The stunning contrast between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party was graphically illustrated by comparing President Biden’s Address to Congress with Sen. Tim Scott’s Republican Rebuttal.  The President’s speech was soaring and inspiring – not in its tone, although the calm, reassuring tenor of his speech was a refreshing change from self-serving rantings of The Former Guy – but what it envisioned for the future of Americans. All Americans. 

President Biden painted a picture — with concrete proposals on how to get there – of a resurging America, where people of all skill and educational levels can find productive and rewarding ways to contribute to society.  The American Jobs Plan will add jobs rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, expanding our renewable energy facilities, retooling our vulnerable power grids, expanding broadband access to all Americans, and providing quality care for children and seniors alike, freeing others to pursue career paths to realize their potential.

The American Families Plan will expand the social safety net for poor and working-class Americans and make permanent some of the temporary relief provided during the pandemic that have proven so valuable to families. Education is a cornerstone of the proposal, and it contains funding for both preschool and community college.

The President also spoke of the need to ensure racial justice to realize more fully the American credo that all people are created equal. And he emphasized the need to pass meaningful gun reform, noting that most gun owners agree on the need for effective background checks the non-need for civilians to possess and use assault weapons.

Protecting Americans, allowing all Americans the opportunity to realize their dreams, and providing the basis for America to compete successfully in the 21^st century global economy, are the noble goals that the majority of Americans support.

In contrast, Tim Scott’s Republican Response was a whining rehash of Republican grievances – Trump didn’t get enough credit for rolling out the vaccine (because he did a piss-poor job of it), Biden wasn’t uniting the country (despite the fact that the President’s policies are wildly popular throughout the country, and Republicans refused to work with him), and plans to help all Americans were just “liberal wish lists.”  Scott also complained that he had unfairly  been called an Uncle Tom many times, and then proceeded to roll out racist Republican talking points, like, well “America is not racist.”

The contrast between Democratic policies being pushed by the President to help all Americans, and Republican recalcitrance at helping anybody but the super-rich could not be more stark. And as far as tone, if Tom Hanks is America’s Dad, then President Biden is America’s Grandpa – but the cool one, who you can confide your innermost fears to, who won’t laugh at you, but will say, “You can get through this. Yes, it’s tough, but you can do it. And by the way, you can be anything you want, if you set your mind to it. This is America.”