In his speech, the US president acknowledged that the increased food and fuel prices have impacted many families and assured that solving this problem is top priority for him and his administration.
His speech came a day before the Federal Reserve’s long-awaited announcement to raise interest rates in its bid to rein inflation.
However, despite enthusiasm and showing his cabinet is focused on present economic plight, Biden said he does not have many options to control rising prices, particularly with a closely divided Senate and a Republican caucus centered on blocking his internal agenda.
In an electoral campaign tone, Joe Biden stated the United States has to make a decision: choose between a government for a few or a government for all of us.
In this regard, the ruling Democrat tried to set a contrast between his economic policies and the plan presented by Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott who intends to put all federal legislation to a vote every five years.
According to Biden, Scott and former President Donald Trump´s allies are trying to cut social security programs, an agenda he calls “ultra-MAGA”, alluding to Trump´s slogan Make America Great Again.
The White House repeatedly blames Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military operation in Ukraine for the increased prices in the United States, which analysts say it is the result of Washington and NATO´s expansionist policy.
However, experts list other factors such as high demand, problems in supply chains and the Covid-19-caused crisis.
The US inflation has hit its highest level in more than 40 years, and the Joe Biden administration – whose approval ratings remain declining in the polls – fears it will affect Democrats in coming November midterm elections. pll/car/avr