American's Fentanyl Issue is Not a Problem Caused by Joe Biden
After Republicans have spent years outlandishly blaming President Biden for America’s fentanyl crisis, Biden took a huge step today to actually help solve the problem. In an effort to combat the devastating impact of fentanyl on American communities, President Joe Biden has announced a groundbreaking agreement with Mexico to address the issue. This announcement comes as the deadly drug has already claimed thousands of lives across the nation, and the problem only seems to be worsening.
The accord marks a significant breakthrough, as Mexico had previously been reluctant to cooperate with the United States on this critical issue. The agreement comes on the heels of recent charges filed by the US Department of Justice against 24 Mexican drug cartel members, highlighting the severity of the issue.
Under the new agreement, Mexico has committed to improving its coordination with the United States to support the arrest and investigation of those involved in the production and trafficking of fentanyl. In exchange, the US government will work to prevent the trafficking of guns into Mexico.
This agreement is a crucial step towards addressing the growing crisis of fentanyl and other deadly drugs that have devastated American communities. By working together with Mexico, the Biden administration hopes to make significant progress in reducing the availability of these dangerous substances and saving lives.
As the nation grapples with the tragic rise in fentanyl deaths, Republicans have been quick to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of President Joe Biden. However, a closer examination of the facts reveals a more complex picture.
The problem of fentanyl-related deaths has been on the rise for several years, predating both the Trump and Biden administrations. While deaths did increase significantly under Trump's watch, the numbers have increased during Biden's tenure as well.
Republicans have been particularly vocal in their criticism of Biden's approach to the southern border, blaming it for the recent spike in deaths. However, the statistics fail to support this claim.
When it comes to fentanyl deaths, we have seen huge jumps in overdoses of synthetic opioids orther than methadone (mostly fentanyl) starting in about 2014, which huge spikes taking place between 2016 and 2021, as depicted in the chart below:
As the nation grapples with the ongoing crisis of fentanyl overdose deaths, it is difficult to draw comparisons between the current administration and its predecessor, given that the number of deaths for the years 2021-2023 has yet to be fully tabulated. However, what we can do is examine President Biden's actions on border security, particularly in response to the Republican claims that he has been weak on the issue.
Contrary to these accusations, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic steps to secure the border and rebuild a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system. This includes securing more resources for border security than any previous administration, deploying over 23,000 agents to address the situation at the border, and preventing record levels of illicit fentanyl from entering the country.
Furthermore, the Administration has brought together world leaders to develop a framework for dealing with changing migration patterns that are impacting the entire Western Hemisphere. They have also implemented new measures to enhance security at the border, reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully between ports of entry, and expand and expedite legal pathways for orderly migration for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
In addition, President Biden has outlined new consequences for those who fail to use these new legal pathways. The Administration's efforts to secure the border and manage immigration in a humane and orderly way demonstrate a serious commitment to addressing the complex challenges posed by the ongoing crisis.
As the nation seeks to address the growing crisis of fentanyl deaths, it is crucial to understand the complex factors contributing to this tragic trend. While there is much work to be done, it is clear that simplistic blame games will not lead to real solutions.
