On completing 100 days, Biden addresses Congress

Joe Biden reveals his ambitious plan to reshape America in his very first  address to congress. Biden used his first joint address to Congress to pitch a $4 trillion investment in children, families and education that would fundamentally transform the role the government plays in American life.

He called it a “once in a generation investment in America itself”.

The coronavirus pandemic cast a strange pall on the yearly political tradition.After a long dark year, the vaccine offered a light, Biden said. “Grandparents hugging their children and grandchildren instead of pressing their hands against a window to say goodbye,” he said. “There’s still more work to do to beat this virus. We can’t let our guard down now.”he added.

He described the American Jobs Plan as “a blue-collar blueprint to build America” that would boost investment in public transport, high-speed broadband and roads and bridges. He added that the plan would be guided by the fight against climate change.

He said the $1.8tn American Families Plan, meanwhile, would focus on children and seek to provide free preschool for children aged three to four ,paid family and medical leave as well as health insurance subsidies, tuition-free community college for all, an extension of key tax breaks that have been expanded during the pandemic and many more

In the history of the USA,  two women were seated behind the president addressing a joint session of congress. Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker and the third person in the chain of command, after Biden and Harris, also flanked Biden.

As soon as he took to the podium, Biden acknowledged Kamala Harris, stood behind him, as “Madam vice president,” and then reflected: “No president has ever said these words from behind this podium. And it’s about time.”

Biden’s speech has earned praise from the former president Bill Clinton.

“Great speech from @POTUS, great proposals, great call to action. Let’s do it!” Bill Clinton tweeted.

The president has drawn a firm red line that no household earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes, a move that both broadened the definition of the middle class and clearly delineated just how extreme inequality has become.

Economist Owen Zidar, whose research suggested that capital gains tax hikes could raise meaningful revenues, said the programs funded by the proceeds might allow poorer children to become inventors and entrepreneurs, positions that are increasingly reserved for the offspring of wealthy parents.

“There are many missing Einsteins and Elon Musks,” Zidar said.