President Joe Biden is riding high thanks to his success in pushing through the massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill he signed last week. Polls have found that the bill was supported by as many as 70% of Americans, and the president’s approval rating has hit 55%, a level last attained by Barack Obama in 2009, the first year of his presidency.
But the moment of triumph is likely to be fleeting. Even sending $1,400 checks to most Americans can’t guarantee that Biden will be able to enact the rest of his ambitious agenda or hold on to Democrats’ majorities in Congress in next year’s midterm election.
Problem No. 1 is the economy, which may not bounce back as quickly as Democrats hope. Biden is well aware of that danger; he was vice president in 2009, when Obama passed an economic stimulus bill, but recovery was nevertheless slow and voters gave him little credit.
Biden’s relief bill is more than twice as big as Obama’s, which will help, and if vaccinations quickly quell the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy should recover more rapidly.
But for Democrats to reap a political benefit, it’s not enough for the economy to bounce back: Voters have to also credit them for the recovery.