BIDEN 2020
The election for the next President of the United States of America was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. People all over the world tuned in and anxiously awaited as the polls closed and the final votes were tallied. This election has been unlike any other. With the coronavirus reaching a record number of cases in the U.S., many voters turned to mail-in ballots to cast their votes. This ultimately caused delayed results in multiple states. As the ballots slowly rolled in, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came in with an unprecedented historical victory, with Biden receiving the most votes of any candidate and Kamala being the first Black and Asian Vice President. Just months ago, Kamala Harris was running against Biden. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris became a winning team, with Biden’s previous experiences in office and Harris’ time as attorney general and senator.
The pivotal moment of this election for Biden and Harris came in their ability to win over the battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Joe Biden spoke for the first time as the president elect on November 7th when he was officially named the 46th president. In Wilmington, Delaware he said, “I would urge you to reach out, you know, that person who had that Trump sign in their lawn next door or down the street,” he told his team. “Reach out to them. Tell them, ‘This isn’t personal, this is about getting together and restoring the basic values we’ve had for generations and generations here in America.’”
Joe Biden is no stranger to the White House. The former Vice President, nicknamed “Uncle Joe” from his time in the Obama administration, is favored amongst young Democrats, who are hoping for more attention placed on the environment and pressing social issues like police brutality. A large number of young people of color voted for Joe Biden and placed their faith on the ballot.
When asked about the younger generations of Americans, Biden empathized with the reality of the America that coming-of-age voters are walking into. He acknowledged the massive rates of unemployment and job insecurity caused by the lack of action taken on the pandemic. In discussing the policies passed by President Trump and his pandemic response, Biden stated, “We’re going to have an enormous task in repairing the damage he’s done”.
Biden plans to keep busy as he is tasked with fixing the most pressing issues in America.
Pandemic Relief:
His plan for the first hundred days is to focus on relief efforts for the public health crisis in America caused by COVID-19. In under one year, over 9 million people in the United States of America have contracted the virus with close to a quarter million deaths so far. In efforts to steer America in the right direction, Biden is planning to enact a nationwide mask mandate, free Covid testing, boosting PPE and other medical equipment for healthcare providers, and making any future vaccines accessible to all.
Economic Relief:
The economy is in need of help now more than ever due to our current economic crisis. 12.6 million people are currently unemployed in the United States and unemployment is slated to run out at the end of December. Biden intends to rebuild the economy with his plan to re-open safely while staying ahead of the pandemic. As unemployment remains high, Biden wants to issue another relief package for people and small businesses. He also mentioned using an increase in tax revenue to be put towards jobs focused in renewable energy.
Climate Change:
Joe Biden’s climate change plan is ambitious, with a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2035. He plans on doing this through his plan that focuses on standards, investments, and environmental justice. His plan would span over his first four years as president and would cost two trillion dollars. He plans to make changes by focusing on sustainable housing, affordable healthcare, green jobs, and declining contributions from oil and coal companies.
Immigration:
Despite Trump’s efforts to crack down on immigration, Biden hopes to reverse these effects by creating an immigration bill that will grant over 11 million undocumented immigrants U.S. citizenship. He also intends to protect the rights of Dreamers (children of undocumented parents) to remain in the country, lift the Muslim ban and pass hate crime legislation.
Healthcare:
Biden plans to expand Obama care to more pre-existing conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus and breast cancer. His initiative will also include lowering prescription drug costs; and lowering the Medicare qualification age to 60. He is also planning to expand mental health care coverage and services.
International Relations:
Joe Biden plans to rejoin WHO and the Paris Agreement. According to Biden’s campaign website, he also plans to strengthen international alliances with countries like Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Joe Biden will have a busy first 100 days. He is becoming the president of the United States during one of the most troubling times, not only for America but for humanity.
