Biden Proposing Cooperation: "My Vision Is Rebuilding the Middle Class and National Unity"

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] "My vision is to restore the soul of the nation, rebuild the backbone middle class of America, and unite the country."

U.S. President Joe Biden stated this on the night of the 7th (local time) through a summary of his speech distributed by the White House ahead of his scheduled State of the Union address at the joint session of Congress, saying, "Nothing can be gained from fights for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, or conflicts for the sake of conflicts."

President Biden urged cooperation toward the Republican Party, which has become the majority in the House of Representatives, saying, "The people have sent us a clear message," and "If we were able to work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we cannot work together in the new Congress."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The U.S. president delivers the State of the Union address annually according to the Constitution. It is an occasion to inform the public of the broad direction of national governance and to seek cooperation from Congress. This particular State of the Union attracted attention as it was held after the power structure in Congress was divided following the November 8 midterm elections last year, and because it contained the direction for the latter half of Biden’s term. With expectations that President Biden will officially announce his 2024 re-election bid within a few months, many also viewed this State of the Union as virtually an ‘unofficial campaign’ event.

Since taking office, President Biden emphasized achievements such as job creation and overcoming COVID-19 to highlight his accomplishments. He said, "The story of America is one of progress and resilience," adding, "We are the only nation that emerges from crises stronger than before. That is what we do again."

He also explained, "Two years ago, our economy was staggering, but we have created a record 12 million jobs since then," and "In the past two years, we have created more jobs than any president did in four years." Regarding COVID-19, he self-assessed, "Today, COVID no longer controls our lives."

President Biden also addressed the January 6 Capitol riot that occurred in January 2021, saying, "Two years ago, our democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War," and "Today, our democracy has been wounded but neither surrendered nor broken."

Along with this, President Biden described his economic policy as "investing in forgotten people and places," explaining, "We are building an economy where no one is left behind." He emphasized, "The choices we have made over the past two years are bringing jobs back and restoring pride," adding, "This is the blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America and make real changes in your lives."