Can Biden break from the neo-liberal status quo?

The Democratic Party used to be about how government can help we the working people. Reagan changed all that with how corporations could do that job. When Clinton came in he retained the corporate focus and further decimated social programs. Obama came in and promised to return us to the days of beneficent government, but his solutions were more of the same corporate agenda.

Along comes Biden, who progressives expected to be more of the same. But is he? Is he really pro-worker and anti-corporation? This commentator thinks maybe so. In his latest SOTU Biden said he wants to bring manufacturing back to America, as well as the products necessary for it to be made here. Whether or not he's sincere, or if can actually be implemented, at least he's talking a good game when the prior two Dem Presidents made excuses for corporations instead.

However, a few days later the government announced that all broad-ban grants would require American construction materials. Biden also went after big Pharma by proposing to cap insulin prices to $35 per month for seniors. He discussed eliminating junk fees by bank credit card companies, airlines and hotels. There has been follow-through on this by bank regulators. He discussed eliminating workplace non-compete agreements, which the FTC is trying to implement.

Who got upset with his speech? Lobbyists, Wall Street, Repugnantcons and Democorps. Granted Biden will face fierce opposition to all of his wish list, even in his own Party. But no recent Democratic President has even dared to talk like this. It's a refreshing change that at least gives we the people some hope that the era of big business will be challenged. It was the sort of rhetoric that returns us to the visions of past Democratic Presidents like FDR. 

And all this coming from a commentator on Breaking Points, a rabidly progressive YouTube channel that tends to find little if anything to appreciate about Biden. Biden did do some things that contradict his SOTU agenda like the rail strike, so he's not the perfect progressive President we might fantasize about. But he's a damned sight better then what we've seen in Clinton and Obama. And for that we should be grateful.