The American right is failing to challenge Biden Odds are stacked against a conservative counter-assault in any battle of ideas - and the Republicans haven’t bothered to turn up to fight 29 April 2021 • 10:28am Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress on Wednesday as Vice-President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi applaud Credit: MELINA MARA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Joe Biden was elected a moderate but will radically broaden the US federal government’s scope if he gets his way. In a Congressional joint session on Wednesday, the President trailed a “Families” plan that would increase welfare state spending by an average of $180bn (£130bn) a year.