HANOVER TWP., LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. — President Joe Biden is expected to tout his economic achievements during a speech at Lehigh Valley International Airport this afternoon before touring locally owned small businesses.
The Biden administration has still not disclosed where exactly the Scranton native will be touring during his second presidential visit to the Lehigh Valley.
But, much of downtown Emmaus will be hosting a special event that local officials won't disclose. East Penn schools dismissed early and Secret Service was spotted Friday morning outside South Mountain Cycle on Main Street.
The visit comes as Biden begins making his case to the American people for why he deserves a second term. A week ago, he began his re-election campaign in Montgomery County, where he presented former president Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner for the nomination, as a threat to American democracy.
Now, Biden is trying to sell the nation on Bidenomics, the economic agenda he's launched that's broken from 40 years of precedent. Under the blueprint laid out by President Ronald Reagan, past administrations have largely limited regulation and cut taxes on the wealthy. Instead, Biden has focused on directly assisting the middle class promoting American manufacturing and alternative energy.
Senior administration officials spent much of Thursday promoting the results of that strategy.
Unemployment is low across the country, and specifically the Lehigh Valley; Allentown's 3.9% unemployment rate is the lowest in 20 years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that inflation crept up to 3.4% in December, down from 6.5% from a year earlier. Economists who predicted the market could collapse a year ago now acknowledge the Federal Reserve Board may be on its way to be pulling off a "soft landing" — lowering inflation to the 2% target without tanking the economy.
Despite the historically recognized indicators of a strong market, polling shows Americans are still squeamish about the economy. Ahmed Rahman, an associate professor of economics at Lehigh University, said the anxiety stems from stubbornly high costs, particularly for essentials like food and rent. While grocery costs have slowed considerably, they're still 10% to 15% higher than what consumers saw just a few years ago.
Biden is the sixth consecutive president to visit the Lehigh Valley. The region has gained attention in national politics as a critical swing region in a battleground state. If 2024 sees another close presidential election, the Lehigh Valley could prove key to winning the Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes.
Schedule and logistics
The president's public schedule shows Biden is expected to land at Lehigh Valley International Airport at 1:15 p.m. where he will address media and local dignitaries. From there, he'll be whisked off to the undisclosed location where he'll meet with small business owners.
So far, state police have not released any advisories on times to avoid specific roads. However, past presidential visits have seen Route 22 and Interstate 78 shut down to make way for the presidential motorcade.
Air Force One is expected to depart around 4:25 p.m., according to the same schedule.
Coincidentally, no parking or idling is allowed on streets around Triangle Park and Borough Hall in Emmaus until 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., depending on the specific street.
