# President Joe Biden and the runup to the 2024 election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 15, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384 "2021-11-15T14:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 29
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/572 "2024-02-04T20:59:55Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > The article says this is for money for mental health and wellness in schools. That’s great, but it’s quite a stretch to turn that into their subheading of “gun violence prevention and gun safety.” That is just part of it- also _After the 2022 massacre of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, the Biden administration called for stricter gun legislation. Uvalde spurred the first significant gun safety law in 30 years, which Biden signed in June of 2022, and the president took further action on his own._ [https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/25/politics/biden-signs-gun-bill/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/25/politics/biden-signs-gun-bill/index.html) President Joe Biden on Saturday[signed into law the first major federal gun safety legislation](https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/24/politics/house-vote-bipartisan-safer-communities-act/index.html) passed in decades, marking a significant bipartisan breakthrough on one of the most contentious policy issues in Washington. _This bill closes a years-old loophole in domestic violence law [– the “boyfriend loophole” –](https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/19/politics/boyfriend-loophole-gun-negotiations-congress/index.html) which barred individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence crimes against spouses, partners with whom they shared children or partners with whom they cohabitated from having guns. Old statutes didn’t include intimate partners who may not live together, be married or share children._ _Now the law will bar from having a gun anyone who is convicted of a domestic violence crime against someone they have a “continuing serious relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.” The law isn’t retroactive. It will, however, allow those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes to restore their gun rights after five years if they haven’t committed other crimes._ _The bill goes after individuals who sell guns as primary sources of income but have previously evaded registering as federally licensed firearms dealers. It also increases funding for mental health programs and school security._ ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/573 "2024-02-04T21:31:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > A sweeping crackdown on “junk fees” and overdraft charges\* This is something that working class voters care about. If actually implemented before Election Day, and the new rule was easily explained, it would make a difference. However, this [draft proposed rule](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/17/business/cfpb-bank-overdraft-fees-rule.html) is too complex for sound bites, and some details are not yet specified. And it would only apply to big banks and credit unions. > [@](#): > > The proposal, which must go through a comment period and would not take effect until at least late 2025, aims to end the $35 overdraft fee that has become the standard at many banks. > > The bureau’s rule would give banks a few options for setting a lower fee. They could charge a break-even fee — based on the individual bank’s own costs — or a benchmark fee determined by the bureau. The agency has proposed a range of $3 to $14 for the benchmark. > > Alternatively, the banks could treat overdrafts as a line of credit Is it the administration’s fault that rule making takes a couple years? No. Is it political malpractice that they didn’t propose a simple rule (say, all junk fees capped at $8) in 2021? It seems that way, but I may be missing something. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/574 "2024-02-04T23:03:31Z")
Thanks for the link to this piece. I’ve bookmarked it to share with certain acquaintances, oh, around October 15. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/575 "2024-02-04T23:59:33Z")
Yeah, it’s a good piece, I didn’t know all those myself. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/576 "2024-02-05T04:07:54Z")
[Senate negotiators release sweeping border and military aid bill](https://wapo.st/492YKDw) > [@](#): > > “Get it to my desk so I can sign it into law immediately,” Biden said in a statement. I’m not sure what I think about this policy-wise. But immigration is today Trump’s strongest issue. If Biden can’t fix the migrants-sitting-in-government-paid-hotels business, Trump wins. And this probably is the only available path to a fix between now and November. Americans — here’s what you ned to do to comply with Biden’s “get it to my desk” request: Write to your House member and ask for a discharge petition. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/577 "2024-02-05T04:13:41Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > But immigration is today Trump’s strongest issue. If Biden can’t fix the migrants-sitting-in-government-paid-hotels business, Trump wins. Since too many of those Trump voters think this, [![](https://i0.wp.com/www.printmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2a34d8_67924fe7df0f4fc0b861df151f502a31mv2.jpg) ](https://i0.wp.com/www.printmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2a34d8_67924fe7df0f4fc0b861df151f502a31mv2.jpg) is the “fix the migrants-sitting-in-government-paid-hotels business” what would you suggest Biden do to get their votes? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/578 "2024-02-05T04:42:56Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > But immigration is today Trump’s strongest issue. If Biden can’t fix the migrants-sitting-in-government-paid-hotels business, Trump wins. You are so wrong. MAGAs are the racist bigots who hate brown immigrants. They aint gonna vote for Biden anyway. And the GOP doesnt want a solution- they want the problem. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > is the “fix the migrants-sitting-in-government-paid-hotels business” what would you suggest Biden do to get their votes? No, see the GOP is stopping the asylum seekers from getting jobs. They want them to be a problem. They dont realize that only their own bigots see it as such a huge problem. The rest of us like cheap lettuce and strawberries. I have done farm work- no thank you. Better people that want those jobs. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/579 "2024-02-05T14:03:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You are so wrong. MAGAs are the racist bigots who hate brown immigrants. They aint gonna vote for Biden anyway. Wrong about what? Here’s the [political problem](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/immigration-emerges-key-2024-wedge-issue-trump-vulnerability/story?id=106635907): > [@](#): > > Polls show immigration is a major political vulnerability for Biden. He has just an 18% approval rating on the issue, the lowest for any president since [ABC News and the Washington Post](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-tops-opponents-biden-hits-new-low-approval/story?id=106335244) began asking the question in January 2004. I am with the 18 percent. Biden is doing the best anyone can working within outdated laws. But the 82 percent failing to recognize this is not all MAGA! Do I realize that some disapprove of Joe for being too harsh on migrants? Yes, some. But poll after poll shows that [voters trust Trump much more on immigration than they do Biden](https://pro.morningconsult.com/analysis/swing-state-polling-january-2024). Swing states don’t show, in my last link – sorry, free registration may be required – a consistent 20 point Trump immigration advantage because we Pennsylvanians are mostly MAGA. Like every other election, this one will be decided by voters who were earlier on the fence. > [@DrDeth](#): > > And the GOP doesnt want a solution- they want the problem. The great majority, yes. That was in my earlier post link. Speaker Mike Johnson won’t bring it to the floor, so the only hope there is a discharge petition. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > is the “fix the migrants-sitting-in-government-paid-hotels business” what would you suggest Biden do to get their votes? It’s what Biden suggests, not just to get swing votes, but also as policy. My understanding of the Senate compromise bill is that it addresses the issue of asylum seekers having to wait 180 days for a work permit, during which they are supported by local, state or federal government, previously discussed in these threads. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/580 "2024-02-05T15:27:21Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Wrong about what? The problem isn’t what Biden is doing about border control and immigration. The problem is the _perception_ of what Biden is doing about them, which is driven by the vast and relentless right-wing media machine. The reality is that Biden is handling the border far better than Trump ever did, even taking into account the surge in people crossing since 2020 (when the surge began), but there is nothing Biden can do that will stop the right from screaming that the border is wide open and that we are being invaded by lazy greedy criminals who the Democrats are giving _your_ hard-earned tax dollars to while our brave veterans starve on the street. Because lying is what the Republican Party do. In fact these days it’s pretty much _all_ the Republicans do. And they’re very, very good at it. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/581 "2024-02-05T16:08:18Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The problem isn’t what Biden is doing about border control and immigration. The problem is the _perception_ of what Biden is doing about them, which is driven by the vast and relentless right-wing media machine. I’m cynical enough to believe perception and lies are the biggest factors, but if November runs as close as most experts predict, reality will have a small, but possibly decisive, impact. Joe Biden says that he wants [that Langford/Murphy/Sinema compromise bill](https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/emergency_national_security_supplemental_bill_text.pdf) on his desk to sign. I can’t believe the provisions are all to his liking. So he thinks it will make a political difference. P.S. There also are [policy reasons for progressives](https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-we-produced-a-bipartisan-agreement-to-help-fix-our-broken-asylum-system) to, if a bit reluctantly, advocate a discharge petition so this can actually get passed despite Mike Johnson refusing to bring it to a vote: > [@](#): > > It expands legal pathways to come to the United States. You cannot fix the issue at the border without creating more legal pathways for people to come to United States. This bill includes 250,000 new family and employment visas over the next five years. > > The bill includes the Afghan Adjustment Act, so that our brave Afghan partners can finally become citizens. > > This bill fixes the problem of so called ‘Documented Dreamers.’ It provides a pathway for citizenship for the kids of H1B holders who under current law can be deported when they turn 21. > > This bill includes the first ever right to legal representation for asylum seekers, and even more importantly, for the first time, requires the government to appoint and pay for every unaccompanied minor under the age of 14 to have an attorney help them during their asylum claim. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/582 "2024-02-05T19:39:19Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The problem isn’t what Biden is doing about border control and immigration. The problem is the _perception_ of what Biden is doing about them, which is driven by the vast and relentless right-wing media machine. > > The reality is that Biden is handling the border far better than Trump ever did, > > Because lying is what the Republican Party do. In fact these days it’s pretty much _all_ the Republicans do. And they’re very, very good at it. Like I have been saying- “The BIG LIE”. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/583 "2024-02-05T19:46:02Z")
What you said, I think, touches on a bigger issue. Democrats seem to be broadly divided into two camps: Those that think that life _should_ be fair, and those who understand that it _isn’t_ and that one must do what one can with that practical reality. The former may be called ‘idealists’ and the latter ‘pragmatists.’ We all know Republicans lie about Democrats. But there are some D’s - not sure if they’re just naive or what - who will say “That Republican statement about (Biden, Hillary, Obama, etc.) was a LIE!” (Either that, or “That public perception of Democrats is UNFAIR.”) Of course it’s a lie. Or maybe it is indeed unfair. But the problem is, many voters **believe** that lie. Whether it’s a lie or not is not as important as the fact that it’s **believed**. _Perception_ of reality is oftentimes just as important, or even more important, than reality itself. There is no Election Referee who is going to come step in and intervene to ensure that the more-ethical or more-truthful side wins. As you point out or allude to, saying “It’s a lie” or “it’s unfair” is quite meaningless; what matters is doing something to effectively combat that lie or unfairness. If one’s party doesn’t effectively combat or overcome the lies or unfairness, they can rage about that injustice until the cows come home and they still won’t win on Election Day. It doesn’t matter if Biden is doing “open borders” or not - if voters _think_ he is, they will vote accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/584 "2024-02-05T22:33:06Z")
But my point is that changing the reality if the reality isn’t the problem won’t help and is likely counterproductive. Changing the perception is what is required. So saying that Biden must change his border policy to address issues that don’t actually stem from his border policy is unhelpful. What the Democrats have long needed is more skill at narrative manipulation themselves, particularly when they are steering the narrative back into alignment with reality. Why it has taken them so long to do so, I don’t know. Maybe there are still too many idealists in the party, or maybe the GOP has just attracted all the best liars already. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/585 "2024-02-05T23:04:16Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > So saying that Biden must change his border policy to address issues that don’t actually stem from his border policy is unhelpful. Biden seeks authorization from Congress to more closely follow his own border policy. Senator Murphy (D-Conn) estimates that this bill will reduce the asylum hearing backlog from ten years to six months. Years of delays were never Biden policy, just as admitting people to the U.S., and saying they couldn’t work for 180 days, was never Biden policy. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/586 "2024-02-05T23:07:25Z")
And it will make no difference to the perception by a significant percentage of the population that the border is open and uncontrolled. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/587 "2024-02-06T00:57:39Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > What the Democrats have long needed is more skill at narrative manipulation themselves, particularly when they are steering the narrative back into alignment with reality. Why it has taken them so long to do so, I don’t know “It’s taking longer than we thought.” ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/588 "2024-02-06T01:13:02Z")
Yeah, if Biden cracked down on the border hard tomorrow, all right wing media would have to do is just not report about it. Or else they could just lie and say that those same policies actually opened the border up some more. Then Biden would have accomplished nothing but alienating core supporters. What good is that? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/589 "2024-02-06T01:59:21Z")
Sure, but the Trumpers are un-winnable. Biden can ignore them. It’s the centrists/independents that Biden needs to worry about. If they buy into the notion that open borders exist and Biden will allow them to begin or continue, he’s toast. And those centrists/independents don’t follow right-wing media, or at least not it exclusively. They are the type who may view CNN, NYT, Reuters, MSNBC as well. So Biden has to at least get the center/left media on his side. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/590 "2024-02-06T02:19:51Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Yeah, if Biden cracked down on the border hard tomorrow, all right wing media would have to do is just not report about it. I agree with Velocity on this. There still are [29 million Americans who watch the daily half hour news](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/network-news/) broadcasts on NBC, ABC, or CBS. My wife is usually one of them. If Biden signs H.R. 815 (the bipartisan compromise bill), they will report on it. By itself, no biggie. But when implemented, they will report on that also, and it will look like Biden fixing a big problem. President Biden said he wants to sign it. I support Biden, so this morning I wrote to my moderate Democratic House member, Chrissy Houlahan, and requested she support the bill (and push for a discharge petition, since Mike Johnson refuses to bring it to a vote). Now I see, a few hours later, she (obviously not due to me) came out with an op-ed in favor of bringing it to a vote: [It’s Groundhog Day at the Southern Border. Time to Change the Channel](https://www.newsweek.com/its-groundhog-day-southern-border-time-change-channel-opinion-1867083) > [@](#): > > Our Republican leadership in Congress needs to commit to bringing bipartisan immigration reform bills, like Rep. [Veronica Escobar](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/veronica-escobar)’s (D-TX) bipartisan DIGNITY Act, to the floor for a vote now. Efforts like the [Senate](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/senate)’s bipartisan bill introduced this past weekend must also be considered and voted on. We must reach a compromise with real solutions to this complex issue NOW. > > I’m calling on Speaker Johnson to change his deeply cynical position that “now is not the time” for immigration reform—I couldn’t disagree more. Most people in communities across America couldn’t disagree more. As implied above, the DIGNITY Act would be better – but it cannot get sixty votes in the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/591 "2024-02-06T03:09:26Z")
The way the Congresscritters are miscounting the numbers in the bill is absurd. They talk about how it lets 5000 immigrants across per day. They demand that zero be let across on any day. Okay, sure. Let’s do that. Let’s completely solve the problem first so that you will be willing to vote on legislation to start solving the problem. I hope Biden can run with this. The Republicans scream about what a problem it is but simultaneously refuse to even try to fix it. Guess what, dummies? You could accept Biden’s solution and just continue lying about it! Even if it works beyond anyone’s wildest dreams and immigration drops to zero you can still claim zombie hordes are on the verge of overrunning America because Biden is letting them in. You can claim that you gave him billions of dollars to fix the problem and he just made it worse. But if you do nothing, it’s a lot harder to sell the message that this is somehow Biden’s fault. 5000 immigrants per day is still going to happen, especially if you don’t actually bother to try. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384.md?page=30)