‘An invigorating reminder’ of why we support President Biden

I was honored to attend the State of the Union and witness a president excited about achieving even more pro-worker victories in his 2nd term

By APRIL SIMS

(March 8, 2024) — Last night, I had the experience of a lifetime — and my head is still spinning from it.

I had the honor of attending the State of the Union address of the first president to ever walk a picket line: President Joe Biden. I was the guest of Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, who represents the fighting 10th District where I live in Tacoma.

President Biden’s message to the nation was an invigorating reminder of why he’s the clear choice for working people in this country. He described his successful first-term efforts to:

• Lead our economy out of a crisis, creating millions of jobs at a time that other nations have plunged into recession;
• Invest in America — and our workforce and economy — with the biggest infrastructure package of our lifetimes;
• Promote domestic manufacturing by buying American and creating good union jobs;
• Protect our retirements and our earned Social Security and Medicare benefits; and
• Strengthen workers’ rights in his determination to be the most pro-union president ever.

Contrary to the narrative the some in the media want to portray, I saw a president who is strong, capable and eager to do even more in a second term. President Biden announced plans to lower prescription drug costs, expand the Child Tax Credit, and cut taxes for middle-class Americans who have suffered from inflation driven by skyrocketing corporate profits. He also laid out more plans to ensure that the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share to support the essential public services that we all rely upon.

And of critical importance to me as a woman, a mother and a union member, President Biden emphasized his determination to protect women’s reproductive rights at a time when that freedom is under assault. He’s the one I want to appoint our next Supreme Court justices, not his opponent, who supports a nationwide ban on abortion. Reproductive rights are workers’ rights!

It was a remarkable experience to attend the State of the Union alongside multiple union members and leaders like AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, UAW President Shawn Fain, UFW President Teresa Romero, Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy, and others. It reminded me why I was proud to cast my vote for President Biden in Washington’s presidential primary election. (Return your ballots by this Tuesday, March 12!)

Thank you, Congresswoman Strickland, for this amazing honor!

April Sims is President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.