The Lame Duck Government: Joe Biden’s Swan Song
- Yazad Bhacka
- Dec 3, 2024
- 3 min read
As the Biden administration enters its last phase before the inauguration day on January 20th, there are many concerns about what last measures it could take to curtail some of the damage that will be done in the next 4 years. The ‘lame duck’ refers to the 2-month phase an administration enters between Election Day and Inauguration Day, where the outgoing President still holds powers and can make minor changes to the policy. Historically, this period of 2 months has been allotted to prepare states for a new administration. While there have been arguments about this period making the country more vulnerable to crises, these 2 months help ease the transfer of power as there are 15 new heads of the executive departments that need to be carefully chosen. White House’s shift from blue to red would indicate that Biden would be at the forefront in preparing American allies such as Ukraine for the coming years of isolationism, right? Unfortunately, the use of these 2 months has been limited to pardoning turkeys for Thanksgiving and visiting global summits such as the G20. One significant action which has come relatively late is the ceasefire between Hezbollah and the Israeli government brokered by the Biden administration and France. Everybody knows that in some corner of Washington, a disgruntled Kamala Harris is punching the air.
Other than pardoning the Peach and Blossom, the turkeys from Minnesota, Biden met Xi Jinping earlier this month in Peru, where the latter said he is ready to work with the Trump administration and maintain a stable relationship. As always, Xi’s words need to be addressed with a considerable grain of salt due to Trump 2.0’s tariff threats for China (standing at 60%) making their relationship more volatile than ever. A switch from progressive policies to those of isolationism and libertarianism would make Biden a super lame duck, as there will be a complete switch in policies after January 20th, 2025. The popular belief is that anything Biden does in this transition period will not prevent the changes in the coming months, and other nations will not show much interest through mini-lateral and multilateral summits. Trump 2.0 will be known for its love for protectionism, isolationism, and unpredictability, changing every progressive reform that has been achieved, going above and beyond the Constitution, following the populist rhetoric.
Looking back at the 4 years of Biden in the Oval Office, what significant accomplishments were attained for the American people? If we consider metrics such as health, inflation, jobs, crime, and income inequality, Biden has done exceptionally well in those and much better than the previous few Presidents. Millions of Americans have signed up for healthcare as the Biden administration has lowered the costs of many prescription drugs. The job market has done quite well under Biden as he figured the way to reduce unemployment even under a post-pandemic economy. Salary increases have outpaced inflation as the growth rate of real wages keeps climbing. Bidenomics has greatly reduced the cost of living for the average American as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has plummeted from 9% in 2022 to 3% currently. Owing to Vice-President Kamala Harris’ experience as a prosecutor, violent crimes have fallen. The four years under Biden could be likened to his stumble on the stairs of Air Force One–marked by moments of missteps but ultimately defined by his ability to steady himself and reach the top with resilience. Even though approval ratings tell us otherwise, Biden’s policies have made a mark on the American society and economy after a tough few years with the pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Trump 2.0 will be similar to the first term of Donald Trump, where the administration is in a retreat from multilateralism, helping other nations to dedollarise and become more dependent on the Chinese, who are economically weaker now than they were during the first term. The early signs of this move are already being seen in Latin America and Africa. The only constant that will remain with both administrations is the erosion of American society and the American Dream, which will turn into a nightmare for many.
