American Presidency Final PDF

American Presidency Final 1.​ Theodore Roosevelt a.​ Emergence of the Modern American Presidency b.​ President because McKinley was assassinated c.​ Progressive Reformer = At odds with the Republican Party i.​ TR introduced progressive reforms to promote less parti...

American Presidency Final 1.​ Theodore Roosevelt a.​ Emergence of the Modern American Presidency b.​ President because McKinley was assassinated c.​ Progressive Reformer = At odds with the Republican Party i.​ TR introduced progressive reforms to promote less partisanship in government and more economic fairness d.​ Viewed politics as a “Moral Crusade” e.​ Used the presidency as the “Bully Pulpit” f.​ Advocated the breakup of economic monopolies and corporate power g.​ Strong supporter of conservation and national parks i.​ Preserved tremendous amounts of land and forests h.​ Sent “Great White Fleet” to ports abroad i.​ Put other countries on notice about American naval power and the arrival of the US as an international power i.​ First president to introduce a comprehensive domestic reform program to Congress - “The Square Deal” i.​ Set a precedent for subsequent presidents (ex: Wilson & FDR) j.​ Responsible for building the Panama Canal k.​ Ended the Russo-Japanese War i.​ Helped protect American interests in Asia ii.​ Awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts l.​ Introduced the “Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine” i.​ Authorized the U.S. to intervene in Latin American countries if necessary to protect U.S. interests m.​Authorized U.S. intervention in Santo Domingo i.​ Established the island as an American protectorate n.​ Elevated the presidency to a new level o.​ A presidency characterized by constant action and bold reforms 2.​ William Howard Taft a.​ Presidency receded under Taft b.​ Narrow view of presidential power compared to T.R. c.​ Split between Progressive Republicans (T.R. faction) and traditional conservative Republicans (Pro Taft faction) d.​ Factionalism did little to help Taft govern e.​ He continued to regulate monopolies which had been started by T.R. i.​ There were more anti-trust lawsuits under Taft than under T.R. f.​ Associated with “Dollar Diplomacy” 1  i.​ Promoted U.S. financial investments and loans to Caribbean and Latin American countries to increase American corporate interests in political and economic internal affairs 3.​ Woodrow Wilson a.​ Second Democrat to serve as President since the Civil War b.​ Progressive President (like T.R.) c.​ Introduced a major reform agenda - “New Freedom” i.​ Economic justice reforms d.​ Restored the tradition of personally delivering the State of the Union Address e.​ Impressed with the British system of government and how Prime Ministers depended on their political party for the purpose of government f.​ Led the U.S. into the war against Germany g.​ Wartime president h.​ World War I – 1914-1918 i.​ Asked Congress for declaration of war against Germany on April 2, 1917 i.​ Role as a global leader expanded significantly j.​ Justified U.S. entry into the war to “make the world safe for democracy” k.​ Introduced a 14 point peace plan at the end of World War I l.​ League of Nations was proposed as part of the the Treaty of Versailles, which Wilson thought would once and for all prevent world war i.​ US Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles a ii.​ The U.S. was not a member of the League of Nations supported by Wilson m.​Wilson had a stroke and left office a very dejected and physically impaired president n.​ American president in international affairs had increased significantly under Wilson o.​ Recent Controversy i.​ Princeton University recently decided to remove Wilson’s name from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs due to Wilson’s decision to racially segregate the federal civil service. ii.​ As a southerner from Virginia, Wilson favored states’ rights and racial segregation 4.​ Warren G Harding a.​ Harding promised a “a return to normalcy” following WWI i.​ This resonated with the American people. 2  b.​ Harding favored isolationism, i.​ The prevailing view of the Republican Party - why Republicans voted against the Treaty of Versailles c.​ Presidency viewed as a reaction to the growing power of the presidency d.​ Racked by the “TeaPot Dome Scandal” i.​ Kickbacks given to the Secretary of the Interior who was releasing oil reserves to private companies 1.​ The Elk Hill oil reserve in California and the TeaPot Dome oil reserve in Wyoming were at the center of the scandal e.​ Passage of the Budget and Accounting Act 1921 i.​ Strengthened the president's power to prepare an annual federal budget f.​ Died 2 years into office from a heart attack 5.​ Calvin Coolidge a.​ Succeeded to presidency following Harding’s death b.​ Reflected the pro-business laissez-faire, low key presidency i.​ Favored by the Republican Party c.​ Keep government hands off of free enterprise & keep government very limited d.​ Reagan’s favorite president because of his limited government approach to the economy e.​ “The business of America is business” f.​ Press relations were elevated under Coolidge despite his quiet demeanor i.​ 520 press conferences g.​ Begin presidential radio addresses h.​ Was popular among American people and viewed as a relief from the Harding administration that had been mired in the TeaPot Dome scandal i.​ Known as “Silent Cal” 6.​ Herbert Hoover a.​ Besieged presidency due to the Great Depression b.​ Stock market crashed 7 months into Hoover’s presidency c.​ All facets of the economy shut down d.​ 25% unemployment by 1933 e.​ Placed reliance on the private sector and local governments, rather than federal government agencies to address the crisis i.​ Did promote some federal programs but for the most part there was little success in curbing the crisis f.​ American people were looking for more hands-on leadership and more direct presidential involvement which Hoover was not providing 3  g.​ Hoover and Republican Party policies blamed for the Depression i.​ Triggered a partisan realignment similar to what happened in 1896 when Cleveland and the Democrats were blamed for that Depression 7.​ Franklin D. Roosevelt a.​ Inherited the Great Depression b.​ Proposes a “New Deal” to the American people c.​ Legendary First 100 Days d.​ New Deal can be viewed as the Three Rs: Reform, Relief, and Recovery: i.​ Each R included legislation designed to address the Depression: 1.​ Reform – Banking industry was reformed (deposits now insured) 2.​ Relief – Social Security enacted (with us to this day) 3.​ Recovery – National Industrial Recovery Act (intended to stimulate business) e.​ Attempted to expand size of the Supreme Court from 9 to 15 due to the fact that during his first term major components of his New Deal were being declared unconstitutional f.​ Declares war on Japan followed by declaration of war against Germany, and Italy g.​ Identified as the leader of the Free World. h.​ U.S. now involved in a global and titanic struggle for our nation’s survival against Nazism and the Empire of Japan i.​ U.S fighting on two fronts i.​ Japanese-American Internment camps established after Pearl Harbor j.​ FDR met with Churchill and Stalin in 1943 i.​ “Tehran Conference” to discuss military strategy against the Axis Powers k.​ “Yalta Conference” i.​ Second meeting in 1945 to plan the reorganization and administration of Germany and Europe after WWII. ii.​ The three leaders were known as the “Big 3” l.​ Conducted legendary fireside chats with the American people to strengthen his bond with the people and to calm fears 8.​ Harry Truman a.​ Succeeded to presidency when FDR died in office b.​ Public has low expectations for Truman but he filled FDR’s shoes and performed far above anyone’s expectations c.​ Major foreign policy decisions during presidency: 4  i.​ At the Potsdam Conference, Truman ordered the dropping of 2 atomic bombs on Japanese cities, which brought closure to WWII (Germany had already surrendered) ii.​ Japan had offered a peace deal but Truman said only unconditional surrender was acceptable which Japan did not agree to. Hence the two bombs were dropped. – 1.​ August 6, 1945 Hiroshima 2.​ August 9, 1945 - Nagasaki d.​ Marshall Plan i.​ Rebuilding post war Europe e.​ NATO and U.N. started by Truman f.​ State of Israel established under Truman g.​ Acted decisively during the Berlin Blockade in 1948 i.​ Airlifted food to West Berliners h.​ Korean War begins i.​ Truman’s actions repel communist aggression in Korea i.​ Truman fires General Douglas MacArthur during Korean War thus preserving the principle that the President of the U.S., not a General, is in charge of the armed forces j.​ Truman ordered federal seizure of steel mills that went on strike during the Korean War i.​ Resulting in a landmark Supreme Court ruling which limited the president’s authority to seize private property 1.​ Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952) k.​ Following WWII, the U.S. and the Soviet union, now become adversaries i.​ Truman is the first president to deal with the “Cold War” which ended under Reagan l.​ The Cold War i.​ Major standoff between two nuclear armed superpowers that would last 50 years ii.​ Democracy v. Communism two distinct ideologies that competed for world influence m.​Issued the “Truman Doctrine” i.​ Stated that the U.S. would protect democratic nations from falling under control of communism and the Soviet Union ii.​ A broad doctrine that expanded America’s involvement in world affairs iii.​ Doctrine was issued due to circumstances unfolding in Greece and Turkey at the time​ n.​ Mostly remembered for his foreign policies 5  o.​ His domestic agenda, the “Fair Deal” was very ambitious and impressive and included a number of domestic reforms designed to improve economic fairness p.​ First President to advocate for Civil Rights and for Medicare q.​ T.R.’s Square Deal, Wilson’s New Freedom, FDR’s New Deal, and Truman’s Fair Deal all in one way or another elevated the legislative role and legislative expectations of the American President. 9.​ Dwight Eisenhower a.​ Drafted by Republican Party to run for President i.​ Entered politics reluctantly b.​ Both parties wanted Eisenhower as their candidate c.​ Similar to Zachary Taylor - a professional soldier, not a politician d.​ Two term President viewed as protecting national security against the Soviet Union during the Cold War i.​ Eisenhower viewed as important for national security e.​ Negotiated end of Korean War during a stalemate f.​ Critics argued that he did not use the new domestic powers of the presidency established by FDR and Truman to promote social justice g.​ Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock to protect the integration of African-American students i.​ Provided a precedent for Presidents to use federal troops to deal with domestic crises h.​ Civil Rights Bill 1957 i.​ Established a Civil Rights Commission i.​ Excellent Chief Executive i.​ Ran the executive branch in a military fashion j.​ Was more of an internationalist which put him at odds with the isolationist wing of the Republican Party k.​ Remembered for creating the Interstate Highway system i.​ Deemed essential for transporting military equipment in the event of an attack 10.​John F Kennedy a.​ The New Frontier b.​ JFK was young, handsome and dynamic – Beautiful wife & children c.​ First Catholic elected US president d.​ “Cold Warrior” (Like Truman and Ike) e.​ Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961 i.​ Invasion was at total disaster – a setback for JFK f.​ Berlin Wall erected during JFK’s presidency – another setback for JFK 6  g.​ Favored civil rights reforms and supported by civil rights leaders h.​ Promoted a major tax cut while president i.​ Established the Peace Corp j.​ Demonstrated calm and steady leadership during Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 i.​ Crisis almost led to nuclear war between the US and Soviet Union 11.​ Lydon B Johnson a.​ Succeeded to presidency following Kennedy’s assassination b.​ Followed in the footsteps of FDR, Truman and JFK with bold domestic legislative agendas. c.​ Known as the “Great Society” d.​ Great Society was a comprehensive agenda with numerous domestic initiatives i.​ Civil Rights Act 1964 – prevented discrimination in public accommodations, like hotels and restaurants ii.​ Voting Rights Act 1965 – did more than any other law to provide voting rights for African-Americans iii.​ Fair Housing Act 1968 – prohibits discrimination in real estate practices iv.​ Medicare and Medicaid passed into law v.​ Numerous education bills enacted – LBJ was the nation’s “education president” vi.​ “War on Poverty” vii.​ Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) created e.​ The downside was his unwavering commitment to the Vietnam War f.​ Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed in 1964 i.​ Provided LBJ with the power to fight communist aggression in Vietnam g.​ LBJ escalated the war by sending combat troops starting in 1965 i.​ 1964-23,00 troops were in Vietnam ii.​ 1967- 500,000 troops were in Vietnam h.​ LBJ decided not to seek another term when it was clear that his own party was turning against him due the Vietnam War i.​ Debating to this day what JFK would have done about Vietnam i.​ JFK did deliver a speech at American University in 1963 suggesting that he may have decided to withdraw the US from Vietnam. 12.​Richard Nixon a.​ A master foreign policy strategist 7  i.​ Conducted a historic trip to China, driving a wedge between Soviet Union and Communist China ii.​ Contributed to weakening of a Communist alliance against the West b.​ Relevant to helping bring an end to the Cold War c.​ Creative domestic agenda that included moderate reforms d.​ Inherited Vietnam War from Kennedy and Johnson e.​ Invaded Cambodia where North Vietnamese sanctuaries were and conducted massive bombing campaign of North Vietnam and secret bombing campaign in Cambodia f.​ Began process of turning Vietnam War over to South Vietnamese and began the process of withdrawing U.S. troops i.​ “Vietnamization” of the war g.​ Watergate scandal shortly after reelection resulting in the first resignation of an American president h.​ Watergate scandal and Vietnam War ushered in new congressional reforms to check presidency and led to more investigative journalism by reporters and more congressional oversight over the presidency i.​ A major Supreme Court case contributed to Nixon’s downfall j.​ Nixon claimed “Executive Privilege” after the Congress and the Courts discovered that he had tape recordings of conversations in the White House and demanded that Nixon turn them over i.​ Nixon’s lawyers argued that the tapes were covered under the doctrine of “executive privilege” and thus Nixon had no legal obligation to turn them over ii.​ The Supreme Court ruled that “executive privilege” did not apply in this instance because there was a criminal investigation taking place related to the Watergate Hotel break-in and other illegalities iii.​ Once Nixon lost his claim of executive privilege, the tapes were turned over to the courts and Congress k.​ On the verge of being impeached, Nixon resigned from office 13.​Gerald Ford a.​ Succeeded to the presidency when Nixon resigned b.​ Issued a controversial pardon of Nixon c.​ Inherited a presidency that had been badly tarnished due to the Watergate scandal d.​ Republican Party suffered massive losses in the 1974 congressional midterm elections e.​ Ended US involvement in Vietnam f.​ Ford was further weakened by Reagan’s attempt to win Republican nomination in 1976 – thus fracturing the Republican Party 8  g.​ Ford did remarkably well in the 1976 presidential contest, but lost the election to Jimmy Carter h.​ Ford finished Nixon’s second term but was in many ways a hamstring presidency i.​ Ford’s pardon of Nixon likely cost him the 1976 election 14.​Jimmy Carter a.​ Elected in 1976 on a campaign to restore trust in the presidency b.​ Did his best to appear as the “peoples’” president by wearing sweaters and conducting a “Dial a President” forum c.​ Outsider who didn’t really understand the ways of Washington d.​ National Energy Act 1978 - Significant domestic accomplishment e.​ Reduced energy consumption in the US f.​ Reduced US dependence on oil g.​ Carter’s major accomplishment was in the area of foreign policy with the “Camp David Accords” i.​ A monumental peace agreement between Israel and Egypt that Carter personally forged between the leaders of the two countries at the presidential compound in Maryland. h.​ Downfall was the Iranian hostage crisis in which Islamic fundamentalists took over the American embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days i.​ Rescue attempt was disastrous i.​ Carter seemed weak and powerless as a result of the hostage crisis j.​ Challenged unsuccessfully by Senator Ted Kennedy for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1980 k.​ Carter lost his bid for reelection against Reagan in the 1980 election. 15.​Ronald Reagan a.​ Restored confidence in presidency and restored statue in the office after Carter’s presidency b.​ Elected due to growing r concerns with big government – a swing towards states’ rights under Reagan, i.e. “NEW FEDERALISM” c.​ “Devolution” was a term associated with Reagan’s presidency i.​ Returning federal programs to the states d.​ Enacted a historic tax cut in his first year in office e.​ Strong anti-communist his entire political career f.​ Was determined to break the Soviet Union and have the US win the Cold War g.​ Reagan forced the Soviet Union to compete with the US in an arms race which broke the economy of the Soviet system 9  h.​ Worked effectively with Soviet leader Michail Gorbachev who supported reforms i.​ Worked with the Pope to bring the Soviet system down​ j.​ Soviet Union collapsed due in no small part to Reagan’s presidency and policies k.​ Major accomplishment -INF Treaty – Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty 1987 i.​ Signed between Reagan and Soviet Leader Gorbachev l.​ Ordered the invasion of the island of Grenada in the Caribbean i.​ Invasion resulted in the overthrow of a socialist dictator who had gained control of the island and who was closely associated with Cuba ii.​ Cuba’s military base in Grenada was thus eliminated m.​Reagan ordered the Marines to Beirut that was in the midst of civil war i.​ A suicide bomber attacked the hotel where the Marines were housed killing 243 Marines n.​ The Iran-Contra Scandal clouded Reagan’s presidency and called into question his control over his executive branch, particularly his control over the National Security Council o.​ Due to Reagan’s support for defense spending to break the Soviet union, the federal deficit doubled under Reagan 16.​George H.W. Bush a.​ Selected as Reagan’s V.P. due his knowledge of foreign policy b.​ Bush’s presidency was focused more on foreign affairs, as that was his expertise, but this cost him reelection when the economy declined. c.​ Presided over the final years of the Soviet Union’s collapse, which began under Reagan. This included the end of the Berlin Wall. d.​ Major foreign policy achievements included: i.​ “Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm” 1.​ Swift and unprecedented military victory against Iraq after Iraq had invaded Kuwait. 2.​ Effectively assembled a strong multi-national coalition to combat Iraq ii.​ “Operation Just Cause” 1.​ Invaded Panama and overthrew Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega who was involved in drug trade and threatening the U.S. military stationed in Panama​ e.​ Economy declined during his final year as President and his approval ratings dropped to 39% f.​ He was perceived as not having an effective domestic agenda 10  g.​ Bush broke a core campaign pledge not to raise taxes - cost him support within his own party. h.​ With communism no longer a threat and the Cold War over, Bush lost his bid for reelection to Bill Clinton. 17.​Bill Clinton a.​ Centrist Democrat - Instrumental in his election b.​ First presidential wrought with problems: i.​ Health care reform failed (The Reform effort headed by Hillary) ii.​ Stimulus package for inner-cities failed iii.​ Two nominees for Attorney General failed iv.​ Campaign finance reform effort failed c.​ Clinton ordered U.S. military involvement along with NATO forces to help stabilize the Bosnian civil war i.​ Brought an end to the ethnic genocide ii.​ Bombing missions of NATO forces were key to bringing about an end to the crisis d.​ Signed a major welfare reform bill which returned welfare programs to the states, which reflected his commitment to a more centrist approach to governing e.​ Democratic Party suffered great losses in the 1994 midterm congressional election and it seemed as if Clinton would be a one term president f.​ Economy rebounded tremendously resulting in extraordinary economic prosperity and Clinton’s reelection – Great prosperity during Clinton’s second term. g.​ Remembered for the Monica Lewinsky scandal and Clinton’s impeachment h.​ The impeachment was a highly partisan affair with party line voting taking place in the House of Representatives. i.​ Clinton impeached under two Articles: i.​ Perjury ii.​ Obstruction of Justice iii.​ Clinton survived the Senate trial and was not removed from office iv.​ His approval ratings increased after the impeachment 18.​Geroge W Bush a.​ Elected after a long legal dispute over Electoral votes in Florida b.​ Declared the winner of the Electoral Votes in Florida by the US Supreme Court resulting in “W” as the 43rd President of US c.​ 9/11 Terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon occurred during his first year in office 11  d.​ Identified himself as a wartime president and launched the “global war on terror” i.​ Defeated Al Qaeda in Afghanistan ii.​ Authorized an invasion of Iraq based on faulty intelligence indicating that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction – “Operation Iraqi Freedom” iii.​ Merged several agencies to create a new Department of Homeland Security iv.​ PATRIOT ACT passed in 2001 – provided new surveillance tools to law enforcement to help intercept acts of terrorism e.​ Had the highest approval ratings of any American president i.​ almost 90% public approval f.​ Announced the “Bush Doctrine” i.​ Justified preemptive strikes against suspected enemies of the US g.​ Did more than any American president to combat the spread of AIDS with a special focus on Africa where millions of people had been stricken and were dying from the disease. i.​ Bush authorized billions of dollars to combat AIDS. h.​ Bush worked with Congress (Sen. Ted Kennedy) to pass bipartisan legislation titled “No Child Left Behind” which required states to have measurable standards for students with respect to reading and math skills i.​ Public support declined dramatically during W’s second term i.​ Handling of Hurricane Katrina was very poor ii.​ American involvement in Iraq war continued due to increased opposition to the American invasion and presence in Iraq iii.​ The “Great Recession” struck in 2007 - Bush responded with the Troubled Asset Relief Program which passed in the last year of his presidency. A first step to save the American economy and major financial institutions – (President Obama would continue this effort in a big way) j.​ Public Approval i.​ 19.​Barack Obama a.​ Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 12  b.​ Elected during midst of “Great Recession” and took immediate action to rescue the economy c.​ Signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 i.​ Authorized billions of dollars to save major financial institutions from collapsing - “too big to fail” became the catch phrase d.​ Signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act i.​ Prevented Banks from becoming overextended and placed more regulations on how they manage loans etc. e.​ Provided billions in loans to the American Auto industry to prevent car companies from collapsing f.​ Saved the American economy from total disaster, although critics argued that federal intervention and federal spending was too extensive g.​ Affordable Care Act in 2010- aka “Obamacare” i.​ Provides health insurance for people who do not have private health care plans. ii.​ President Trump tried to repeal Obamacare but his reform effort failed h.​ President Obama eliminated “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” i.​ By eliminated this policy, which President Clinton had established, gays and lesbians could now join the armed forces and can be completely open about their sexual preferences. i.​ Began a phased withdrawal of American forces from Iraq j.​ Redeployed forces to Afghanistan i.​ Believed was the more urgent situation given the rise of the Taliban k.​ Osama bin Laden was tracked won and killed l.​ Initiated the “Iran Nuclear Deal” in 2015 along with 5 UN Security Council members plus Germany i.​ Purpose of the “Deal” was to slow and limit the development of Iran’s nuclear program ii.​ Money was provided to Iran and economic sanctions were lifted in exchange for Iran’s agreement to limit nuclear development and for allowing international inspections m.​Obama’s commitment to preventing financial collapse and to save the auto industry resulted in an unprecedented amount of federal spending n.​ Obama has been criticized for prematurely withdrawing US forces from Iraq which provided an opening for ISIS, i.e. Islamic State, to come into existence 20.​Donald Trump a.​ America First Agenda 13  b.​ Passed into law major tax cuts on incomes and corporations c.​ Imposed a ban on people from several Muslim countries who wished to travel to the US d.​ Built a portion of a wall separating Texas and Mexico – Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy was successful e.​ Supported Keystone XL Pipeline and promoted drilling for oil i.​ Began moving US towards energy independence f.​ Imposed Tariffs on Chinese imports i.​ Resulted in a tariff war between the two countries g.​ Dramatically cut a wide range of regulations on business activity - Deregulation h.​ Finished the job that had started under President Obama of eliminating the ISIS Caliphate i.​ COVID 19 Pandemic struck during Trump presidency – deeply affected economy and created many job losses Trump was instrumental in promoting a quick response with Vaccines – “Operation warp Speed” j.​ Trump withdrew US from the Paris Climate Accord k.​ Trump withdrew US involvement in Iran Nuclear Deal l.​ Trump withdrew US from the World Health Organization (WHO) m.​Trump withdrew US from Trans-Pacific Partnerships n.​ Forged new trade agreements with US, Mexico and Canada (USMCA) which replaced NAFTA o.​ Impeached Twice by House of Representatives but never found guilty in the two Senate trials (second trial was after he was out of office) p.​ Phone call to President Zelensky intended to hurt Biden in the 2020 election q.​ Causing the January 6th insurrection and his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results 21.​Joe Biden a.​ Elected on a promise to “restore the soul of our nation” b.​ American Rescue Plan i.​ Aimed at addressing hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic ii.​ Payments to low and medium income families iii.​ Extension of unemployment benefits c.​ Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (attracted bipartisan support for this bill) i.​ Spending to repair, roads, bridges, airports, extended broadband internet services d.​ CHIPS and Science Act i.​ Funding for companies in US to manufacture semiconductor chips e.​ Inflation Reduction Act 14  i.​ V.P. Harris broke the tie in the Senate to get this bill passed ii.​ Although there are anti-inflationary measures in this bill, the bill’s provisions are primarily aimed at combating climate change f.​ Immediately reversed many of Trump’s executive orders i.​ Ex: Keystone Pipeline and border policies. g.​ Millions of illegal immigrants have come across the southern border under the Biden presidency h.​ Inflation increased substantially during Biden’s presidency i.​ Unemployment very low (4.1%) and job creation impressive j.​ Exit from Afghanistan was tragic due to poor planning and lack of security at the airport. k.​ Disastrous performance in the debate with Trump in July 2024 l.​ President Biden most recently allowed Ukraine to use American missiles to target Russia – could very well widen the war ​ 15