Biden's administration "full moon", "trauma" inside and outside hard to heal
Xinhua News Agency, Washington, February 21 -
Biden government "Full Moon" inside and outside "trauma" refractory
Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Xianlai and Liu Pinran prospered
It has been one month since the new US government came to power.
During this period, a major feature of the Biden administration’s governance was the intensive abandonment or reversal of the previous government’s “political performance” and policies, and a considerable return to the establishment’s governance tradition.
However, in the context of increasing internal political polarization and tarnished external image in the United States, the Biden administration has had a hard time pushing its political agenda.
Cancel the "bad policy"
Biden has been on the stage frequently for a month.
According to statistics from CNN, as of February 19, Biden has signed 53 administrative orders and other administrative measures, an unprecedented number.
Responding to the new crown epidemic is the top priority of the new US government.
Among the 53 administrative orders and measures mentioned above, as many as 15 involved epidemic response.
The first executive order that Biden signed on the day he came to power was the "100-day mask order," which is completely opposite to the attitude of former President Trump facing masks.
The Biden administration has also issued a national strategy to deal with the new crown epidemic.
Biden and his Democratic Party have pushed a US$1.9 trillion "American rescue plan" in Congress in the past month to fight the epidemic and ease the economic impact of the epidemic.
The issue of race has also been one of the policy focuses of the Biden administration since it took office.
On January 26, Biden signed a number of administrative orders involving housing, prison reform, and aboriginal people.
These measures are considered to be the new government's response to the intensification of racial conflicts in the United States since last year.
If the above-mentioned measures are to deal with the problems left by the previous administration, then the new immigration and other policies introduced by the Biden administration are basically dispelling the "political achievements" of the Trump administration.
These new policies include stopping the construction of the US-Mexico border wall, abolishing the policy of compulsory separation of immigrants applying for family separation, and abolishing restrictions on the entry of people from some Islamic countries.
According to the American media, of the 53 administrative orders and measures signed by Biden, 20 are reversals of the policies of the Trump era.
Biden said that the executive orders he signed were not to establish new regulations, but to cancel "bad policies."
Reorganize the "friend circle"
In terms of diplomacy, the Biden administration reversed the previous government's stance on climate, arms control, and Iranian nuclear issues and fulfilled some of its campaign promises.
On the first day of his tenure, Biden signed an executive order announcing that the United States would rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change and stop the procedures for withdrawing from the World Health Organization.
The Biden administration said the next day that it sought to extend the US-Russia "New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty" for five years, and then completed the renewal procedures with Russia before the end of the treaty's validity on February 5.
On February 8, the Biden administration announced that it would return to the UN Human Rights Council as an observer.
On February 18, the Biden administration expressed its willingness to meet with the participating parties to the Iranian nuclear agreement to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue.
In addition, the Biden administration also changed the position of the previous government on the Yemen issue and announced that it would no longer support Saudi Arabia-led multinational coalition military operations in Yemen.
The new US government also halted the previous government's plan to withdraw some of its troops from Germany.
Biden delivered his first foreign policy speech after taking office at the State Department on February 4, stating that he must cooperate with allies through diplomatic means to jointly cope with challenges, emphasizing that allies are "one of America's greatest assets."
On February 19, Biden delivered a video speech at the Munich Security Conference, expressing his determination to repair the transatlantic partnership.
On the same day, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Agreement.
Analysts pointed out that, compared with the previous government, the Biden administration, while continuing to follow the concept of competition among major powers, has paid more attention to drawing allies in ways, trying to reshape the image and influence of the United States in the circle of allies.
"Wounds" are hard to heal
Regardless of internal affairs or foreign affairs, the Biden administration has made substantial amendments to the policies of the previous administration in the month since it took office.
However, analysts believe that under the current internal and external situations facing the United States, the Biden administration is facing many challenges in continuing to implement its "de-Trumping" policy.
After Biden took office, he issued a large number of administrative orders because of the quick abolition of Trump's political legacy and his own political agenda.
However, American media published articles pointed out that although the President’s executive order has legal effect, it is not a law in itself. Compared with Congressional legislation, its effect is shorter and easier to overturn.
In addition, the Republicans in Congress have been quite dissatisfied with its tactics, which will inevitably make future cooperation between the two parties more difficult.
The racial contradictions, political tears, and social injustices in American society will not be fundamentally changed due to regime change.
Republicans may also create problems for the Biden administration on important personnel issues.
The US "Political News" published an article that although Democrats have regained control of the Senate, their advantage is extremely weak. Republicans have successfully delayed the certification of several controversial nominees.
Currently, only 7 of the 23 cabinet officials nominated by Biden have been approved by the Senate.
In terms of foreign policy, the Biden administration not only faces domestic resistance, but also needs to overcome the distrust of allies and the international community in the United States.
Charles Kupchan, a professor of international relations at Georgetown University in the United States, said that the image of the United States as a "lighthouse" and "city on the hill" has been significantly damaged.
Some analysts pointed out that the structural differences between the United States and Europe are not easy to bridge, and the "mental trauma" caused by the various "torses" of the previous US government to allies is difficult to heal in the short term.