President Joe Biden’s last hurrah

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President Joe Biden issued a heartfelt letter to the nation on Wednesday morning ahead of his farewell address. Not only does Biden offer a serious reflection on his presidency, but he delivers an expansive summary of his administrationโ€™s impressive accomplishments. Although Biden is on his way out after a career that spanned five decades, his message is nevertheless positive and optimistic.

โ€œWe stood in a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities,โ€ Biden begins, reminding us how far the United States has progressed since his inauguration in January 2021, during โ€œthe worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.โ€ Despite these challenges, Biden proudly notes that Americans โ€œbraved through itโ€ and โ€œemerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure,โ€ while his administration ushered in an era not only of recovery but of newfound opportunity.

Indeed,16.6 million jobs were created, with rising wages and lowering inflation, along with the smallest racial wealth gap in 20 years. As a result of the Biden-Harris administrationโ€™s leadership, the United States is โ€œleading the world again in science and innovation, including the semiconductor industry.โ€ As his team worked to rebuild and achieve new heights in many areas, Biden signed โ€œthe most significant climate law ever and the first major gun safety law in nearly 30 years,โ€ and todayโ€™s violent crime rate stands at a 50-year low.

Bidenโ€™s departure marks the end of a presidency defined by competence, fairness, and a deep commitment to unity, in stark contrast to what preceded it and what we expect to follow beginning next week. His letter reminds us what government can achieve when it works hard and keeps its focus on improving lives rather than unleashing chaos. There is no doubt that as Donald Trump returns to the White House, Bidenโ€™s presidency will be remembered as one of hope, decency, and astonishing progress despite the oddsโ€”and it will be sorely missed.

You can read the letter, including the detailed summary of the Biden-Harris administrationโ€™s record, here. No matter how much you have been following politics over the past four years, you are likely to learn something from this letterโ€”and become even more impressed.

Dear Palmer Report readers: it's Bill Palmer. I'm as sick of Trump as you are. I'm expanding Palmer Report's operations so we can lead the fight against Trump. Click here to donate $25 or $50.