This article was written by Scout Pollack of Richard Montgomery High School
As this country heads into 2021, a lot of things are changing. On Jan. 20 Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, bringing an end to Donald Trump’s four year term. The Democrats taking office means a great deal of policy implementation and overall changes to federal decision-making. With the Democrats in control of both chambers of Congress, the change of administration means a new perspective and opinion on the workings of the US. Three of the most important issues facing our society today are as follows: the Covid-19 crisis, racial systematic injustice, and unemployment and poverty.
One of the biggest problems not only nationwide but worldwide is the pandemic that has been raging since March 2020. Vaccines are the one thing on everyone’s minds, as companies such as Pfizier and Moderna have come out of medical trials successfully. Distribution and the actual process of vaccinating every American citizen is a whole different matter. On Feb. 11, Biden announced a deal to secure 200 million vaccines for the United States. Speaking at NIH, Biden said that not only would they vaccinate 300 million Americans, but the time would be pushed up from June to May, with the process ending in July. Biden also plans to open schools for kindergarteners up to 8th grade in the first 100 days of his presidency, suggesting that it would take longer than originally predicted to open high schools, for fear of infecting older students.
While in office, Trump did not enforce a national mask mandate—a proven method to prevent catching the virus—and did not wear one himself in many circumstances. However, on Jan. 22, Biden made masks mandatory in airports, on planes and on federal property. The Washington Post explains how these mandates work and more. These directives were put in place just days after Biden took office, quite a change compared to Trump’s administrative actions.
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement came to mainstream media shortly after George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, was killed by cops in Minneapolis in late May. The national coverage incited many protests and riots across the country, and the movement has been growing ever since. Racial injustice against those from all over the world have also been brought to question, such as xenophobia against Muslims and Pacific Islanders. Biden and the Democrats' support of this movement is evident in the many statements put out by the politicians, though many do not condone the use of violence or destruction to get the point across, expressed in this statement issued by Biden in late May. The new administration has implemented policies such as directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to review racial bias, and establishing federal laws that combat hate towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “Vote for and elect people who promote equality. Call out discrimination when you see it. And keep demanding your elected officials support policies that are inclusive and address systemic injustice,” says Vice President Kamala Harris in an article she wrote for Cosmopolitan. She goes on to say how she is working with senators like Cory Booker to enforce police reform, a main issue in the BLM fight for equality, as police violence is significantly higher against people of color. Harris herself is both African American and South Asian American, and a strong believer in systematic justice, promising to fight the fight as a federal politician.
Since the pandemic started, poverty and unemployment has only grown. The Federal Service Committee has proposed billions of dollars to help those in need pay rent, as well as increase the emergency jobless aid to $400 weekly, until at least August, U.S. News reports. The new administration also plans to send out $1,400 stimulus checks, part of a $1.9 trillion relief plan to help Americans in financial need. The previous administration under Trump passed $600 stimulus checks through Congress in December, and the Democrats hope to get that number up to $2,000. Though the Democrats have proposed raising the minimum wage to $15, it is currently being debated as it might not pertain to the rebuilding of the economy to how it was. Biden’s “Buy America” plan includes $400 billion going to American services and products, as well as some allocated for clean energy and securing the U.S as leaders in the economy. Small businesses are also on the agenda, with $15 billion available to them to help get up and running again.
While all won’t go back to normal immediately, it is clear that our new President and his office have courses of action to help not only our citizens and the economy, but to calm the country’s unrest, and address the inequality that burdens our people to this day.
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