President Joe Biden will sign the Inflation Reduction Act into law Tuesday. That’s the big climate change and health care bill passed in record time by Congress this month, an accomplishment that Biden and fellow Democrats intend to highlight in the 85 days until the 2022 midterm election. Suddenly, Democrats have the advantage of a strong record of accomplishments to run on, while at the same time running against Republican extremism and obstruction—as good a formula as you can get for a midterm election.
The White House is planning a big bill-signing celebration next month when Congress returns after the Labor Day holiday, when the fall campaign will kick off in earnest. That will include a big speech right after Labor Day in Wisconsin, where Biden will stump for Gov. Tony Evers, the Democrat running for reelection, and Mandela Barnes, challenger to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson.
Sources to CNN say it would be a “hard-hitting kick off for midterm campaigning, with the President touting tangible, long-talked-about wins like lowering prescription drug costs and gun restrictions while hammering Republicans for being extremists who are in the pocket of special interests.”
That’s a characterization Republicans have certainly earned. They’ve delayed legislation that will help grow the economy; they stepped in it in a big way by delaying a vote on the bipartisan and popular legislation to help veterans affected by toxic burn pits during their service; and they prevented diabetic people with private health insurance from getting affordable insulin. Then there’s abortion, where in state after state Democrats are going on the offense against hugely unpopular new laws from Republicans.
While Republicans have committed all those unforced errors, they’ve also seen their main campaign narratives lose oomph as gas prices are falling and Democrats are getting stuff accomplished. There’s also that issue of Donald Trump under criminal investigation for all his potential criming and espionage.
The campaign push from the administration is going to begin before Labor Day, as will Biden’s travel around the country to tout the Democrats’ accomplishments. That will include Biden traveling to Ohio to break ground for a new Intel megaplant, where he’ll celebrate the semiconductor bill recently passed. In addition, through the rest of August, Cabinet members will hit 23 states in 35 trips.
The White House is also planning “hundreds of town halls and roundtables” with the Senate and House, and is pledging to coordinate more closely with political allies beyond Congress. The administration is also going to unveil a website to help Americans navigate the rebates and tax credits available to them through the new climate bill for making their homes energy efficient.
With all that happening, that bill signing ceremony next month and the campaign events following it are going to be a lot more celebratory and enthusiastic.
Republished with permission from Daily Kos.
