Biden's speech: Government focused on the common good is back | National Catholic Reporter

While some among the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference try to drive out Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, Biden proves himself to be a warrior for Catholic social doctrine with its emphasis on what some call a "preferential option for the poor". While some, as Thomas Edsall discusses, warn that race and class are too hot button and should not be touched, I thought Biden handled these issues with grace.  

 “We have to come together to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve, to root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system and enact police reform in George Floyd’s name”, he said.  Moving smoothly to calm green new deal fears he said that union IBEW  electricians are installing hundreds of charging stations on our highways thanks to the recovery act. 

But perhaps the most public spirited moments were the celebration of the fact that everyone over 16 is eligible to be vaccinated and that 2/3 of those over 65 have already gotten The Shot to ward off the covid 19 virus.

- GWC

Biden's speech: Government focused on the common good is back | National Catholic Reporter

by Michael Sean Winters

***The United States, in normal, pre-Trump times, believed democracy worked. Regrettably, Ronald Reagan pitted democracy against government, and set the terms of public policy for 40 years. The pandemic brought into sharp relief what had long been obvious to those of us schooled in Catholic social doctrine: Reaganism hollowed out the government’s ability to achieve its foremost objective, the common good. 

But, the will of the people continued to voice skepticism about government overreach and the most memorable line from a State of the Union speech by the first Democratic president after Reagan, Bill Clinton, had the flavor of capitulation: “The era of big government is over.”

Biden announced that government focused on the common good was back and that the democratically expressed will of the people insisted on a more activist government. He was explicit about the connection:

We have to prove democracy still works. That our government still works—and can deliver for the people. In our first 100 days together, we have acted to restore the people’s faith in our democracy to deliver. We’re vaccinating the nation. We’re creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. We’re delivering real results people can see and feel in their own lives. Opening the doors of opportunity. Guaranteeing fairness and justice.  

Biden’s speech also included some rhetoric that suggested the Democratic Party was getting back to normal. Discussing the infrastructure bill that is in front of Congress now, the president said:

Now, I know some of you at home wonder whether these jobs are for you. You feel left behind and forgotten in an economy that’s rapidly changing. Let me speak directly to you. Independent experts estimate the American Jobs Plan will add millions of jobs and trillions of dollars in economic growth for years to come. These are good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. Nearly 90% of the infrastructure jobs created in the American Jobs Plan don’t require a college degree. 75% don’t require an associate’s degree.***