We’ve now hit the one-year mark of Joe Biden’s presidency, and the anti-Trump conservative group known as The Lincoln Project shared a message of hope this week to mark the occasion. Although Democrats have faced some setbacks — some of which have been the fault of certain Democrats (Manchin/ Sinema) themselves, the Biden administration has also been able to preside over historic progress for the United States. Vaccines against COVID-19 have been rolled out to hundreds of millions of Americans, keeping them safe — and alive; the president recently signed a sweeping infrastructure spending deal into law; and the economy has continued its generally robust recovery from the ravages of the pandemic’s onset.
I am profoundly disappointed that the Senate has failed to stand up for our democracy. I am disappointed — but I am not deterred.
We will continue to advance necessary legislation and push for Senate procedural changes that will protect the fundamental right to vote.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2022
Although the specific numbers cited in the video have changed (for the better) since the production was first released, the new message from The Lincoln Project went as follows:
‘There’s a yearning in America. A longing for restoration. An insatiable hunger to rebuild. With nearly 200 million Americans vaccinated, and 7 million new jobs created, the message is clear: Americans are ready to work. Donald Trump’s catastrophic presidency took its toll, but it did not take us out. With unemployment claims falling as fast as consumer confidence is rising, Americans are buying gifts for loved ones they couldn’t even visit just one year ago. Today, millions of families are reunited… Though we haven’t yet achieved everything we yearn for, it’s good to have hope for a change.’
Check it out below:
It’s good to have hope, for a change. pic.twitter.com/yMfPQweHLr
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) January 20, 2022
Going forward, other items on Democrats’ agenda that remain unresolved include the push for new voting rights protections at the federal level. This week, the Senate once again took up Democrats’ voting rights initiative — although it failed when two Senate Democrats (Manchin and Sinema) refused to stand with every other Senate Dem and back a change to the chamber’s filibuster rules that would allow the measures to pass. Ordinarily, 60 Senators would have to agree before moving forward on bills including the voting rights proposals; Democratic leaders proposed making members of the minority continuously talk to keep up their opposition. Once they stopped talking, the process would move to a final vote, when it’s already been shown that the proposals would pass with a simple majority.
210 million Americans fully vaccinated.
96% of schools open.
6.4 million jobs created.
3.9% unemployment.
5 million Americans gained health insurance.We had a historic first year — and we’re going to keep building on our progress in the years ahead.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2022
After the Senate failed this week to make the procedural changes that could allow for the voting rights proposals to pass, Biden issued a statement insisting that he is “profoundly disappointed that the United States Senate has failed to stand up for our democracy,” adding: “I am disappointed — but I am not deterred. My Administration will never stop fighting to ensure that the heart and soul of our democracy — the right to vote — is protected at all costs. We will continue to work with allies to advance necessary legislation to protect the right to vote. And to push for Senate procedural changes that will protect the fundamental right to vote.”
One year in, and America is moving forward.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2022
