By: Morium Begum, Owen Schacht, Charlotte Wagner, Seth Abeles, Erin Saunders
“Empire State of Mind” blasting from speakers. Cars honking their horns as loud as they can. People screaming, dancing, and cheering. Decked out in their Biden-Harris merch, the residents of New York City wasted no time showcasing just how happy they were that Joe Biden won the long-awaited election.
The presidential election had been earlier that week, on Tuesday night, however, several “determining states” were yet to be called. But at around noon on Saturday, Pennsylvania was called for Joe Biden, giving him the final 20 electoral votes he needed, to put him over 270 votes to win the election.
Cities across the nation erupted in celebration at the news. All over the country, the American flag took on a whole new meaning. The steepening divide in our country’s political climate over the past couple of years has made patriotic things, such as the flag, deeply political. On Saturday, the flag was proudly flown. Celebrities celebrated from their cars in Los Angeles, and in Philadelphia, which was the city that ultimately flipped the election, celebrations raged on.
Just five months ago, the country was involved in protest, not celebration. The murder of Black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police was the final push for the Black Lives Matter movement to gain nationwide attention, although the disproportionate killings of Black people in America are nothing new. Although the protests in June and the celebrations in November brought many together, they also furthered the division between Americans. Biden has stated repeatedly that he hopes to bring America together, leaving Americans wondering if that is even possible at this point.
For many, Saturday felt like the end of a 4-year-nightmare. It was the first time in a very long time that New York City and the country felt alive again. The events of this past year have left people hopeless and distraught, but Biden’s win feels like the start of the healing process that we desperately need. With that being said, there are copious amounts of pressure on the Biden administration to fix all of the problems that the past 4 years have caused. There is a lot of work to be done, but can president-elect Joe Biden live up to all the expectations?
COVID-19:
With more than ten million cases and two hundred thousand deaths, president-elect Joe Biden has some major hurdles to leap when it comes to COVID-19 relief. Although the United States prides itself on its competence and its ability to take immediate action, things have been hazy when it comes to the global pandemic. President Donald Trump has failed to control the spread of the detrimental virus, leading to a record-high number of cases.
In the past, President Donald Trump has repeatedly showcased himself ignoring the pleas of disease experts. From firing the national pandemic team to defunding the Centers for Disease Control, Trump has repeatedly undermined the seriousness of the global pandemic. During a rally in Nevada in October 2020, Trump stated about Biden, “He’ll listen to the scientists… If I listened totally to the scientists, we would right now have a country that would be in a massive depression instead….”
Indeed, Joe Biden plans on listening to scientists and health professionals. In fact, implementing professional guidance is one of his biggest priorities when it comes to COVID-19 control. Joe Biden and his vice-president Kamala Harris have already outlined the seven major steps they will be taking to beat COVID-19. Their plan includes:
- Improving testing and tracing;
- Increasing the production of masks, face shields, and other personal protective equipment;
- Providing research-based guidance and resources on how to navigate the pandemic;
- Ensuring effective and equitable distribution of treatments and vaccines;
- Protecting high-risk and older citizens;
- Restoring the White House National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense and restoring U.S. relations with the World Health Organization; and
- Enforcing nationwide mask mandates.
The first few months of 2021 will be a time of dramatic changes, and hopefully, fewer COVID cases. Working towards the containment of a deeply contagious virus will be no easy task, but let’s hope that our future president can rise up to the challenge.
Climate Change:
Across the nation and across the globe, climate change poses an existential threat to our environment, livelihood, and economy. President-elect Joe Biden believes that there is no threat greater than that of climate change to the security of this nation. He is proposing a “Clean Energy Revolution” to fight against the impending catastrophe.
The Biden-Harris plan to combat climate change ensures that the United States will achieve a “100% clean energy economy and [reach] net-zero emissions no later than 2050.” This Administration will recommit to the Paris Climate Agreement and will lead an effort to have other major counties massively ramp up their efforts in mitigating climate change. He is going to demand Congress to enact legislation in 2021 that primarily has three goals. The first is to, “[establish] an enforcement mechanism that includes milestone targets no later than the end of his first term in 2025.” The second goal is to make unprecedented investments into clean energy, climate research, and innovation. The final aspect of this future legislation will be incentives for the deployment of clean energy innovations across the economy and the nation, particularly in communities most impacted by climate change.
Many communities across the country are disproportionately affected by this climate emergency and pollution. The Biden-Harris Administration vows to take meaningful action against fossil fuel companies as well as other polluters who profit from these atrocities and knowingly “poison our communities’ air, land, and water, or conceal information regarding potential environmental and health risks.” This presidency will ensure that communities from Flint, Michigan to Harlan, Kentucky have access to clean and safe drinking water. The Biden-Harris Administration firmly believes that “getting to a 100% clean energy economy is not only an obligation, it’s an opportunity. We should fully adopt a clean energy future, not just for all of us today, but for our children and grandchildren, so their tomorrow is healthier, safer, and more just.”
Economy:
President Donald Trump inherited a very strong economy upon taking office in early 2017. After a gross mishandling of the Coronavirus pandemic, president-elect Joe Biden and his administration are left facing a steep uphill economic battle. America is currently divided on many issues, but common ground can be found on the importance of the country’s economic recovery. Dubbed “Build Back Better,” Biden has a $7.3 trillion plan to turn the state of America’s economy and job market around.
Earlier this year when Covid-19 first struck the U.S., unemployment rates reached nearly 15%, which is around 50% higher than the rate at the peak of the 2008 crisis. Moody’s Analytics, an economic research firm found that even with a majority-republican congress, Biden’s business stimulus proposals would lead to 13.6 million new jobs over the course of his first term in office.
These jobs would come primarily as a result of Biden’s proposed small business stimulus plan. Under President Trump, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has provided some funding for small businesses, but not nearly enough. With lax restrictions and qualifications, the PPP dolled out a large portion of the roughly $2 trillion it was granted to businesses that employed less than 500 people per location. This allowed companies that employ thousands to get “small business” stimulus. Joe Biden publicly called for half of that money to be set aside for what he considered to be small businesses, those that employ 50 people or less. Under his Build Back Better plan, thousands of small businesses nationwide will get much-needed money through an extension of the PPP. The Biden administration says, “This money will guarantee immediate loans that banks provide to small businesses to make payroll, pay rent and other costs, and keep their doors open.”
For those who remain unemployed even through the small business stimulus, Biden will extend crisis unemployment programs and will cover health insurance costs. Biden also pledges to create 100,000 new jobs in the health sector and increase jobs in manufacturing.
In order to help the economy recover, the Biden administration says, “We will spend whatever it takes.” While acknowledging that the $1,200 per person stimulus given out earlier this year was a good start, Biden understands that “one-off” checks like these do little for long term economic recovery. To supplement, the Biden administration says that they will:
- Provide for additional checks to families should conditions require.
- Forgive a minimum of $10,000 per person of federal student loans
- Provide emergency paid sick leave to everyone who needs it
- Ensure that no one has to pay a dollar out of pocket for COVID-19 testing, treatment, or an eventual vaccine
- Provide all necessary fiscal relief to states so their workers and communities get the help they need
In addition to this, Joe Biden sees climate change as not only a major issue but as a possible solution to economic problems. Pledging to create thousands of jobs in clean and renewable energy, this world disaster could create pathways to success for many.
Joe Biden recognizes the massive racial wealth gap and pledges to invest tens of billions of dollars in minority-owned businesses. The administration also has plans to create a college affordability program that will offer free public university education to families who make less than $125,000 annually. This comes in addition to the $800 billion, 40% of the $2 trillion he plans to invest in clean energy will go to disadvantaged, minority communities.
To pay for these plans, Biden will tax the wealthy and the country’s large companies. He will raise taxes on households with an income of over $400,000 annually and reduce tax deductions. He also plans to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%.
The desires of the Biden Administration will be difficult to accomplish without Senate control, thus Biden will need to use a combination of executive orders, persuasion of Congress, and advocating for people to vote in Georgia to achieve major economic success.
Healthcare:
Having affordable healthcare in the United States has been a problem for many years. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. Since then, the Affordable Care Act has been getting attacked relentlessly. President Trump and Republicans in Congress have been trying to get rid of Obamacare and are now trying to go to the Supreme Court about it. President-Elect Biden says that healthcare is very personal to him. He wants people to be able to get help if they need it or if a loved one needs it. After Obamacare was made, the number of Americans lacking health care went from 44 million to 27 million by 2016. Since then, the number of uninsured Americans has gone up roughly 1.4 million. Biden’s plan is to expand on the Affordable Care Act and estimates that 97% of Americans will be insured. Biden’s plan for reimagining the American healthcare system is:
- Give every American access to affordable, quality health insurance in a less complex system and provide a public option as well.
- Intervening in the abuse of power conducted by prescription drug corporations and regulating prices of drugs.
- Ensure healthcare is a right for all, not a privilege for few by increasing funding to the American healthcare system.
President-elect Biden says that he wants to be “Supporting health, not rewarding wealth”. He wants everyone to be able to have access to affordable health care. He will lower prices so that everyone will be protected. He does not want the healthcare system to discriminate against anyone. He wants people to know they are being protected for any health problem they could have and for it to be a reasonable price. It is important to him to lower prescription drug prices so that people who need them will be able to afford them. Biden plans to build on the Affordable Care Act and to help all Americans have health insurance no matter how much money they have.
As January 20th looms around the corner, all eyes are on Joe Biden to see how he will lead the country. The first one hundred days of Biden’s presidency will be centered around resolving the widespread tension and mitigating the spread of this pandemic. With plans regarding COVID-19, climate change, the economy, and more, the Biden-Harris administration is prepared to tackle all challenges heading their way. Can they fulfill all their promises? Or will the next four years be stagnant? Only time will tell.
References:
https://money.com/biden-and-jobs-unemployment-benefits/
https://www.al.com/news/2020/11/what-is-joe-bidens-plan-for-the-us-economy.html
