meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Politix

Graduating Kindergarten

Politix

Politix

Politics, News Commentary, News

4.61.4K Ratings

🗓️ 5 February 2021

⏱️ 39 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week on Rubicon: Brian Beutler talks to climate science writer Emily Atkin about the predictable first steps President Biden has taken to fight climate change, and the exciting but under-the-radar ways that Biden has woven climate science into offices throughout his administration. They discuss the more difficult, lasting steps that have tripped up progressive officials and activists for decades (carbon tax, legislation, regulations, it's all here!) Learning from the Obama years, they survey the roadblocks Biden will likely encounter in the Senate and the courts, and hunt for ways around them. Want to know more? Check out Emily's newsletter, Heated: https://heated.world/ And here are some related climate reads: https://www.volts.wtf/p/biden-is-blitzing https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/climate-change-after-pandemic.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/27/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-executive-actions-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad-create-jobs-and-restore-scientific-integrity-across-federal-governme https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/climate/trump-climate-change.html For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/rubicon.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

What he is doing is a complete affront to the democratic process.

0:07.7

He has issued more executive fiat than anyone in such a short period of time.

0:12.8

Ever.

0:13.8

You may have gathered that President Biden has been busy.

0:16.7

Mr. Biden wasted no time getting to work in the Oval Office, signing executive orders and

0:21.1

in construction launched by President Trump on the Southern border wall, scramping his

0:25.0

so-called Muslim travel ban.

0:26.6

In part because of the mess he inherited, and in part because his predecessor governed

0:30.6

lazily, Biden has already encorked dozens of executive orders and other administrative

0:35.5

actions, setting a pace to rival FDR.

0:38.6

In his first two weeks in office, President Biden has signed nearly as many executive

0:43.5

orders as FDR signed in his entire first month, and President Roosevelt holds the record.

0:50.2

In all more than 40 presidential directives and actions, creating task forces, directing

0:55.9

agencies to begin a regulatory process or to explore a policy change.

1:00.9

And after years of applauding or tolerating every one of Trump's abuses of power, Republicans

1:06.4

want you to believe they're very upset that Biden's using his legitimate authority to undo

1:11.0

what Trump did.

1:12.0

Are these executive orders just, frankly, this is dictatorial?

1:15.6

At about 50 and counting, we couldn't get into great detail about every new policy Biden

1:20.4

has adopted if we tried.

1:22.4

But some of these actions stand out more than others, and that's where we come in.

1:27.7

In his first week in office, Biden adopted a raft of executive actions meant to reduce

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Politix, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Politix and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.