Biden, Biden

Published in El Universal
(Mexico) on 21 October 2021
by Mario Melgar-Adalid (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Amy Bathurst. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.
Joe Biden is no longer in his public opinion honeymoon period in the United States. The inconsistencies in his governing style have impacted the public’s views. According to a Gallup Poll, he has lost six [approval] points since August and 13 since June. The Republicans do not approve of him, but his approval rating among independents who could ally with the Democrats continues to decline: from 55% in June to 37% in mid-October.

Biden won the presidency not by being good, but because Donald Trump was bad. His performance has been disastrous. His immigration policy, which is an important issue for Mexico, has been absurd. During his campaign, Biden offered to solve the problem of the "Dreamers,"* creating hope, promising work and naturalization visas, but now a Democratic bloc is stymieing this promise.

As for immigration issues, according to the Pew Research Center, the United States Border Patrol encountered 200,000 migrants in June, achieving an unfortunate record. Crisis management on the Mexican border has been unsuccessful. Images of the Border Patrol chasing terrified Haitians, some with children in their arms, will endure.

A golden rule for implementing public policy is to negotiate beforehand with the opposition, but also with those on your side. Everything indicates that in the ambitious infrastructure spending plan and social programs, there were no prior agreements. The Republicans opposed a seemingly “socialist” plan, but not having reached any compromise with the Democrats to implement these programs was inexplicably clumsy. The same Democrats, from Biden’s party, are now obstructing his campaign promises.

The far-left Democrats consider him too conservative, while the conservative Democrats consider him too socialist. So, like baseball, BIden is failing to keep his eye on the ball and striking out.

Trump mocked Biden during the campaign by calling him “Sleepy Joe.” The truth is that age takes its toll and Biden, despite the increase in life expectancy in industrialized countries, is a very old man. There comes a moment where we don’t know if our body hurts because we are not taking medicine or whether the medicine is causing the pain.

With regard to the pandemic, good news about the declining number of cases and deaths caused by the Delta variant is overshadowed by domestic politics. American states are independent and practically sovereign entities, so much so that nearly 100 laws have been enacted limiting the powers of health authorities and giving governors power to limit vaccination programs and quarantine protocols. It has created a true health crisis with overwhelming numbers: 700,000 deaths in almost two years and, most seriously — according to The New York Times’ front page — has led to the invisible death of the public health system.

Speculation that Trump would be held accountable under tax laws and even face criminal liability has proved illusory. Given this situation, Trump is ascending once again, already campaigning and preparing for 2024. If the elections were held today, the Republicans would take back the reins of Congress and the White House. Even though they are not being held today, Republicans are expected to return to power in the next midterm elections. They are ready to take back control of both houses of Congress, and destroy the promises that “Sleepy Joe" made.

*Editor’s note: “Dreamers” refers to people living in the U.S. illegally who were brought here as children. Proposed legislation in Congress to address their situation, called the DREAM Act, has not yet passed.



Acabó la luna de miel de Biden con la opinión pública de Estados Unidos. Las inconsistencias de su estilo de gobernar han impactado las preferencias del público. En septiembre obtuvo 43 % de aceptación. Según Gallup, ha perdido seis puntos desde agosto y 13 puntos desde junio. Los republicanos no lo aceptan, pero los independientes que pudieron convertirse en aliados de los demócratas, vienen descalificándolo: de 55% en junio a 37% a mediados de octubre.

Biden ganó la presidencia no por bueno, sino porque Trump es malo. Su desempeño ha sido desastroso. Un asunto de la importancia para México, la política migratoria, ha sido un disparate. Ofreció en campaña resolver el problema de los Dreamers, generando esperanza, prometiendo permisos de trabajo y nacionalizaciones, ahora un bloque demócrata cancela la promesa.

En asuntos migratorios, según el Pew Research Center, la Patrulla Fronteriza sostuvo en junio, encuentros con 200 mil migrantes, marcando un lamentable récord. El manejo de la crisis en la frontera con México ha sido infausto. Quedarán selladas las imágenes de la caballería fronteriza persiguiendo a despavoridos haitianos, algunos con niños en brazos.

Una regla de oro para implementar políticas públicas es la negociación previa con la oposición, pero también con los de casa. Todo indica que en el ambicioso plan de gasto en infraestructura y programas sociales, no hubo arreglos previos. Los republicanos se mostrarían en contra de un plan casi “socialista”, pero no haber alcanzado el compromiso de los demócratas para implementar los programas muestra inexplicable torpeza. Son los mismos demócratas, del partido de Biden, los que bloquean ahora sus promesas.

Los demócratas de extrema izquierda lo consideran demasiado conservador, los demócratas de la derecha lo consideran casi socialista, de manera que en términos beisbolísticos no ve la bola y abanica lo que tire el pitcher.

Trump se burlaba de Biden en la campaña al decirle Sleepy Joe (Joe el dormilón). Lo cierto es que la edad cobra facturas y Biden, con todo y el incremento en las expectativas de vida en los países industrializados, es un adulto muy mayor. Llega un momento en que no se sabe si el cuerpo duele por no haber tomado las medicinas o si son las medicinas las que provocan el dolor.

En cuanto a la pandemia, las buenas noticias de la disminución de contagios y muertes por la variable Delta, se opacan por la política interior. En los EU los estados son independientes y casi soberanos. Tanto que se han expedido cerca de 100 leyes que limitan las facultades de las autoridades sanitarias y que han conferido a los gobernadores tal poder que pueden limitar los programas de vacunación y los protocolos de cuarentenas. Se ha generado una auténtica crisis sanitaria con números contundentes: 700 mil muertos en casi dos años y lo más serio —dice The New York Times en primera plana— la muerte invisible del sistema de salud pública.

Las especulaciones de que Trump fuera sometido a las leyes fiscales y sujeto de responsabilidades hasta de orden penal, son espejismo Ante este panorama resurge Trump, ya en campaña, preparándose para 2024. Si las elecciones fueran hoy, los republicanos retomarían las riendas del Congreso y de la Casa Blanca. Aun cuando no sean hoy, en las próximas elecciones intermedias es previsible el regreso de los republicanos que están por retomar el control de las cámaras, cancelando las promesas de Sleepy Joe.
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