Yes, the “Help is Here” road tour across America that kicked off today is part victory lap for the Biden Administration. When you pass milestone legislation, it’s important politically to get out there and celebrate it and let the people know who was behind the bill that’s putting cold hard cash in people’s bank accounts and vaccines in their arms, to paraphrase the president.
But Philip Rucker, bestselling author and senior correspondent for the Washington Post, is on to something here. Take a listen.
After four years of nonstop chaos out of Washington, D.C. and in which presidential ineptitude in the face of a pandemic only made a horrible year even worse, restoring faith in our government matters. And that’s an important aspect of Biden’s tour that kicks off in Pennsylvania today. Of course there are political implications to it. This is old-school political pomp and circumstance on full display. But it’s also a push to restore faith in the government.
It also appears to be an attempt to counter-balance the divisive rhetoric we’ve been hearing for years about how badly the government screwed up the pandemic. Biden seems to be betting that people, having endured this unprecedented year of tragedy, hardship and isolation, are looking for a sign that their government can actually help in times of crisis. The American Relief Plan is designed to be proof of that.
Also, notice how he’s doing it. He’s not going out there alone. Vice-President Harris and the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden are on the road, too visiting elementary schools and local businesses. The message is this: It’s a team effort. It’s another, rather obvious move meant to show the difference between this administration and the previous one. This is not some reckless one-man show that hinges on the whims and mood swings of one man. It’s a collective of veterans of government service who are trying to push forward policies to help people in need on both sides of the aisle.
The notion that the government is here to help you is a quaint one, true. But in the present day, it may just be the one that connects with a lot of people looking for the right leadership.
And the notion that a politician and leader might actually do something for the common good instead of just himself.