BIDEN DELIVERS FIERY SOTU
On March 7th, President Joe Biden delivered a commanding state of the union speech that left even his most stringent detractors scrambling. The president forcefully spoke of his expansive pro-American worker policies, naming multiple unions by name, and directly confronting his predecessors as failing to meet the moment for the American people.
Post-speech polls of Americans who watched the speech saw approval ratings jump by as much as 15 points. The speech was unlike any state of the union speech given by any past president, with President Biden behaving much more like he was on the campaign trail than giving a regular government update. The President, who has been endorsed by almost every major union in the country, spoke in a way where it was clear he still had to earn undecided voters vote, taking nothing for granted.
The President, who frequently receives criticism for his age and occasional verbal fumbles from Republicans, seemed to gain more energy as he spoke. He did not name former President Trump by name during his speech, but very clearly confronted his legacy with the former presidents. When heckled by Republicans from the audience, Biden directly confront them to raucus cheers. Speaker Mike Johnson, seen above to the right, seemed to be unsure of what type of facial reaction to make in face of Biden’s remarkable performance.
Remarks from part of his speech:
“Consumer studies show consumer confidence is soaring. Buy American has been the law of the land since the 1930s. Past administrations including my predecessor failed to Buy American. Not any more! On my watch, federal projects like helping to build American roads bridges and highways will be made with American products built by American workers creating good-paying American jobs! Thanks to my Chips and Science Act the United States is investing more in research and development than ever before.”
“During the pandemic a shortage of semiconductor chips drove up prices for everything from cell phones to automobiles. Well instead of having to import semiconductor chips, which America invented I might add, private companies are now investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America! Creating tens of thousands of jobs many of them paying over $100,000 a year and don’t require a college degree.
“In fact my policies have attracted $650 Billion of private sector investments in clean energy and advanced manufacturing creating tens of thousands of jobs here in America! Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 46,000 new projects have been announced across your communities – modernizing our roads and bridges, ports and airports, and public transit systems. Removing poisonous lead pipes so every child can drink clean water without risk of getting brain damage. Providing affordable high speed internet for every American no matter where you live. Urban, suburban, and rural communities — in red states and blue. Record investments in tribal communities.
“Because of my investments, family farms are better be able to stay in the family and children and grandchildren won’t have to leave home to make a living. It’s transformative,” said President Biden. “A great comeback story is Belvidere, Illinois. Home to an auto plant for nearly 60 years. Before I came to office the plant was on its way to shutting down. Thousands of workers feared for their livelihoods. Hope was fading. Then I was elected to office and we raised Belvidere repeatedly with the auto company knowing unions make all the difference. The UAW worked like hell to keep the plant open and get those jobs back. And together, we succeeded! Instead of an auto factory shutting down an auto factory is re-opening and a new state-of-the art battery factory is being built to power those cars.
“Instead of a town being left behind it’s a community moving forward again! Because instead of watching auto jobs of the future go overseas 4,000 union workers with higher wages will be building that future, in Belvidere, here in America! Here tonight is UAW President, Shawn Fain, a great friend, and a great labor leader. And Dawn Simms, a third generation UAW worker in Belvidere. Shawn, I was proud to be the first President in American history to walk a picket line. And today Dawn has a job in her hometown providing stability for her family and pride and dignity. Showing once again, Wall Street didn’t build this country!
“The middle class built this country! And unions built the middle class! When Americans get knocked down, we get back up! We keep going!
“That’s America! That’s you, the American people! It’s because of you America is coming back! It’s because of you, our future is brighter! And it’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the State of our Union is strong and getting stronger! Tonight I want to talk about the future of possibilities that we can build together.”
IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper issued the following statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address: “America is on the right track, and as president of the largest electrical workers union in North America, I am proud to partner with President Biden and Vice President Harris in rebuilding not only our infrastructure but also our middle class.
“In last night’s State of the Union address, President Biden reiterated his commitment to working people and building an economy that works for everyone. President Biden’s first term has seen historic investments in our infrastructure and energy grid, which are creating union jobs in all 50 states. And he has turned ‘Buy America’ from a mere slogan to a reality. Thanks to his leadership, we are seeing the rebirth of domestic manufacturing, which is bringing high-tech factory jobs back to communities across the nation.
“President Biden has made it clear many times that it was unions that built the middle class, and he has backed up those words with a proven record of fighting to strengthen labor laws and protecting workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain, which has led to a resurgence in union membership and power of the labor movement.
“On behalf of the working men and women of the IBEW, I am ready to do what it takes to help the administration stay the course and finish the job they started three years ago.”
Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on President Biden’s State of the Union address: “The State of the Union is union strong. The most pro-union president in our lifetime laid out a clear plan tonight to keep fighting for working people against Donald Trump and MAGA extremists who are looking out only for the rich and big corporations.
“President Biden offered a road map that lifts entire communities, builds on the historic investments of the past several years and transforms the economy for generations to come. The State of the Union isn’t about just what we’ve accomplished under Biden’s leadership—adding nearly 15 million jobs and sustaining record low unemployment rates—it is also about how we’re going to finish the job of building an economy that at long last delivers on America’s promise to everyone.
“The proposals Biden laid out tonight will strengthen America’s industrial renaissance with good union jobs that change the trajectory of families and communities. In stark contrast to Trump, Biden’s proposals are centered on making life better for the working class and finally giving working people a fair shot at sharing in the profits we earn. In Biden’s America, all workers— no matter our race, religion, orientations or background—have the freedom to fully pursue our hopes and aspirations.
“Biden is laser focused on lowering costs, demanding that the rich and big corporations pay their fair share and protecting lifesaving programs like Social Security and Medicare. His Investing in America agenda builds things in our country again with good-paying union jobs, invests in child care and elder care, and erases even more student loan debt. With freedom itself on the ballot this year, Biden made it crystal clear that he’ll fight with all his will to defend democracy and safeguard voting access while protecting reproductive choice and our freedom to join a union.
“We stand ready to fight alongside Biden because America needs a president who walks picket lines with us instead of crossing them.”
Tristin Amezcua-Hogan is the Editor of The Labor Beacon and a member of LIUNA Local 264. Tristin also serves as the Director of Communications for the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO and the Chair of the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance.
Tristin grew up as the son of a UA Local 669 member in Tecumseh, KS and the great-nephew of George C. Amis, longtime leader of the United Rubberworkers (now USW Local 307) in Kansas. Growing up in rural Kansas as the child of teen parents, Tristin quickly came to appreciate the life-changing benefit of a union job.
Tristin and his partner, Rebeca Amezcua-Hogan, are residents of the Westside, Kansas City, MO's historic Mexican neighborhood. They are proud members of Kansas City's New Reform Temple.
