Over half the nation felt a wave of relief wash over them this weekend. Every major city in the United States erupted in celebration on Saturday when news outlets announced that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris had won the presidential race. More significant, though, was the loss of Donald Trump. This news meant many different things for the record-breaking 76 million+ people who voted for Biden this year either in person or through the mail. For most people, Trump’s loss meant a restoration of hope for the United States. While some might feel like the battle is over and we can resume back to our lives, as usual, I implore you to keep paying attention to how the Biden administration handles the power and holds them accountable throughout what’s to come.Â
Kamala Harris will be the first woman, Black woman, and South Asian woman to hold Vice President’s position. This is a big win for women everywhere. As Harris mentioned in her victory speech on Saturday night, millions of little girls around will finally see a biracial woman in a critical, influential seat. This type of representation is something to celebrate! However, it is essential that we view her critically and not compromise our needs as Americans.Â
Many people chose not to vote for her in the primaries for a reason. Some of her actions as district attorney of San Francisco and the Attorney General of California have been called into question lately, mainly as the Black Lives Matter movement focuses on police defunding. She has a mixed record of the death penalty, intervening in incidents involving police brutality, and has only recently backed the national legalization of marijuana. Instead, she speaks in generalizations about making reforms to law enforcement. We can celebrate her win as long as we recognize that she is still a politician who may do things we disagree with on many issues. We have to keep her accountable in this important position and continue to work towards a better future.
More importantly, we have to watch Joe Biden under a critical eye. He is hardly the progressive politician many of us are looking for, especially our generation of young voters who generally leans to the left. He was one of the most moderate candidates in the election of Democratic nominees. It was essential to secure the win over Donald Trump in the end, but it means that he may not be able to make the fundamental changes that so many Americans have been voicing their need for. It is important that we not rest. It was easy to protest when our president was adamant about his opposition to many of our requests. Now we will have a president who will listen, giving the illusion that he will magically solve our problems. Now, we are going to have to work with him to make our ideas become a reality.Â
Biden will undoubtedly focus on things we need, such as tackling the Coronavirus and stopping climate change, but there are so many vital issues that he hasn’t made concrete plans for in the future. He is adamantly opposed to police defunding, opting instead to reduce crime and the amount of incarcerated citizens. In a recent debate against Trump, Biden claimed to be against fracking, even though this ban could be significant for protecting our environment. Biden is a moderate Democrat, so many of these progressive changes won’t be happening under his administration without the people’s voice.Â
Joe Biden is certainly a reasonable and compassionate man. It is such a change of pace from the last four years that it seems almost unreal. However, it does not mean that he will be a great president. We have to continue advocating for what we need because if we turn away now, assuming everything is better, we are leaving behind so many people who will suffer without adequate immigration policy, climate change policy, and law enforcement.Â