Biden Criticizes Prescription Costs and Backs, Iranian Demonstrators, While in OC – Orange County Register

Biden At Orange County Register

Biden At Orange County Register

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This week, President Joe Biden traveled to Southern California to promote his administration’s initiatives to fight inflation and lower growing healthcare costs. But there was a message he didn’t ignore when he arrived in Orange County on Friday afternoon, the last stop on this three-day tour of the area.

Demonstrators begged the president of Irvine Valley College to condemn the present Iranian dictatorship more vehemently as he spoke from a small courtyard beneath an overcast sky. They stood vigil around the college. At least 1,000 people, according to the demonstrations’ organizer, were present, according to Irvine Police Department spokeswoman Kyle Oldoerp.

The protesters urged Biden and other world readers to “do something” about human rights abuses in Iran while waving the old red, white, and green flags bearing a golden lion and carrying pictures of Iranians who had died.

The Inflation Reduction Act, a success for Democrats, and an executive order the White House published earlier in the day intended to improve options to lower prescription drug costs were both promoted by Biden while he was in Irvine on Friday.

“I want you to know, we stand with the folks and the brave women of Iran for genuine,” he said in response to those gathering outside.

Biden added, “Iran must stop the brutality against its own citizens who are merely exercising their fundamental rights.” I’ve worked in international policy for a very, very long period. What (Mahsa Amini’s death) aroused in Iran astounded me. You all have my gratitude for speaking up.

Girls and women have been protesting around Iran in recent weeks by taking off their required headscarves, or hijabs. Security personnel can be seen firing at demonstrators in videos. How many individuals have been detained or murdered as a result of the protests so far is unknown.

Biden’s recognition was “simple words,” according to Melika, an Orange County resident who declined to offer her last name. She wished the president would avoid striking any deals with the ruling party.

“World leaders talk a lot about how they support women’s rights, human rights, and the common guy, but they don’t actually do anything about it,” said Orange County resident Nick Nikbakht. Melika, 20, claimed that she felt “guilt” for living in a location where she can express her thoughts without fear of retaliation, so she decided to protest outside the president’s speech.

“We all need to look out for and look after one another. I only believe it is unacceptable for us to remain silent. You must get up and act if you notice something is amiss, she urged. lauds Biden An important and impending midterm election season is the backdrop of Porter Biden’s visit to Orange County.

The numerous congressional seats up for election in the region that could potentially shift control of Congress to the Republicans are receiving attention from voters across the country. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, who is running for re-election in California’s 47th congressional district against former GOP Assembly leader Scott Baugh, joined Biden at the Irvine event. Throughout his remarks, the president extolled the virtues of the outgoing representative.

Porter and Biden criticized the pharmaceutical industry for driving up prescription prices and praised the Inflation Reduction Act’s provision requiring Medicare to begin negotiating the cost of some medications starting in 2019. The industry is considering taking legal action to stop the implementation of this contentious provision. Republicans have put forth legislation that would also eliminate Medicare’s negotiating power.

But the plan also eliminates vaccine costs, restricts monthly insulin costs for Medicare enrollees, and starts capping out-of-pocket prescription payments at $2,000 starting in 2025. According to the president, Republicans are worse for wallets than a Republican-controlled House.

Here’s the bottom line: When it’s actually time to address inflation at the dinner table, Republicans in Congress remain silent. Prices will continue to rise and inflation will increase if Republicans win control, according to Biden.

But while preserving a sense of optimism for the future, Biden acknowledged the financial suffering Americans had been experiencing. Giving folks a little more breathing room is a step in the right direction, according to Biden.

Southern California didn’t see much relief in the most recent Consumer Price Index. Consumer prices are rising in Los Angeles and Orange counties at a rate of 7.8% annually, up from 7.6% in August and 4.6% a year ago.

Compared to a year earlier, prices at grocery stores are up 13%. When compared to a year ago, dining has increased by 5.8%. According to the American Automobile Association, the average price of gas in Orange County for standard fuel was $6.09, which was more expensive than the $3.90 national average.

And that was the Republican message before to Biden’s visit. Democratic local leaders are allegedly “distancing themselves” from the president, according to Hallie Balch, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, “since his administration has done nothing but make inflation worse and fail on basic matters like safety and security.” According to Nikbakht, some of the Iranian protesters weren’t against Biden or in favour of any former president, but they were. Several hundred protesters gathered in front of the Irvine Valley College gates, insulting Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Joe Biden while simultaneously waving Christian flags.

Jeeps and vehicles rushed by with honks and yell in support of former president Donald Trump while flying enormous blue flags. Under a tent blasting country music, t-shirts were being peddled proclaiming erroneously that Trump won the 2020 election or that they supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2024.

A citizen of Irvine named Cecilia Garcia claimed she wanted to tell the president that he wasn’t welcome in her city. If he believes Orange County is blue, he is mistaken.

Garcia claimed that ever since coming to the United States from Mexico ten years ago, she has been worried about the rising cost of goods. She claimed that some of her friends who reside close to San Diego travel across the border to Tijuana to shop for less expensive things.

After departing Orange County, Biden traveled to Portland, Oregon, where it was eight degrees warmer at the time of his Irvine address than cloudy Orange County.

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