By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt says the election results earlier this month, especially in the Virginia governor’s race, repudiates the claim by Democrats that the 2020 elections handed them a mandate to change the direction of the country.
“When there’s no evidence of that at all,” Blunt says. “The Senate couldn’t be possibly closer at 50-50. Democrats in the House have the closest margin Democrats have had in the House of Representatives in 170 years. And the mandate for Biden, if there was one, was competency and moderation and the administration currently appears to be showing neither of those things.”
Blunt, a Republican, says the upset victory by Republican Glenn Youngkin over Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the Virginia’s governor race is a very good sign for Republicans in 2022.
Blunt says the extremely low public opinion poll numbers for President Joe Biden should serve as a warning for Democrats.
“I think they’ve dramatically overreached what voters wanted to see happen at the federal level and there’s a price to be paid for that.”
A public opinion poll taken by Gallup last month indicated only 42% of Americans approve of Biden’s presidency.
Economics might be the blame.
Inflation is a concern, according to Blunt, who says the country has become concerned about the massive spending bills being pushed by Democrats in Washington.
“This is the moment right now to try to pull back on those things that drive inflation rather than toss more of them on the table just like Democrats in the House are trying to do today,” according to Blunt.
Blunt supported the $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed by President Biden this week. He opposes the $1.75 trillion dollar social spending and climate initiative package Democrats have proposed as companion legislation. Blunt fears the additional spending will fuel inflation, adding some prices for meat have jumped by 20%.
“Families feel that 20% impact on their eating budget, that maybe 50% impact on their heating budget, and they know how much it costs to fill their car up to get back and forth to work,” Blunt says.
Democrats have not been able to secure the votes needed to get the larger spending bill through the House. They face an even tougher task in the Senate, though Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, predicts the package, officially called Build Back Better, will pass Congress before Christmas.