MSNBC anchor Ari Melber said Tuesday on “The Beat” that President Joe Biden was governing to the left and “at times, can sound a bit like” progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Melber said, “Joe Biden has begun his presidency on a more liberal footing than the last two Democratic presidents, which makes this the most progressive start to any presidency in the past 40 years. Biden is now pushing for a cumulative $4 trillion in total spending in his first 100 days. Getting a liberal boost from the news Senate Democrats can bypass McConnell’s obstruction for party-line votes on the new infrastructure bill. Liberals are encouraged. Conservatives are aghast. Many Democrats who know Joe Biden are struck by how he’s evolving in this role and in this tough time for the nation, a contrast to a Senate career where he was, by his own words, a centrist or even conservative Democrat on many different issues.”
He continued, “Biden is governing from the core and base of the Democratic Party, the progressive base, pushing the liberal plans I just mentioned, spending that outstrips anything from the early days of the Obama-Biden administration, higher taxes on the wealthy and on corporations. Joe Biden taking sides with labor more than he did in past decades, or then past Democratic presidents. He’s pushing the new multi-trillion plan with major planks for jobs, racial justice, and addressing climate change. Now whether it’s correlation or causation, Biden at times can sound a bit like the new Bernie.”
He added, “Is Biden simply revealing his own values now that he has this power? Or is he channeling Sanders?”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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