President Biden campaigned on a vow to create the most robust safety net in American history. He signed several key pieces of legislation, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This increased access to healthcare, food stamps, and other social programmes.
Biden’s Temporary Safety Net: A Looming Collapse and Its Impact on Americans
However, many of these laws’ provisions are just transitory. They will also expire in the following months. Consider the expanded Child Tax Credit. The programme, which provides monthly payments to millions of families, will cease at the end of 2021. As well as increased unemployment benefits. That enabled millions of people survive the plague has also died.
As a result, Biden’s safety net is disintegrating around him. Millions of Americans face losing access to healthcare, food assistance, and other critical services.
This is a significant loss for Biden and the millions of Americans who rely on the social safety net. It also serves as a reminder of the significance of long-term solutions to poverty and inequality.
Disintegration and Pathways to Reinforcement
A variety of causes have contributed to the disintegration of the safety net. For starters, the pandemic has strained government resources. Second, inflation has made basic essentials increasingly difficult to get. Third, bipartisan support for increasing the safety net has been lacking.
Despite these obstacles, there are certain steps that can be taken to reinforce the safety. First, Congress must extend the American Rescue Plan Act’s temporary protections. In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has increased access to healthcare, food aid, and other social programmes. Second, Congress must enact long-term remedies to poverty and inequality. Such is increasing the minimum wage and boosting the Earned Income Tax Credit. Third, the Biden administration must exercise executive power to improve the safety nett. For example, through increasing access to Medicaid and food stamps.
The disintegration of the safety nett is a serious issue that must be addressed. It is critical to remember that the safety net is more than just a handout to the needy. It provides a lifeline to millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet. Building a more just and equal society requires strengthening the safety net.
