Biden Says No Normalcy 'til Christmas, Franklin Graham Says Too Much Gov't 'Control Over Our Lives'
Life expectancy in the United States dropped an entire year in the first half of 2020 after a wave of coronavirus deaths swept the nation. It fell from 78.8 years in 2019 down to 77.8 years in 2020. It's the biggest drop since World War II.
The study shows minorities suffered worst with black people losing nearly three years and Hispanics almost two.
Meanwhile, extreme winter weather has either halted or delayed vaccine distribution in 34 states. President Biden is pledging most Americans can get a shot by the end of July but says it could be longer before life begins to return to normal.
"By next Christmas, I think we'll be in a very different circumstance, God willing, than we are today," Biden said.
“A year from now, I think that there will be significantly fewer people having to be socially distanced, having to wear a mask, but we don’t know. We don’t know for certain, but it is highly unlikely that, by the beginning of the next school year, traditional school year in September, we are not significantly better off than we are today,” he said.
Franklin Graham says Biden's prediction is just another reason to be concerned that the U.S. government has too much power to control people's lives in America.
"We want this president—every president—to do well, but our nation is facing serious problems. @POTUS Biden indicated that the COVID restrictions could go on through the end of the year. It should concern all Americans that our government has this much control over our lives," Graham tweeted.
We want this president—every president—to do well, but our nation is facing serious problems. @POTUS Biden indicated that the COVID restrictions could go on through the end of the year. It should concern all Americans that our government has this much control over our lives. 2/3
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) February 18, 2021
READ: What You Need to Know About the Leading Coronavirus Vaccines
Dr. Fauci is taking an even longer view, predicting a "degree of normalcy" by the start of 2022.
Graham is calling on Christians to keep praying for a return to normal in America:
Join me in praying for an end to the coronavirus, that people can go back to work, that children can go back to school, that churches can go back to being filled with old and young—and maybe even hugs, handshakes, and high-fives can make a comeback! 3/3
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) February 18, 2021
New virus cases and hospitalizations are down quite a bit in the past few weeks, but COVID has still claimed the lives of nearly half a million Americans.
And the pandemic continues to strain the economy, forcing unemployment applications to rise again in America. The latest numbers from the Labor Department show 861,000 Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week. That's up about 13,000 from the week prior.
More than 18 million are receiving some sort of unemployment. With so many people suffering, Biden is appealing for lawmakers to support his $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. Vice President Kamala Harris would be the tie-breaking vote if needed due to Republican opposition in the Senate over the massive deficit spending in the plan.
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