny challenges on Capitol Hill, testing his administration at a time when his approval rating has already hit new lows in recent polls.
“Every president goes through rocky times,” said Julián Castro, a former Democratic presidential candidate. “And it’s how they handle those rocky times that defines whether they move up in esteem and accomplishment, or they fall victim to whatever political maelstrom they get caught up in.
“That’s the question mark right now, now that he’s hit these rocky times,” added Castro. “Which direction is it going to go?”
Republicans in Congress plan to vote against raising the debt ceiling, which would cause the U.S. to default on its already-appropriated financial obligations, unless Biden can ensure full cohesion among his fellow Democrats.
Meanwhile, parts of the Democrats’ progressive and centrist factions have engaged in a running argument over the two bills that constitute Biden’s agenda – a proposed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and $3.5 trillion spending package focused on social programs – that threatens to sink both measures.
And if Biden’s party can’t coalesce around a stopgap measure before federal funding expires on Sept. 30, the president will face a government shutdown.
It’s a scenario that would be politically embarrassing when Democrats control both chambers of Congress, requiring reduced services from federal agencies and delays in pay for federal workers.
Even the White House acknowledged that Biden faces an ever-growing list of challenges, both in Washington and abroad.
“We’re in the middle of navigating and weathering storms and dealing with crises,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday. “That’s what a president should do. That’s what an administration should do. We’re not going to shy away from that.”
A new Gallup poll showed that just 43% of Americans approved of Biden’s job performance, his lowest number in the survey since taking office and a 13-point drop since June.
Biden has experienced a broadbased drop in support among varying demographic groups and members of his own party.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that his support had dropped from 85% in July to 67% in mid-september among Black voters, for instance, and from 92% to 83% among Democrats.
The polling dropoff comes before the potentially dire consequences of failing to raise the debt limit.
Republicans readily admit that a failure to raise the debt ceiling would be financially calamitous, but they’re not seeking to use the threat of default to obtain policy concessions as they did under former President Barack Obama.
Instead, Republican lawmakers are open that their goal is to punish Biden’s party for circumventing them on spending bills earlier this year.
“The Democrats have the House, the White House and the Senate. They can do this on their own. If they don’t raise the debt ceiling, they’re making this choice by themselves,” said Sen. Rick Scott, R-fla., the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Psaki slammed Republicans’ brinkmanship on the issue, noting that they are refusing to vote for something they agree needs to happen.
“So what are we doing here exactly? They are playing with the faith and credit of the United States’ Treasury. This is not a game to the president. This is our economy,” Psaki said.