A divided Congress could be politically expedient for Biden
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US President Joe Biden will be able to campaign against Republicans by accusing them of obstructing his projects.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – The next two years will be filled with legislative gridlock for President Joe Biden under a divided Congress – which could prove to be a boon if he chooses to run for president and plays his cards right.
Gaining political credit by playing the blame game and pegging the paralysis squarely on the already weakened Republicans could give Mr Biden just the boost he needs in his bid for a second term.
“It helps him as a candidate for 2024, even if it does not help him as a governing president,” said Mr David Schultz, professor of political science at Hamline University.
The stage is now set with Republicans having gained control of the House of Representatives with the slimmest of majorities on Wednesday, following Democrats retaining the Senate over the weekend.
‘Posturing and investigations’
Democrats have held a majority in both chambers of Congress for Mr Biden’s first two years. However, now that the tides have changed, he can no longer hope to pass major legislation.
Thus dies any hope of a federal law enshrining the right to an abortion,
It could also become more difficult for the White House to get approval for new military aid for Ukraine, with Republicans having warned they will not sign a “blank check” for the war effort.
Instead of meaningful legislation from Republicans, there will be “posturing and investigations and subpoenas” between now and the 2024 elections, said Mr Robert Rowland, professor of political communication at the University of Kansas.
He also predicts that “we’re going to hear a great deal about Hunter Biden”, the president’s youngest son, a businessman turned artist with a past chequered by addiction.
Republicans want to use their supervisory power in the House, in particular, to dissect the younger Biden’s business relationships with Ukraine and China, which they say were tainted by conflicts of interest.
‘Political eternity’
Because Republicans have only a razor-thin margin, many experts believe they will think twice before launching impeachment proceedings, despite vague threats to do so during the recent midterm campaigns.
Retaining control of the Senate will also allow Mr Biden to appoint important figures, from federal judges to officials within his administration.
The divided Congress could give a significant boost to Mr Biden, who will say whether he will seek a second term at the beginning of 2023.
Republicans’ slim control of the House will benefit Mr Biden “because it will put the Republican Party’s current dysfunction in the limelight”, including its division between a radical fringe and a more traditional conservative contingent, said Ms Rachel Bitecofer, a Democratic political strategist.
Mr Biden will be able to campaign against Republicans by accusing them of obstructing his projects, Professor Schultz said.
He additionally will be able to position himself as the antithesis to Mr Donald Trump, who has now officially thrown his hat in the 2024 presidential ring.
Nothing, however, guarantees that Mr Biden’s momentum will hold until the next presidential election, nor silence the constant questions about his age as the oldest US president ever elected, nor his low popularity rating.
That said, “two years is a political eternity”, Prof Schultz reminded.
“In politics, perception is reality. And Mr Biden looks a lot stronger now,” he added. AFP
