As the current administration frantically tries to wrap up its term, we find ourselves in an era marred by Joe Biden’s futile attempts to sustain his climate and health care provisions. With the impending arrival of President-elect Donald Trump this January, federal funds earmarked for these liberal pipe dreams are on the chopping block. Trump’s decisive focus is rooting out the leftovers of these outdated initiatives and halting the progress of clean-energy development projects that have been draining taxpayers’ wallets.
The balance of power is about to shift, and the Biden administration’s overreaches can be countered by the next administration, who can confidently implement fresh regulations to correct numerous missteps made in haste. Disturbingly, the Biden administration continues to clutch at straws, hoping against hope that the projects conceived under their $1 trillion infrastructure law and $375 billion climate law survive their imminent defeat.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently made lofty promises about over $3.4 billion in grants aiming to revamp passenger rail service, aid U.S. ports, curb highway deaths, and bolster domestic manufacturing or environmentally friendly transportation materials. With time running out on the liberal government’s term, the frequency of such green grants and project approvals is increasing. White House officials predictably described this desperate tactic as ‘sprinting to the finish’.
In another desperate move, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is scrambling against the clock for the removal of lead pipes, pledging almost $3 billion to assist local water systems. Furthermore, they have declared that oil and gas companies will incur federal charges if their methane emissions exceed regulated levels. This seems like a rather convenient way for the liberal government to further demonize and obstruct major contributors to our economy.
The Energy Department even announced a $544 million loan to a Michigan firm for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers used in electric vehicles. Interestingly, this is just one of 28 deals that total a staggering $37 billion granted under the desperate plea of a clean-energy loan program, apparently ‘revived and expanded’ under Biden. This free-handed spending only adds fuel to the fire of Biden’s waning administration and illustrates the baseless attempts at maintaining their grip on power.
Seemingly undeterred by the impending transition, the Biden administration is making last-minute rushes to move $7.1 billion in weapons from the Pentagon’s stockpiles to spend the funds before the Donald Trump’s inauguration. A moot effort, as this includes $4.3 billion from the 2024 supplemental budget and $2.8 billion that has sat unutilized due to the Pentagon’s reevaluation of the worth of dispatched systems.
Additionally, there is still $2.2 billion available for securing long-term contracts for weapon systems. But in the grand scheme of the imminent transition, these moves feel rather like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. The Biden administration will soon have to face reality and prepare for a smooth transition to ensure the nation’s security and continuity.
Unsurprisingly, there’s a last-ditch effort underway to quickly confirm as many federal judges as possible before Trump steps into office. Just this week, we’ve seen the Senate vote 51-44 to confirm former prosecutor April Perry as a U.S. District Court judge in northern Illinois. Dozens more such nominations are being rushed through the Senate Judiciary Committee, effectively trying to stack the judiciary before the new administration takes over.
In a move that smack of desperation, the Education Department is scrambling to finalize a rule to write off student loans. As Biden’s only student loan scheme that has circumvented blockage by federal courts, it is now in a limited public comment period scheduled to conclude on December 2. According to reports, Biden’s team is working at breakneck speed to wrap up this process, which typically takes months.
A source in the Education Department alleges that the current administration can fast-track loan cancellations for those already promised relief. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is left to decide these and other crucial matters. Though their term is ending, the Biden administration appears hell-bent on leaving a lasting mark, no matter how questionable their methods may be.
It becomes glaringly evident that the high-pressure scramble in the final days of the Biden administration embodies the same pattern of inadequacy seen throughout its tenure. Time and again, we have been subjected to rushed decisions and extravagant spending plans, supposedly in the name of progressive policy. It will be a welcome change when a new administration takes the reins, ready to right the multitude of missteps committed by Biden and his team.
The incoming Trump administration promises a hallmarked departure from the hurried, poorly planned collaborations of its predecessor. It focuses on effective utilization of our nation’s resources, as opposed to leaving them dormant or delegating them on hazy clean energy initiatives. Trump’s inauguration signals not just a change in leadership but a shift in pragmatic policy, rational decision-making, and fiscally responsible governance.
President-elect Trump has his work cut out with the gigantic task of correcting these commotions. From revisiting ill-devised regulations to restoring faith in a functioning government, there’s a lot to tackle. His bold promise to cease the convoluted and expensive clean-energy projects signals a new era of practicality over overwrought idealism.
The unwarranted flurry of activity we’re witnessing as Biden’s term concludes is a hesitant farewell. The desperate scramble to leave behind a glowing legacy reveals wide-ranging policy failures and abysmal misconception of sustainable policy initiatives. The hasty actions and pompous announcements veil their underlying panic: the end of an era distinguished more by its failures than successes.
In a sense, the fast-approaching inauguration of President-elect Trump feels like just the breath of fresh air America needs. A break from the seemingly ceaseless cycle of uncalled-for expenses and half-baked policy initiations the Biden administration was notorious for. A change in leadership poised to sweep away the remnant misgivings and engineer a more prosperous future for all citizens.
When the moment finally arrives, and President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office this January, it will symbolize more than a simple change of guard. It will be a resounding affirmation that the days of extravagant spending, unfocused policy, and forced green initiatives are finally in the rearview mirror. It is a call to reclaim pragmatism, practicality, and fiscal responsibility, eagerly waited for by the American people.