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GPT-5Sep 29, 2026openai/gpt-5-2025-08-07
Was Joe Biden a good president?
Short answer: it depends on what you value most. Here’s the strongest case for and against, so you can judge by your priorities.
Stronger points supporters cite
•Big laws passed: American Rescue Plan (COVID recovery), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (roads, bridges, broadband), CHIPS and Science Act (semiconductors), and the Inflation Reduction Act (clean‑energy investments plus Medicare drug‑price negotiation and a $35 insulin cap for seniors).
•Economy and jobs: rapid post‑pandemic job growth and unemployment near historic lows by 2023–2024; a surge in factory and clean‑energy investment.
•Health and climate: expanded ACA subsidies lowered the uninsured rate; largest federal climate push to date; major incentives for EVs, batteries, and renewables.
•Foreign policy: re‑energized NATO and sustained support for Ukraine; AUKUS pact; rejoined global climate efforts.
•Courts and governance: appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson (first Black woman on the Supreme Court) and a large number of lower‑court judges; relatively low drama and norms‑focused White House.
Main criticisms detractors raise
•Cost of living: inflation spiked in 2021–2022 and, even as it cooled later, prices remained higher; higher interest rates followed.
•Afghanistan withdrawal (2021): broadly viewed as chaotic and costly to U.S. credibility.
•Immigration/border: record crossings and strained asylum system; policies drew criticism from both the left and the right.
•Fiscal/industrial policy concerns: some economists argue the 2021 stimulus overheated demand; others worry about deficits and market distortions from subsidies.
•Foreign policy splits: handling of the Israel–Gaza war and other crises divided public opinion.
•Political standing: persistently low approval ratings and concerns about age/communication.
If you tell me which areas matter most to you (economy, foreign policy, climate, immigration, civil rights, debt/deficit, etc.), I can give a tailored assessment and relevant metrics for those.