Washington, Jan 16 US President Joe Biden signed off on his four years in office and more than 50 years in politics, telling Americans they will see the full benefits of his administration "bloom for decades to come."
Biden is leaving office as a widely unpopular President who is eager to protect his legacy from a successor -- President-elect Donald Trump -- who is expected to undo as much of it as quickly as he can.
"You know, it will take time to feel the full impact of all we've done together, but the seeds are planted, and they'll grow, and they'll bloom for decades to come," Biden said in a farewell address from the White House on Wednesday.
Biden will be hoping for a more benign treatment from history, which faces him currently, like many of his predecessors.
President Jimmy Carter, for instance, left office in disgrace over the hostage crisis and a slumping economy but went on to win the Nobel Prize for his humanitarian work around the world.
Also, as some of his predecessors, Biden left office with a warning for the American people.
"I have no doubt that America is in a position to continue to succeed. That's why my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. This is a dangerous concert, and that's a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people. The dangerous consequences of their abuse of power is left unchecked today; an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," he said.
"We see the consequences all across America, and we've seen it before, more than a century ago, but the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trust. They didn't punish the wealthy. Just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had," Biden added.
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