For US progressives, Joe Biden has both surprised and disappointed
The president has exceeded some expectations, but also fallen short on issues ranging from student debt to the climate crisis.
In his first 100 days in office, US President Joe Biden has moved more quickly, boldly and progressively, than his earlier record in the Senate and as vice-president might have foretold.
In January 2021, Biden said the US would reverse a stalled vaccination roll-out by delivering 100 million doses in his first 100 days, and ended up distributing 200 million. His $1.9tn dollar COVID relief stimulus bill (which included a child tax credit that, if made permanent, could cut child poverty in half), has been lauded by progressive Senator Bernie Sanders. He has also rolled out a $2tn infrastructure bill, or American Jobs Plan; established a commission to examine expanding the Supreme Court; called for Washington, DC to become a state; and his American Families Plan, announced this week, would make food benefits available to those who have been convicted of drug-related felonies.