Title: President Biden Takes Aim at Trump in Labor Day Speech in Pennsylvania
Date: September 4, 2023
In a Labor Day speech delivered in Philadelphia on Monday, President Joe Biden took shots at his likely rival for the 2024 election, former President Donald Trump. Biden’s aim was to shore up support in Pennsylvania, a crucial state he needs to win next year to retain the White House.
Addressing a crowd of union workers in Philadelphia, Biden emphasized his commitment to labor unions and sought to explain his economic policies to a public still concerned about the economy, despite easing inflation and low unemployment levels.
“It wasn’t that long ago we were losing jobs in this country,” Biden said during the speech. “In fact, the guy who held this job before me was just one of two presidents in history who left office with fewer jobs in America than when he got elected.”
While the jobs market witnessed robust growth during much of Trump’s administration after he took office in 2017, unemployment rates sharply rose towards the end of his term due to the pandemic-driven economic downturn. Since January 2021, job growth has steadily improved, and the U.S. economy is now 4 million jobs above its pre-pandemic peak.
During the day, Biden also commented on the tensions between the United Auto Workers union and the Detroit Three automakers. He expressed optimism that the UAW was unlikely to strike when its current contract expires on September 15. However, this drew a response from union leadership, highlighting the ongoing labor disputes with General Motors and Chrysler parent Stellantis.
With economic issues expected to play a critical role in the 2024 presidential race, Biden has emphasized his focus on rebuilding crumbling infrastructure and pumping money into projects constructed by union labor. Pennsylvania, along with other key battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin, is likely to determine the outcome of the 2024 election.
According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, the economy, unemployment, and jobs remain top concerns for Americans. The poll showed that 60% of Americans, including a third of Democrats, disapproved of Biden’s handling of inflation.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has acknowledged the recent decline in the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, but still deems it too high. Republican critics argue that Democratic policies have contributed to rising prices, while economists suggest that the lifting of COVID-era restrictions and a revival of business activity have also fueled inflation.
As President Biden continues his efforts to strengthen the economy and appeal to labor unions, the race for the White House in 2024 between Biden and former President Trump is expected to be closely contested, with economic issues taking center stage.
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