President Biden of the United States will give his first speech on the morning of the 29th of Japan time, showing the policy of policy for the next year, before the 100th anniversary of his inauguration.
In addition to foreign policy such as dealing with China, it is expected to launch a new large-scale economic policy that emphasizes the worker base and supports the child-rearing generation.
"Explaining the administration's priorities"
President Biden will give his first speech at a joint session of the House of Representatives and the House of Representatives after 10 am on the 29th of Japan time, showing the policy of policy for the next year.
Saki, a spokesman for the White House, said on the 27th that the speech "will be an opportunity to explain the administration's priorities," and President Biden will appeal for the results of the new coronavirus countermeasures, as well as the issue of racial discrimination and police reform. It is supposed to show policies such as gun regulation and immigration policy.
Furthermore, in addition to the economic measures for infrastructure investment aimed at creating employment, which was launched earlier, there is also a large-scale budget plan of 1.8 trillion dollars in 10 years to support new child-rearing households and nearly 200 trillion yen in Japanese yen. It is expected to be launched.
Foreign policy is also expected to appeal for a shift to a line of international cooperation that emphasizes relations with allies and international organizations, as well as how to counter China, which it considers to be the "most serious competitor." ..
Approximately 1,600 people, including senior government officials and lawmakers, attend the speech every year, but the American media reports that the number of attendees will be limited to about 200 this time due to infection control measures.
The speech is scheduled to be televised nationwide, and there is a lot of domestic and international interest in the content of the speech that tells the whereabouts of the United States over the next year.
New Corona Infection Countermeasures
President Biden has given top priority to countermeasures against the infection of the new coronavirus, and vaccination is progressing at a faster pace than initially expected, but the number of infected people is still high, and countermeasures continue to be an issue.
Immediately after taking office, President Biden demanded that he wear a mask as a measure against infection, ordered him to wear it at a federal government facility under the authority of the president, and launched a national strategy for measures against the new corona virus, 100 days after the inauguration of the administration. Aiming for 100 million vaccinations, we purchased vaccines, increased the number of vaccination venues, and increased the number of medical staff.
As a result, the time to secure vaccines for all the people to be vaccinated has been advanced from the end of July to the end of next month, and the number of vaccinations has reached 200 million, which is twice the target of 100 days after taking office. I did.
As of 27th of this month, 29.1% of the population completed the vaccination, of which 67.9% were 65 years of age or older, and the US CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention masks these people outdoors except for crowded events. We have announced a new guideline that you do not have to wear.
President Biden has expressed his desire to pave the way for the normalization of society by July 4th, Independence Day.
On the other hand, the Biden administration also promoted international cooperation, withdrew the withdrawal from WHO = World Health Organization decided by former President Trump on the first day of his inauguration and resumed funding, and the framework for fair distribution of vaccines "COVAX" He also stated that he would participate in international efforts such as "facility" and the development of therapeutic agents.
In addition, at a summit meeting of four countries called "Quad" with Japan, Australia, and India, it was confirmed that up to 1 billion doses of vaccine will be provided to the ASEAN-Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the countries of the Indo-Pacific by the end of next year. It also announced a policy to provide about 60 million doses of vaccine developed by British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which is not permitted to be used in Japan, to foreign countries.
However, in the United States, tens of thousands of new infected people are confirmed every day, and in the opinion poll conducted this month, one in four people do not want vaccination, and if it is left as it is, the spread of infection will be suppressed by society as a whole. Some experts point out that it is difficult.
The Biden administration continues to urge you to take thorough measures against infections such as vaccination.
Foreign Policy China "Most Critical Competitor"
President Biden has set out an international cooperation route that emphasizes cooperation with allies in foreign policy, and has placed the response as the "most important competitor" in China, and is in severe conflict.
President Biden signed a document to return to the Paris Agreement, an international framework that left under the former Trump administration on the first day of his inauguration in January.
WHO also announced that it would cancel the procedure for withdrawal from the World Health Organization and return to the United Nations Human Rights Council, shifting US diplomacy to a policy that emphasizes international cooperation.
In addition, the Biden administration has positioned China as the only country that has the power to challenge the international order and is the "most important competitor", and has positioned the maintenance of the United States' superiority in competition with China as the most important issue, and security and human rights. There are severe conflicts in such fields.
After taking office Biden president in February this year, in the telephone talks for the first time went Xi Jinping Jintao, problems and Uighur over Taiwan, has expressed concern in reference to a human rights issue in Hong Kong.
In addition, at a meeting between US and Chinese top diplomats in Alaska in March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized China for threatening international order in a wide range of areas of human rights, security and the economy.
The Biden administration attaches great importance to cooperation with allies and friendly nations in its opposition to China, and in particular, it has shown a strong desire to further strengthen its alliance with Japan.
Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin chose Japan as their first foreign visit, and the outcome document after the ministerial talks on foreign affairs and defense between Japan and the United States refers to China, which repeatedly invades Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. And expressed serious concern.
President Biden chose Prime Minister Suga as the first foreign leader to meet with him, mentioning "Taiwan" for the first time in about half a century in a joint statement, and raising serious concerns about human rights issues in Hong Kong and Uighurs. We strongly restrained China by sharing it.
In anticipation of long-term competition with China, the Biden administration is reviewing the supply chain = supply network for important supplies that are directly linked to security, such as semiconductors and rare earths, and will strengthen cooperation between the two countries at the Japan-US summit meeting. I'm confirming that.
On the other hand, President Biden said, "We are ready to cooperate with the Chinese government if it is in the interests of the United States." It reiterates the idea of seeking cooperation with China.
Against this backdrop, this month, in terms of Kelly special envoy in charge of climate change issues has confirmed the cooperation first visit to China as officials of Biden administration, Biden President invited Xi Jinping Jintao to the climate change summit, consumption from China of coal We are aiming for cooperation in the field of climate change, such as drawing out a certain amount of cooperation through reductions.
Rebuilding the domestic economy
In the 100 days since the inauguration of the administration, President Biden has achieved some results toward the recovery of the domestic economy damaged by the new coronavirus, which has been an issue.
Retail sales, which show the trend of personal consumption in March, increased significantly by 9.8% compared to the previous month, and the US economy is expected to recover to the pre-infection level by the middle of this year. It has become.
The biggest reasons are the spread of vaccination and the huge economic measures of 200 trillion yen.
The pillar of economic measures called the "rescue plan" is a cash benefit of up to 150,000 yen per person, which is not limited to relief for the poor and the unemployed, but also covers more than 80% of households in the United States. It is designed to stimulate the consumption of.
In addition, President Biden has announced a series of budget plans of 400 trillion yen to improve domestic infrastructure and support child-rearing households.
However, in response to the unusually aggressive fiscal stimulus, some opposition parties and Republicans have pointed out concerns about fiscal deterioration and economic overheating such as a sharp rise in prices, and the plan was implemented. It is likely that steering will be asked for approval in Congress.
The Biden administration is also concerned about widening economic disparities.
Although the unemployment rate has improved to 6.0%, the Fed's analysis shows that the unemployment rate of the lower quarters with low incomes is still high at around 20%. ..
It has also been pointed out that the gap between those who increase their wealth in the booming stock market and those who have worked at relatively low wages in the service industry affected by the new Corona may widen.
Under these circumstances, President Biden has announced a policy of strengthening taxation on large corporations and wealthy people in order to close the gap.
In the future, the focus will be on whether the government-led economic recovery can be sustained and whether the benefits of the recovery can be permeated to a wide range of people.
Calling on the people to unite and reconcile
In the midst of the serious social divisions that have been said since the Civil War, President Biden has called on the people to unite and reconcile before taking office, calling for addressing the challenges faced by cross-partisan cooperation.
On the other hand, from the first day of his inauguration, he signed a series of executive orders that allow him to proceed with policies under the authority of the president without going through parliamentary deliberation, and proceeded with policy changes from the former Trump administration. It has climbed to 41 by.
Comparing the number of presidential decree at the same time, former President Trump is 28, former President Obama is 19, and former President Bush is 11, which is higher than all three presidents in the past. There are also criticisms that it is the target.
In addition, the parliament highlighted the difficulty of cross-partisan cooperation over important bills as the ruling and opposition parties resisted.
As of April 26, the Democratic Party of Japan has the initiative as a de facto majority because Vice President Harris also serves as the chairman of the Senate, but the Republican Party and the Democratic Party of Japan have the same number of seats as 50 seats out of a fixed number of 100. It has become.
In the House of Representatives, the Democratic Party has 218 seats, the Republican Party has 212 seats, and the vacancy is 5, out of a fixed number of 435, with a difference of only 6 seats.
President Biden called on the Republican Party to cooperate with the early enactment of an economic measure bill totaling 200 trillion yen, which is regarded as an important issue, but it was not understood, and as a result, a special case in budget deliberation was applied. Last month, the ruling party alone forced a vote.
The Biden administration has been forced to respond to the immigration reforms and gun control that it has pledged, as it has not been able to obtain cross-partisan cooperation over the administration's important issues.
At the border with Mexico in the southern part of the United States, a large number of children seeking entry from Central America and other countries have been kept in the authorities' facilities, and the shift from the previous administration's hard-line immigration policy has caused confusion in the field. The response of the Byden administration has been criticized.
Regarding gun control, President Biden announced a new policy on gun control in response to a series of mass shootings, but a few hours later, a large number of mass shootings occurred, and even clues to solve the problem. It is in a state where it has not been found.
In both cases, there is a large gap between opinions with the opposition and the Republican Party, and it is considered difficult to obtain cooperation.
In addition, President Biden announced a new plan to invest 220 trillion yen in Japanese yen for the development of domestic infrastructure, but the opposition and the Republican Party are cautious about a series of large-scale financial mobilizations, and in the future, the parliament will again If the ruling party is forced to pass the vote alone, President Biden's political method, which should have been reconciled, may lead to further opposition from the opposition party, and the division may widen.
52% approval rating The third lowest post-war president
According to a poll conducted jointly by ABC Television and The Washington Post in the 100th day since President Biden took office, President Biden's approval rating was 52%, among the 14 presidents of the postwar period. It is the third lowest.
Among the opinion polls of successive presidents conducted 100 days before taking office,
the approval rating of former president Trump was the lowest after the war at 42%,
former president Obama was 69%,
former president Bush was 63%, and
President Biden. 52% is 14 points below the average of 66% for successive presidents after the war.
On the other hand, 42% of the respondents do not support it, which is the second highest after 53% of former President Trump.
There is also an analysis that the deepening division of American society is related to the fact that the approval rating is lower than that of successive presidents.
Looking at the approval rating by party, 90% of Democratic supporters support it, while only 13% of Republican supporters.
Former Republican President Donald Trump was also supported by 84% of Republican supporters at the same time, compared to only 13% among Democratic supporters, and there is a growing tendency not to support the presidents of opposing parties.
Former Democratic President Barack Obama has 36% of Republican supporters, and former Republican President Bush also has 39% of Democratic supporters, which is a difference. It has become prominent.
Looking at each policy, 65% of the respondents answered that they "supported" the economic measures for the new coronavirus, which included measures such as providing a maximum of 150,000 yen per person, and the rapid spread of vaccination. In the background, 64% of respondents also "supported" measures against the new coronavirus, which is much higher than the majority.
On the other hand, support for a large-scale plan to improve domestic infrastructure by investing about 220 trillion yen in Japanese yen is slightly higher than the majority at 52%, and supporters for immigration measures over the border with Mexico The percentage is only 37%.
In addition, it has been pointed out that President Biden is concerned about whether he can conclude the line conflict between the centrists and the left within the Democratic Party of Japan, but the approval rating among Democratic Party supporters is as high as 90%. No noticeable conflict has been seen.
Expert "Opposition / Republican measures are the key"
"President Biden last month enacted a major economic stimulus package to revitalize the US economy and tackle virus control," said Philip Wallac, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank in Washington. Former President Trump took office. Considering that no major legislation was enacted until December of the year, it can be said that the enactment of this economic measure, which includes many major policies of the Democratic Party, in March is a big achievement, "said the Biden administration. I evaluated the start.
On the other hand, the 100 days after the inauguration of the administration is also called the "honeymoon period", and based on the American political practice that opposition parties and the media refrain from criticizing the administration, Mr. Wallac said, "President Biden is reasonably supported, but most of it. Is probably due to the "honeymoon effect". "
He added, "If you rely solely on the Democratic senator, you won't get results. The success of the Biden administration depends on how much cooperation you can get from the opposition and the Republican Party, but so far. We haven't put much effort into it, "he said, saying that opposition measures will be the key in the future.
Biden administration's "report card"
In the 100th day since the inauguration of the Biden administration, the US media is reporting a so-called "report" showing how much the president Biden has made so far.
The Associated Press said of President Biden, "It's not as annoying as its predecessor, but it's not as charismatic as the last two presidents." Some say that he is a leader who takes action. "
On top of that, the degree of achievement is shown in three stages of "achieved", "partially achieved", and "not started" for the promises that President Biden has made so far, and 25 out of 61 promises are "achieved". I have evaluated it.
Of these, the most important issue, the countermeasures against the new coronavirus, is said to have been "achieved" in five of the eight commitments.
Specifically, the mandatory wearing of masks at federal facilities and the aim of aiming for 100 million vaccinations within 100 days of taking office are evaluated as "achieved."
In particular, we have achieved the target number of vaccines even after doubling the target number to 200 million.
In addition, the signing of a presidential decree by former President Trump ordering the withdrawal of WHO = withdrawal from the World Health Organization as a promotion of international cooperation is also evaluated as "achieved."
On the other hand, the resumption of face-to-face lessons in elementary and junior high schools has been "partially achieved" because it has not yet been realized in all schools.
On the economic front, four of the five commitments are highly valued as "achieved."
In order to support the economic measures of the new coronavirus, which includes cash benefits of up to 150,000 yen per person, manufacturing industry and workers, it was decided to prioritize the procurement of goods and services procured by the federal government from American companies. Is "achieved".
The increase in the corporate tax rate is "partially achieved."
Regarding the issue of climate change, there are seven issues, including the return to the Paris Agreement, an international framework for global warming countermeasures that the former Trump administration has withdrawn, the holding of a climate change summit, and the signing of a presidential decree to reduce greenhouse gases. Four of our commitments are "achieved."
Regarding gun control, he said he instructed the Attorney General to review the policy, but the evaluation was only "partially achieved" and none of the four promises were "achieved".
Regarding immigration issues, we have fulfilled our commitments such as withdrawing measures that restricted entry from countries with many Muslims for reasons such as anti-terrorism measures and suspending construction of the border wall with Mexico promoted by former President Trump. On the other hand, policies to protect military migrants from repatriation are "partially achieved", and "achieved" is 7 out of 17 pledges.