Biden is all about the pitch

In troubled times, it helps to hear words of strong reassurance from our president, bolstering the sense that a steady hand is on the helm to guide America through the current crisis.

We, however, have Joe Biden. Wednesday’s White House supply chain chat served as a shoutout to longshoremen and a few other unions, a thumbs-up to big retailers and package deliverers, and a chance to assure the American people that things will get better — eventually.

But mostly, it was a pitch for his infrastructure bill.

Biden began by announcing agreements for longer hours at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest port, and longer hours at many of the nation’s major retailers.

The Port of Los Angeles will begin operating 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This comes after the Port of Long Beach made a similar 24/7 operating commitment.

“This is the first key step toward moving our entire freight, transportation and logistical supply chain nationwide to a 24/7 system,” Biden said.

As CNN reported, Biden said longer port hours is only part of the effort, the country needs retailers to move the goods.

“Because all of these goods won’t move by themselves. For the positive impact to be felt all across the country and by all of you at home, we need major retailers who ordered the goods and the freight movers who take the goods from the ships to factories and stores to step up as well,” Biden said.

He said that the retailers promising to accept more goods at night include Walmart, Target and Home Depot. FedEx and UPS will also increase their overnight operations.

The president hinted at using federal action if the private sector “doesn’t step up.”

Here’s the thing: Retailers don’t like empty shelves, because customers like them even less. Of course they will “step up” to get shelves stocked — it’s their livelihood. They have been losing money by the barrel-full.

What Biden is ignoring, of course, is that workers are quitting the retail sector in record numbers.

After announcing Operation 24/7, it was time to pass the hat, so to speak.

“In order to be globally competitive, we need to improve our capacity to make things here in America, while also moving finished products across the country and around the world. We need to think big and bold. That’s why I’m pushing for a once in a generation investment in our infrastructure and our people with my infrastructure bill and my Build Back Better Act,” he said.

It was like sitting down for a free brunch and getting hit with a timeshare pitch.

Really, Joe?

“Let me be clear, we’re proposing to make the biggest investment in ports in our history. The bill would also make investments in our supply chains and manufacturing and strengthening our ability to make more goods from the beginning to end right here in America,” the president continued.

According to the last version of the infrastructure bill, $65 billion goes to improving the nation’s broadband infrastructure, $65 billion to rebuild the electric grid, $55 billion to rebuild water infrastructure, $25 billion to repair and maintain airports and $17 billion for port infrastructure.

Upgrading ports is in there, but using the supply chain crisis as a hook to sell the bill is a bit of a stretch, even for a seasoned pol.

We’re not in this situation because someone failed to shoot trillions of dollars out of a cannon. We’re here because of a pandemic.

The American people know that. Does the president?