Marc Thiessen, Opinion: Biden is making the Trump presidency seem like a golden age of unity

Marc Thiessen

President Biden promised to usher in a golden age of bipartisan cooperation, but instead he is showing a reverse Midas touch — taking issues that once united Republicans and Democrats and making them partisan and divisive.

Until Biden came along, every single covid-19 relief bill was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support in both houses. Congress passed three covid relief packages in March 2020 with margins of 96-190-8, and 96-0 in the Senate, and with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. This was followed in April by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which passed 388-5 in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate. Indeed, the votes were so bipartisan that Democrats blocked another covid relief package until after Election Day — because they did not want to let President Donald Trump claim credit for another bipartisan victory before voters went to the polls. But after he lost and they finally allowed another covid bill to come up for a vote in December, it passed both houses of Congress with similar margins.

For Biden, who promised to put his “whole soul” into uniting Republicans and Democrats, passing a bipartisan covid bill should have been a layup. I mean, Trump did it five times. But instead, the president has turned unity into division by using covid relief as a pretext to pass all sorts of liberal spending projects that have nothing to do with the pandemic. He did so even after 10 Republican senators, led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), came to the White House and offered him a path to a filibuster-proof bipartisan majority. Not only did the president reject their offer, last week he actually tried to blame the senators, saying that “they didn’t move an inch” from their initial proposal of $619 billion. That’s a lie, the senators responded: Biden never gave negotiation a chance. “Fewer than 24 hours after our meeting in the Oval Office, the Senate Democratic Leader began the process of triggering reconciliation which precluded Republican participation,” all 10 Republicans explained in a statement, adding that the White House “roundly dismissed our effort . . . in order to justify its go-it-alone strategy.”

Now, Biden is trying to do the same thing when it comes to infrastructure. There has long been strong support among Republican leaders for an infrastructure package of as much as $1 trillion. But instead of uniting Republicans and Democrats around a bipartisan deal, Biden is using infrastructure as a pretext to spend more tax dollars on things that have nothing to do with infrastructure. A Politico analysis of his $2.25 trillion proposal found that only $821 billion, or 37 percent, is focused on traditional infrastructure items such as transportation, electricity and Internet. Add another $111 billion for clean drinking water, and that comes to $932 billion — almost precisely the amount Republican leaders are on record supporting. Biden could easily win enough GOP support for an infrastructure package of this magnitude and pass it by a bipartisan, filibuster-proof majority.

But instead, he has loaded up his bill with another $1.32 trillion in spending that has little or no relation to infrastructure. For example, his proposal includes $400 billion to support expanded home care for seniors. This might be a worthy social program, but what does it have to do with infrastructure? On Fox News Sunday, Biden’s National Economic Council director, Brian Deese, justified it as “the infrastructure of care” — which is ridiculous. He’s not alone. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) recently tweeted, “Paid leave is infrastructure. Child care is infrastructure. Caregiving is infrastructure.” This is Orwellian. If Republicans had tried to tack on a $400 billion boost in defense spending as part of an infrastructure package and claimed that “defense is infrastructure,” Democrats would have howled.

But Biden does not seem to care. Just like his covid package, he is trying to ram his infrastructure plan through Congress using the budget reconciliation process, which requires no Republican votes. The only obstacles he faces are within the Democratic caucus, from moderates who oppose the tax increases he has proposed, and progressives who think he does not spend enough.

How does Biden justify the hyperpartisan start to his presidency? Just as Democrats redefined “infrastructure,” the president is now trying to redefine “bipartisanship.” Biden recently declared, “I would like . . . elected Republican support, but what I know I have now is that I have electoral support from Republican voters.” First, that is flat untrue — in a recent Gallup poll, just 8 percent of Republicans approved of Biden’s job performance. Second, that is not what Biden promised. He pledged to work “across the aisle to reach consensus.” Instead, he’s making the Trump presidency seem like a golden age of unity by comparison.

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27 thoughts on “Marc Thiessen, Opinion: Biden is making the Trump presidency seem like a golden age of unity”

  1. Once again we have the dems changing reality to fit their agenda.

    Biden Administration Orders ICE, Border Patrol to Stop Using Term ‘Illegal Alien’

    Are we to now call “theft” misappropriation?
    “rape” involuntary intimacy?
    “serial killing” random depopulation?
    “bank robbery” financial redistribution?
    “murder” population control?

    https://tinyurl.com/2fntnn7j

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  2. “Until Biden came along, every single covid-19 relief bill was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support in both houses.”

    Actually this is a bug, not a feature, as someone who’s ostensibly a columnist and observer of the American political scene ought to be able to see and admit — remember in Dec 2020 when Trump threatened to veto the bill containing COVID relief due to the huge amount of absurd, corrupt spending in it? — millions for ‘gender programs’ in Pakistan etc etc — why should any working American be forced to pay for all that via the coercive tax system? — or perhaps worse, to take on debt for their children and grandchildren to pay interest on — it’s simple wrong and immoral — so he should have vetoed it, but he caved as usual.

    There is nothing wrong with partisanship, in having political parties with principles that are reflected in the way members govern and legislate; in fact, it’s absolutely essential in order to give people a clear choice — what we have now is RINOs and Democrats, and there is no significant difference between these two establishment parties — hence there is no real, meaningful political choice for a large and rapidly growing number of Americans.

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    1. The entire covid thing hit Trump like a tornado that he was not prepared for. His actions reflect his love of doctors and the medical establishment. He was so desperate to control the covid situation that he held DAILY press conferences. Remember those weeks and months? It was freaky in my opinion. I have never seen a President so panicked.

      Dr. Fauci could sense this and he used it to scare Trump more and to proceed with his devious and diabolical agenda.

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      1. Don, Maybe you can point out specifically where Trump panicked. I never saw it. I saw a man determined to stop the spread of a supposed disease with actions that made sense with what he and 99% of other leaders knew. Now, if you were to ask me if I agree with his stance on vaccines, I would certainly say NO and simply because of this would not vote for him again IF there is an election in 2024 (which at this point, I very seriously doubt).

      2. Having a presser every day for months is panic in the extreme. It made sense to Trump to do that because he is easily scared.
        Fauci sensed that and took advantage of Trump to enact Fauci’s insane measures like a total lockdown of the US….to satisfy his emotional needs to control people. Fauci is one of the most dangerous persons to ever give advice to anyone about anything.

        Maybe you missed all of this a year ago.

    2. I count 22 mass shootings in the past month. This headline is from the UK and someone can’t count or write clearly.

      Are all of these real…who knows.? Remember the Obama era when most of the shootings were fake? Have the shootings now turned real?

      What do you think?

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      1. See the File. This was just reported today. Will there ever be any truth in the MSM about Sandy Hook?

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      2. “God help us if we ever become complacent, or if this should ever just become routine and we just look the other way,” said Mark Barden, a co-founder of the gun violence prevention group Sandy Hook Promise. “I do believe that we have an opportunity now for a bipartisan solution to gun safety, and I am trying to convey to folks that it’s all hands on deck.”

        This was just reported today. Notice second line….Sand Hook.

        The lie continues.

  3. I am sorry, I have to post this entire “Order” because it’s just too important and shows the out of control arrogance that is green screen Biden!

    Executive Order on Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation
    April 15, 2021 • Presidential Actions

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
    I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation — in particular, efforts to undermine the conduct of free and fair democratic elections and democratic institutions in the United States and its allies and partners; to engage in and facilitate malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies and partners; to foster and use transnational corruption to influence foreign governments; to pursue extraterritorial activities targeting dissidents or journalists; to undermine security in countries and regions important to United States national security; and to violate well-established principles of international law, including respect for the territorial integrity of states — constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.
    Accordingly, I hereby order:
    Section 1. All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:
    (a) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and, with respect to subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Attorney General, or by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, and, with respect to subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Attorney General:
    (i) to operate or have operated in the technology sector or the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy, or any other sector of the Russian Federation economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;
    (ii) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, any of the following for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation:
    (A) malicious cyber-enabled activities;
    (B) interference in a United States or other foreign government election;
    (C) actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the United States or abroad;
    (D) transnational corruption;
    (E) assassination, murder, or other unlawful killing of, or infliction of other bodily harm against, a United States person or a citizen or national of a United States ally or partner;
    (F) activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners; or
    (G) deceptive or structured transactions or dealings to circumvent any United States sanctions, including through the use of digital currencies or assets or the use of physical assets;
    (iii) to be or have been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of:
    (A) the Government of the Russian Federation;
    (B) an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in any activity described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section; or
    (C) an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;
    (iv) to be a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of the Russian Federation;
    (v) to be a spouse or adult child of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) or (iii) of this section;
    (vi) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of:
    (A) any activity described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section; or
    (B) any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or
    (vii) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.
    (b) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, a government whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to chapter V of title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations or another Executive Order, and to be:
    (i) a citizen or national of the Russian Federation;
    (ii) an entity organized under the laws of the Russian Federation or any jurisdiction within the Russian Federation (including foreign branches); or
    (iii) a person ordinarily resident in the Russian Federation.
    (c) any person determined by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in or attempted to engage in, cutting or disrupting gas or energy supplies to Europe, the Caucasus, or Asia, and to be:
    (i) an individual who is a citizen or national of the Russian Federation; or
    (ii) an entity organized under the laws of the Russian Federation or any jurisdiction within the Russian Federation (including foreign branches).
    (d) The prohibitions in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of this order.
    Sec. 2. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include:
    (a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and
    (b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
    Sec. 3. (a) The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of noncitizens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section 1 of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and the entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is hereby suspended, except when the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, determines that the person’s entry would not be contrary to the interests of the United States, including when the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, so determines, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General, that the person’s entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives.
    (b) The Secretary of State shall implement this authority as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish.
    (c) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement this order as it applies to the entry of noncitizens pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.
    (d) Such persons shall be treated by this section in the same manner as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).
    Sec. 4. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.
    (b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.
    Sec. 5. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the types of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.
    Sec. 6. For the purposes of this order:
    (a) the term “entity” means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;
    (b) the term “Government of the Russian Federation” means the Government of the Russian Federation, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and any person owned, controlled, or directed by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of the Russian Federation;
    (c) the term “noncitizen” means any person who is not a citizen or noncitizen national of the United States;
    (d) the term “person” means an individual or entity; and
    (e) the term “United States person” means any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States.
    Sec. 7. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.
    Sec. 8. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within the Department of the Treasury. All departments and agencies of the United States shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.
    Sec. 9. Nothing in this order shall prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the Federal Government or the United Nations (including its specialized agencies, programs, funds, and related organizations) by employees, grantees, and contractors thereof.
    Sec. 10. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to submit recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency declared in this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)).
    Sec. 11. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
    April 15, 2021.

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  4. You are not going to believe how far they are taking this effing LIE!!

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/04/15/executive-order-on-blocking-property-with-respect-to-specified-harmful-foreign-activities-of-the-government-of-the-russian-federation/

    Excerpt:
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
    I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation — in particular, efforts to undermine the conduct of free and fair democratic elections and democratic institutions in the United States and its allies and partners; to engage in and facilitate malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies and partners; to foster and use transnational corruption to influence foreign governments; to pursue extraterritorial activities targeting dissidents or journalists; to undermine security in countries and regions important to United States national security; and to violate well-established principles of international law, including respect for the territorial integrity of states — constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.
    Accordingly, I hereby order:
    Section 1. All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:
    (a) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and, with respect to subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Attorney General, or by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, and, with respect to subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Attorney General:
    (i) to operate or have operated in the technology sector or the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy, or any other sector of the Russian Federation economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;
    (ii) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, any of the following for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation:
    (A) malicious cyber-enabled activities;
    (B) interference in a United States or other foreign government election;
    (C) actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the United States or abroad;
    (D) transnational corruption;
    (E) assassination, murder, or other unlawful killing of, or infliction of other bodily harm against, a United States person or a citizen or national of a United States ally or partner;
    (F) activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners; or
    (G) deceptive or structured transactions or dealings to circumvent any United States sanctions, including through the use of digital currencies or assets or the use of physical assets;

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  5. It is now abundantly clear that the ILLEGAL [MASSIVE 2020 Election CYBER-FRAUD] and CRIMINAL [TREASON] government of the DemonicRATS can only be STOPPED BY [LETHAL] FORCE. The problems CANNOT be rectified by any existing legal process. We are now in Revolution mode! If “Seven Days in May” doesn’t happen by the end of May, POA [ http://patriotsoccupyamerica.us ] is designed to REMOVE the DemonicRATS from Office by any necessary means – and RESTORE THE REPUBLIC and the Constitution! 🙂 MANY years ago, Alan Sabrosky stated “It is 100% certain that Israel [Mossad] did 911!”, followed by “We are coming for you” – meaning Israel. NOBODY has been coming!!! 🙁

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    1. Apparently, Alan Sabrosky and his host never heard of the ALIEN AGENDA or POA! Seems highly unlikely, especially for a former military “Intelligence” officer. The [POA] SOLUTION will not require an army of “monsters” but only a handful of committed, courageous and intelligent POA ACTION COMMANDOS who will DECAPITATE THE HEADS OF THE HYDRA! When the heads are rolling on the ground, the rest oh the Hydra will shrivel up and die. Meanwhile, we may still hear from the COLONELS before the end of May. 😉

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      1. Only ALIENS want to “destroy human civilization”! Why are Alan Sabrosky and his host dumbfounded by this question, when the [ONLY] answer is so OBVIOUS?! THEY LIVE – and are WALKING AMONG US!

  6. Every day something crazy happens and you wonder what new insanity will come tomorrow. I saw Jim’s brief appearance on Dark Outpost last night and the shocking story of Robert David Steele being executed and on Soros payroll. Sounds too crazy to believe. Is it anything can happen day?

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      1. Yes, dK…I am not convinced about this entire Steele entourage….but I do have trust in McKinney.

  7. This thing that the Democrats and the MSM are doing is getting so appallingly outrageous than one could easily conclude that it’s on purpose. What purpose could that be? Not the purpose of bringing in the totalitarian NWO, which it would appear on its surface to be. But that in actuality, our Creator Source is behind the whole pantomime, and is giving as many incarnate souls as possible the opportunity to WAKE THE HELL UP. And if they don’t, it’s on them, and they will just have to bear the brunt of their action. Or inaction, as in this case. Of a Wakeup Call. Before the End of a cosmic Era.

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    1. Fakery is the Demonrat Dominioncrat’s modus operandi. The fakery became more obvious after the start of Barry Davis’s (BO’s) 2nd term. The public was been lied to by the puppet masters, well before the assassination of JFK.
      Many realize Creepy Joe, who almost certainly molested Tara Reade, is not legitimate. He was not legitimately elected; therefore, his Pretendentcy is a myth. Unfortunately a large segment of the US population believes the myth. Some of the most gullible are former hard core Republicons. They say they don’t believe the myth, but they accept it to the point of not wanting to, or being willing to do anything about it. They somehow think that they are going to win the next fraudulent election. The one certainty is Creepy Joe is absolutely the worst Pretendent of my lifetime, breaking the previous tie between the Shrub and deceptive Barry, along with his domestic partner, Michael.

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