Biden denounces 'lies' about 'reckless spending' in speech to AFL-CIO

President Biden brandished his pro-union bona fides and denounced Republican criticisms of his spending policies during a speech delivered to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations' quadrennial convention in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
According to its website, the AFL-CIO is a federation of 57 unions representing over 12 million workers.
The president told the crowd he intends to be "the most pro-union president in history." He also touted his appointment of former union leader Marty Walsh as secretary of labor. Biden drew laughs when he joked that Walsh, who speaks with a thick Boston accent, would eventually "learn how to speak English."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Later in the speech, Biden discussed his legislative accomplishments, including the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which he said helped 41 million Americans "put food on their table," and the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
"I don't want to hear any more of these lies about reckless spending," Biden said. "We're changing people's lives!"
Sen. John Thune (R-N.D.) quipped on Twitter that Americans' lives are indeed "changing" due to "[s]kyrocketing costs & historically high gas prices."
Biden also cited high job growth, low unemployment, and the strength of the labor market, aiming to shore up economic confidence before the midterms, as Americans report the lowest economic confidence since 2009.
Writing for The Week in January, Ryan Cooper predicted that, by November, we could see "the highest inflation since the early 1980s but also the best job market since the 1960s."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
'The attack doesn't need to be so blunt'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet