'Who In The Hell Do They Think They Are?': Joe Biden Savages GOP In First Speech Since Leaving Office

Forbes Breaking News

In his first public remarks since leaving office on Tuesday night, former President Biden laced into Republicans.

Transcript

00:00Wow. Folks, today I want to talk to you about an issue that's front and center right now for

00:08millions of Americans, Social Security. You know, some of you may know the Democrats have declared

00:16today the Save Social Security National Action Day, National Day of Action, I should say.

00:21We know just how much Social Security matters to people's lives. Everyone in this room fights for

00:28people with disabilities who rely on Social Security to survive, to survive. Not just the

00:34physical side, it's the mental side. It's the mental side. You make sure folk get the benefits they earn

00:41after a lifetime of hard work. The work they do is more than just a profession, what you do. It's a

00:48calling, not just a profession. And Social Security is more than a government program. It's a sacred

00:55promise. We made it in a sacred promise. Seventy-three million Americans receive Social Security

01:03from their first paycheck for their entire life, they pay into Social Security. And in return,

01:12they count on Social Security to be for them when they're going to need it. Folks,

01:17we must never, ever betray that trust or turn our backs on an obligation. That's why during my

01:24presidency, we protected Social Security and made it stronger. Martin, the governor can tell you,

01:32we came into office, Social Security Administration had as low as staffing, she referenced it,

01:36lowest staffing levels in 50 years. And demand was going through the roof because of my generation

01:44and the baby boom generation reaching the retirement age. So the demands on Social Security increased

01:51significantly. Our administration secured nearly $2 billion to reduce the backlogs and improve customer

02:00service. We slashed wait times for folks in need. We're calling the 1-800 number. We got it down to

02:09under 13 minutes. It used to be three times that long we took office. Made it easier for people to get help

02:15with their claims online. We reduced how long it takes to review a case. We fixed the appeal system

02:24to make it uniform in all 50 states which made a difference. We strengthened the anti-fraud measures

02:31to protect people's identities and to make sure benefits are going to people who actually they belong to.

02:38By the way, those 300-year-old people getting that Social Security, I want to meet them because I like to figure

02:43out how they live out.

02:46Hell of a thing, man. I'm looking for longevity because it's hell when you turn 40 years old.

02:53But as a result, by the time we left office, we had improved every single line of customer service

03:00service, from applying for disability to filing an appeal to reporting fraud.

03:06It all became more efficient and more effective.

03:10And I'll bet it made your jobs easier, too, in the process.

03:14Now, these achievements

03:15These achievements

03:18may not sound so glamorous to most people, but you know,

03:24they're absolutely essential.

03:25In my view, one of the most important jobs of any elected official

03:30is to make sure the government works

03:32for the people, works for all people.

03:35It's understandable.

03:37They can understand what it is.

03:40And we keep our promises

03:41to the people,

03:43to all the people.

03:45That's exactly what we did, thanks to all of you.

03:49I also signed in law

03:50the Social Security Fairness Act.

03:52That act eliminated

03:53two unfair rules

03:55so public employees

03:56wouldn't get shortchanged

03:58if the government pension offset

03:59and the windfall elimination provision

04:02can never come in ever again.

04:08But as a result,

04:10more than 2 million people

04:11are now finally receiving the full benefits they earned.

04:15And remember,

04:16we also face the constant threat

04:18by some members,

04:20Republican members of the Congress,

04:21to cut and gut

04:23Social Security, period.

04:25Cut and gut it, period.

04:28They wanted to let Social Security expire

04:30every five years.

04:33That was a proposal.

04:35Let it expire every five years

04:37unless reauthorized by the Congress.

04:41Who in the hell

04:42do they think they are?

04:44Every five years

04:45and then wait around

04:46and be here.

04:47No.

04:52I will not go further

04:53or get in trouble,

04:54but look, folks.

04:56You can imagine

04:57the chaos

04:58it would have charged.

05:00Every five years,

05:01Congress is going to step up.

05:03Can you imagine

05:03this Congress stepping up?

05:06They threatened to raise

05:08the retirement age as well.

05:09Now, that might not be a hardship

05:12for someone working

05:14in a comfortable job.

05:16But if you're on your feet all day,

05:19you're doing manual labor all day,

05:21you're working with a disability,

05:24it's a very different matter.

05:26And then they even tried

05:28to force cuts

05:29on Social Security

05:30during the negotiation

05:32of the debt ceiling.

05:33These are wonderful guys.

05:34Last time this guy

05:38had the job,

05:39he raised the debt ceiling

05:40because of an enormous

05:43and profligate tax cut

05:45to the super wealthy.

05:48And then he said,

05:49look,

05:49then they started talking

05:50to his colleagues.

05:53Well, maybe we can do

05:54something about Social Security,

05:56but we've got to do

05:56something about the debt ceiling.

05:57How are we going to do it?

05:58We can find the money

05:59in Social Security.

06:01Unless we do

06:02what they wanted.

06:02They wanted to cut

06:03Social Security.

06:05Not on my watch.

06:08We refuse to go along

06:09with any of that.

06:13Look,

06:14Americans can

06:15have always been able

06:17to count on these benefits.

06:19And let me pause

06:20a second here

06:20and say this.

06:22We talk about

06:23the physical needs

06:24that Social Security

06:27provides for people,

06:28particularly hard-working people,

06:30people retired,

06:31people on the edge.

06:33But the psychological impact

06:35is profound.

06:39Profound.

06:42You're a man or a woman.

06:44You're 70s, 80s old.

06:45You're not in good shape.

06:48You have a disability.

06:50And you hear

06:51the chick may not come.

06:55How do you sleep at night?

06:58How do you sleep at night?

06:59We lived up in Wilmington

07:02in a three-bedroom

07:03split-level home

07:05in a new development,

07:0740 homes

07:08with four kids

07:10and a grandpop

07:11living with us.

07:12And I remember

07:13my bed,

07:14our bedroom headboard

07:15was near

07:15my dad's

07:17and mom's room.

07:20And you could tell

07:21when dad was restless.

07:23I remember asking

07:23one night

07:24my mom,

07:26what's the matter

07:26with dad?

07:26the next morning

07:27says found out

07:29that

07:30they're not going to

07:32provide insurance

07:34anymore

07:34where he works.

07:38Imagine if you're somebody

07:40who's been struggling

07:42your whole life.

07:44You literally count

07:45on Social Security

07:46to buy your food

07:47just to get by.

07:53And you hear

07:53the threats

07:54of what might happen.

07:57Many of these beneficiaries

07:59say it's their only income.

08:02If they were cut

08:02or taken away

08:03it would be devastating.

08:05Devastating

08:05for millions of people.

08:08And the psychological

08:09pressure

08:10we put people under

08:11by having this debate

08:12is absolutely devastating.

08:15That's why

08:17we worked so damn hard

08:18to make Social Security

08:19Administration stronger

08:20than it had been

08:20in years.

08:22And that's why

08:22I asked the governor

08:23to take over

08:23by the way.

08:25But look what's

08:26happened now.

08:32Fewer than

08:33100 days

08:34this new

08:35administration

08:36has made

08:38so much

08:39done so much

08:39damage

08:40and so much

08:41destruction.

08:42It's kind of

08:43breathtaking

08:43it could happen

08:44that.

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