Before President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (Biden) took office, he made a series of statements for the WhiteHouse.gov briefing room detailing his plan for the day. In the screenshot above, I’ve highlighted two points that immediately caught my attention after reviewing the day.
Do-as-I-Order vs Do-as-I-Do
True to his word, President Biden signed Executive Order 13991 of January 20, 2021.
“To protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or on-site Federal employees, on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal buildings and on Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.”
(Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing, 2021)
Then, not mere hours later, several news sources photographed the entire Biden family at the Lincoln Memorial breaking every single one of his new rules (“Editorial,” 2021). While that’s irritating and hypocritical, it’s not surprising. Similarly, the next point that caught my attention came from his statement about President Trump.
President Trump’s Damaging Executive Order
A quick Google search of which order Democrats considered President Trump’s damaging executive order gave me Executive Order 13950 of September 22, 2020 (Reyes & Ross, 2021). The order’s title says “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” (Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, 2020). As politicians often hide behind pretty titles, I began reading. The Reyes & Ross article didn’t make any false claims. However, they did present their thoughts discounting the positive, a common cognitive distortion.
Instead of reading the order from the perspective of any news media site, I highly recommend getting it from the Federal Register. That should allow you to make up your own mind on the merits of President Biden’s repeal.
Let Me Hear Your Opinions
I would love to hear your opinions on these matters! Please leave a comment below. Whether you like President Biden or Trump, please keep your comments civil and founded. Admittedly, I expect people to disagree, just avoid acting disagreeable.
Sources
- Combating race and sex stereotyping. (2020, September 28). Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/28/2020-21534/combating-race-and-sex-stereotyping
- Editorial: Abnormal is often normal in washington, d. C. (2021, January 25). Lowell Sun. https://www.lowellsun.com/2021/01/25/abnormal-is-often-normal-in-washington-d-c
- Fact sheet: President-elect biden’s day one executive actions deliver relief for families across america amid converging crises. (2021, January 20). The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/fact-sheet-president-elect-bidens-day-one-executive-actions-deliver-relief-for-families-across-america-amid-converging-crises/
- Protecting the federal workforce and requiring mask-wearing. (2021, January 25). Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01766/protecting-the-federal-workforce-and-requiring-mask-wearing
- Reyes, A., & Ross, A. (2021). From the White House with anger: Conversational features in President Trump’s official communication. Language & Communication, 77, 46–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2020.12.003
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