From Dutton Peabody, editor: Labor Day is the unofficial launch of the fall national election season. With that in mind, we at The Shinbone Star believe it’s our civic duty to provide a “scorecard” of all the major actions and key votes cast — or in the case of most Republicans not cast — by President Biden and members of Congress during the past year. This game day-styled recap should serve as a reminder why everyone who cares about the country needs to vote Blue on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.
By MACINELLI
Imagine it’s the top of the ninth inning of a baseball game featuring congressional Democrats and Republicans, with the winning team of lawmakers shaping America’s future for the next few years.
On the mound for the Democrats, tossing nothing but “heat” from the White House, is President Joseph Biden. Behind the plate is Vice President Kamala Harris, who provides decisive votes on the “smoking” legislative proposals hurled to Congress from the Oval Office.
So far, Biden is looking at a no-hitter against the just-say-no-way GOP blatherers led in the Senate by Mitch “The Mouth” McConnell (R-Ky.) and in the House by Kevin “Big Liar” McCarthy (R-Calif.). Biden and his Democratic teammates in Washington and across the country need to shut down Republican candidates endorsed by former and twice impeached former President Donald J. Trump in midterm ballot box battles set for Nov. 8, 2022.
Through the first eight innings, Biden has thrown a series of fireballs at Congress. Among the ‘taters’ he hummed past Republican lawmakers this year were bills aimed at helping the country battle through inflation; add more and better paying manufacturing jobs to the workforce; or reduce the cost of health care for millions of senior citizens; and forgive a significant amount of student loan debt. Most GOP “hitters” have swung and missed on these opportunities to get a few hits for the majority of men, women and children they are being paid to represent with taxpayer dollars.
Instead of a base knock or two, the hitless Republican lawmakers scream and shout fearmongering statements from their respective locker rooms — the Senate or House chambers — that Biden and his squad of all-star Democrats are “destroying America.”
The GOP team is also investing millions of dollars in campaign ads touting their bush league, just-say-no approach to governing. All they really want to do is strike fear into the hearts and minds of as many voters as possible in order to score enough runs and further deconstruct the republic that has faced off against real and imagined opponents for more than 246 years.
These “cellar dweller” Republicans offer no alternative plans for maintaining or improving the quality of life for the people they’re supposed to serve. All they offer is hate and divisiveness in their rhetorical attempts at putting bats on Biden and the Democrats’ legislative fastballs.
The following box score highlights through eight innings of the battle for the soul of America shows just how dominant Biden’s executive orders and the Democrat’s legislative playbook have been against the just-say-no, Trump-trained Republican hacks.
They stand in the batter’s box and watch Biden’s “heat” sail through the strike zone. Then they complain to their fans that his fastballs aren’t really getting the job done for Americans. Their strikeouts and just-say-no strategy should cost them runs on Election Day in November.
Review the following scorecard and make it your mission to Vote Blue on November 8. Share this with your family and friends as often as possible until the 2022 election season ends.
Note: Clicking highlighted text below provides a link to detailed information to the executive orders and legislation enacted this year.
Executive Orders* issued by President Joseph Biden in 2022
- A complete list of Biden’s Executive Orders since taking office on Jan. 20, 2021
August
- Securing Access to Reproductive and Other Healthcare Services
July
- Bolstering Efforts to Bring Hostages and Wrongfully Detained United States Nationals Home
June
- Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals
May
- Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety
April
- Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies
- Prohibiting New Investment in and Certain Services to the Russian Federation in Response to Continued Russian Federation Aggression
- Continuing to Strengthen Americans’ Access to Affordable, Quality Health Coverage
March
- Advancing Economy, Efficiency, and Effectiveness in Federal Contracting by Promoting Pay Equity and Transparency
February
- Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Continued Russian Efforts to Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine
- Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects
Legislation passed by Congress in 2022
- Inflation Reduction Act: On August 16, Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a budget reconciliation bill that projects to raise $739 billion in revenue from tax increases to cover $369 billion in increased climate spending, $64 billion in increased health care spending, and approximately $300 billion in deficit reduction.
Yes Vote breakdown: House Democrats 220/Republicans 0; Senate Democrats 50/Republicans 0
- CHIPS and Science Act: The CHIPS Act is designed to bring leading-edge chip-making back to the U.S. Biden signed the Act into law on Aug. 9, a move that paves the way for $280 billion in funding for science and technology, with roughly $52 billion earmarked for boosting U.S. semiconductor production.
Yes Vote breakdown: House Democrats 219/Republicans 24; Senate Democrats 50/Republicans 14
- PACT Act: The PACT Act answered Biden’s call to strengthen health care and benefits for America’s veterans and their survivors. It is the most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years. It expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for veterans with toxic exposures and veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras; adds more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures; adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation; requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every veteran enrolled in VA health care; and improves research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures.
Yes Vote breakdown: House Democrats 220/Republicans 34; Senate Democrats 50/Republicans 36
- Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: The BSCA implemented several changes to the mental health system, school safety programs, and gun safety laws. It was signed into law by Biden on June 25. Gun safety laws in the bill include extended background checks for gun purchasers under 21, clarification of federal firearms license requirements, funding for state red flag laws and other crisis intervention programs, further criminalization of arms trafficking and straw purchases and partial closure of the boyfriend loophole.
Yes Vote breakdown: House Democrats 220/Republicans 14; Senate Democrats 50/Republicans 15
*One of the most common “presidential” documents in our modern government is an executive order. Every American president has issued at least one, totaling more than (as of this writing) 13,731 since George Washington took office in 1789. Executive orders are not legislation; they require no approval from Congress, and Congress cannot simply overturn them.
THE SHINBONE STAR 