Tuesday night, President Joe Biden made his first State of the Union address, discussing the unprompted attack by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine and future plans for America.
President Biden did not waste time in first addressing the war between Ukraine and Russia as Putin charged in seven days ago.
“… Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundations of the free world, thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways […] He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, [Putin] met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined. He met the Ukrainian People.”
Biden called out the Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, who was met with applause as she stood with a small Ukrainian flag in her right hand to show solidarity for her country.
“To President Zelenskyy, to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their determination, literally inspires the world. Groups of citizens blocking tanks with their bodies. Everyone from students, to retirees to teachers turned soldiers, defending their homeland,” continued Biden.
Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine has lead traditionally neutral countries like Sweden and Switzerland, to stand and support the Ukrainian people to further isolate Putin.
According to Biden, economic sanctions made by the U.S and their allies, cut off Russia’s largest banks and international financial systems, “making Putin’s $630 billion war fund worthless”.
Due to the sanctions, the United States and “30 other countries” will release “60 million barrels of oil from reserves around the world”.
This decision will apparently reduce gas prices in America.
Biden transitioned from the Ukrainian war to the economic impact Covid-19 has had for American families. In part to create more jobs and economic stability, Biden promoted the bipartisan Infrastructure law that even some Republicans agreed on to invest and rebuild America.
“We’re done talking about infrastructure weeks. We’re now talking about infrastructure decade,” said Biden.
The infrastructure law aims to modernize roads, airports, ports, and waterways to withstand climate change and promote environmental justice, claimed Biden.
This would entail, as stated by President Biden:
500 electric vehicle charging stations
Replacing poisonous lead pipes for Americans to have clean water
Providing affordable, high-speed internet to American rural, suburban, urban, and tribal communities
Fixing 65,000 miles of highway
1,500 bridges in disrepair
Buying from American business from beginning to end
Biden also supported the bipartisan Innovation act that would invest in “emerging technologies and American manufacturing”.
He is also looking to control inflation by urging America to lower their costs and not wages by making innovations and infrastructures in America instead of relying on foreign chains.
Notably, Biden wants to:
Cut the price of prescription drugs and the cost of child care
Lower energy costs for families
Fix the tax system by having countries agree to a global minimum tax for corporations and closing loopholes for the very wealthy
Persecute those who stole billions of relief funds for the pandemic from small businesses and Americans
Have Medicare set higher standards for nursing homes
Invest in community colleges
Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pro Act
Raise the minimum wage to $15
And much more
P.S. Glory to Ukraine.