Greene says Biden is continuing to build ‘socialism’ started by Roosevelt and Johnson

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) warned attendees at a conservative conference in Florida on Sunday that President Joe Biden is a “Democrat socialist” who wants to complete the work started by Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson by addressing issues such as “education, medical care, urban problems, rural poverty, transportation. Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and welfare.”

Greene said Biden wants to complete the “largest public investment in social infrastructure and environmental programs, that is actually finishing what FDR started, that LBJ expanded on, and Joe Biden is attempting to complete: socialism,” Greene said in remarks at the right-wing Turning Point Action Conference in West Palm Beach.

Roosevelt and Johnson created some of the most popular social safety net programs in the United States, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare and Medicaid, programs that provide health insurance to Americans over the age of 65 and low-income Americans, respectively, are also overwhelmingly popular. Johnson signed both of the programs into law in 1965. Fifty-seven percent of Americans have a favorable view of Medicare, while 51% have a favorable view of Medicaid.

Under Biden, the Democratic-controlled Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allocated billions to fix roads and bridges across the country, expand access to high-speed internet, and modernize public transportation. The Democratic-controlled Congress also passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included provisions to lower insurance premiums and prescription drug prices, and gave tax incentives to Americans to transition to green energy or make energy-saving improvements to their homes.

A Data for Progress poll in February found both of Biden’s landmark pieces of legislation are overwhelmingly popular. More than three-quarters of voters, 76%, support the infrastructure bill, while 68% support the Inflation Reduction Act.

Democrats said Greene was actually helping Biden with her comments.

“Marjorie Taylor Greene thought her recent speech was an attack on ⁦@POTUS⁩. It’s actually a huge compliment,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) tweeted. “She said ⁦@JoeBiden wants to finish ‘what FDR started’ by supporting Medicare, rural poverty, and education. Thank you ⁦@RepMTG⁩! More of this please.”

The White House also drew attention to Greene’s comments.

“Caught us. President Biden is working to make life easier for hardworking families,” the official White House Twitter account posted on Monday.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.