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What has changed in the first 100 days of the Biden presidency?

Joe Biden President
Posted at 2:21 PM, Apr 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-28 14:21:58-04

WASHINGTON — A lot has changed since President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20.

Since Inauguration Day, the U.S. has increased the average number of vaccine doses from about 1 million doses a day to about 3 million doses a day.

In March, Congress passed a massive $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which Biden quickly signed into law. The bill provided $1,400 stimulus checks to most Americans.

Biden has also ordered all American troops withdraw from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, committed the U.S. to cutting emissions in half by 2030 and signed executive orders aimed a gun control — orders that ban "ghost guns" and stabilizing braces.

WHAT HASN'T HE DONE?

However, Biden has also opened himself up to controversy on some policy decisions — particularly immigration.

A record number of unaccompanied minors have been encountered by immigration officials at the border, and DACA recipients are still without a pathway to citizenship as legislation remains stalled in Congress.

In addition, Biden has not met his campaign promise to create a police reform commission or to take action on decriminalizing marijuana.

Meanwhile, the national debt continues to increase.

WHAT ABOUT UNITY?

During his inaugural address, Biden stressed that his goal as president was to unite the country and bridge divisions during a time of political polarization not seen in decades.

"My whole soul is in it, bringing America together," Biden said on Jan. 20.

According to polls, Biden does have more bipartisan support than his predecessor. Most recent polls show that Biden's approval rating sits at about 54% — a higher approval rating than President Donald Trump saw at any point during his presidency.

But despite the high approval ratings, Biden has been unable to pass any major bipartisan legislation. The stimulus bill passed without a single Republican vote.

HAS THE MOOD OF THE COUNTRY CHANGED?

What about those Americans who didn't vote for Biden? How do they feel about his first 100 days?

Scott Will of Ligioner, Pennsylvania voted Democratic all his life until the 2020 election. In November, he said he was skeptical of Biden's promise to unify the country. One hundred days later, not much has changed.

"This is what Biden promised — that we were going to heal the country and come together," Will said. "Well, to do that, you have to come together on common ground ... on day one he signed an executive order taking that pipeline away. My brother worked for Local 66 and he’s out of work."

While Will doesn't give Biden an F because he has liked some of the administration's policy changes, he still gives the president a critical grade.

"I don’t want to give him a D. I’ll give him a C-," Will said.

Prior to Biden's inauguration, Jemel Flemmings of Paisley, Florida was out of work and behind on his bills. Flemmings is also a longtime Democrat who voted for Trump in November.

Flemmings says that in the months since the election, he's gotten a new job.

"I feel like I am a productive member of society again," he said.

He credits Biden for distributing stimulus checks which allowed Flemmings to pay for his car. He also credits the president with a change in temperature politically, at least in his home of central Florida.

"I can definitely say the temperature has lowered down a bit. People aren’t so volatile about their political views," Flemmings said.

Both Will and Flemmings remain far from voting for Biden if he runs again, but both are looking forward to what happens going forward.

"I’d like to see him speak more," Flemmings said, noting the lack of press conferences Biden has held.

"I wish this country would come back together," Will said.