With the State of the Union address coming up on March 1st, many in the country have been wondering how President Biden will explain the situation in the U.S. and how he plans on addressing key situations. While many expect that the ramblings by the man with obvious signs of mental impairment will be nonsensical, the Republican party is ensuring they put their best foot forward.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has been championed as one of the strongest governors in the union, and as a woman, her position in delivering the response to whatever Biden says is a prime opportunity to point out his shortcomings. The announcement coming from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was not totally unexpected, but it sends a strong message.
McCarthy explained that Reynolds “handled COVID by choosing freedom over lockdowns and personal responsibility over mandates – leading to real economic recovery from the pandemic. She kept kids in school and critical race theory out. And she stood tall for election integrity when Speaker Pelosi tried to steal a congressional seat from Iowans.”
This kind of endorsement is crucial as the 2022 midterm elections are starting to warm up. While we are a long way from the election on November 8th, there is a distinct advantage in getting the platform for Republican candidates out there now. Especially when Gov. Reynolds is so well-spoken with a strong yet comforting natural rhythm to her voice. This should draw the attention of people on both sides.
With the latest ever delivery of the address, President Biden seems to have his eyes set on getting things in his favor as much as possible for the delivery of the address as well as his audience. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been inconsistent in how the address will be received. At first, she told Republicans that only one-quarter of the capacity would be allowed to be present. Only to have The House Sergeant-At-Arms change that to full attendance of both sides of the chamber would be allowed, but there would be a mask mandate and a negative COVID test required to enter.
These kinds of games could certainly instill massive distrust in The House as this constitutionally mandated speech draws closer. As it stands, many Americans are finding the mixed messages coming from the left incredibly disheartening. Their inability to get on the same page, and with the same message is often seen as a strong sign of instability within the party. Add in people like Sens. Manchin (D-WV) and Sinema (D-AZ) refusing to sign on with President Biden’s Build Back Better bill, there is more division than ever between moderate and hardline liberals than ever before.
With the seeds of discontent being sewn in daily, choosing Gov. Reynolds sends a strong message about how unified and direct the message from the Republicans will be. Unlike President Trump or even President Obama, President Biden has avoided speaking opportunities at nearly every turn. His reluctance to speak up and be heard doesn’t make his words more important as he would like. It, instead, makes his message even weaker and gives the American people less reason to believe in him or his Presidency.
Gov. Reynolds, on the other hand, has been taking every opportunity to speak up for the rights and civil liberties of Iowans. She wants a free and prosperous Iowa, with people capable of achieving success and freedom that Democratic-led states are missing out on. She sees the state as a prosperous and advantageous place where Americans can come forth and achieve success without others getting in the way of achieving their best. This is a picture America should be wanting for the entire nation. Her response to President Biden could be the start of that happening.
