Was Joe Biden a good president?

This is a genuinely contested political question, so I'll try to lay out different perspectives rather than push my own verdict.

Arguments people make in his favor:

•Passed significant legislation: infrastructure bill, CHIPS Act, Inflation Reduction Act (climate/health provisions)

•Economic recovery post-COVID, low unemployment for much of his term

•Restored more traditional diplomatic alliances (NATO, etc.)

•Judicial appointments

•Handling of Ukraine support after Russia's invasion

Arguments people make against him:

•Inflation was high for a significant stretch, and many blame his policies (spending, stimulus) at least partly

•Chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal

•Border/immigration policy criticized heavily from the right

•Concerns about his age and mental acuity, especially later in his term

•Criticism from the left on issues like Gaza policy

•Some economic indicators looked good on paper but didn't match public sentiment about cost of living

Where it gets genuinely disputed:

•How much credit/blame a president deserves for inflation (global supply chains, pandemic effects) vs. his own spending policies

•Whether his foreign policy strengthened or weakened US standing

•How to weigh legislative accomplishments against execution/messaging failures

Assessments also vary a lot depending on political priors, which specific policies someone weighs heavily, and even now (things are still recent enough that "how history will judge him" is unsettled).

If you want, I can go deeper on any specific area—economy, foreign policy, domestic legislation—since "good president" overall is pretty broad. What's prompting the question?

Was Joe Biden a good president?

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