Joe Biden is the President - now what?
Image: Photo by Rom Matibag on Unsplash
It’s safe to say that today has been long anticipated. The inauguration of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th president of the United States marks the end of a troubling chapter in American history, the latest of many. But saying goodbye to Donald Trump is not as simple as seeing him off the White House lawn, no matter how symbolic watching him fly away from Washington was. His legacy will endure, and Biden certainly has his work cut out.
In his inaugural address, Biden sought to unify the nation, appealing to the staunchest of Trump supporters. “I will be a president for all Americans. I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.” But in a world as divided as today’s this will be much easier said than done. Biden condemned the violence of 6th January, but the true worry is that the pro-Trump insurrection was the culmination of years of disinformation. It will take more than kind words to overcome the strength of fake news, most notably from the QAnon movement.
In renouncing the Trump presidency, Biden did not mention him by name even once, and instead reached out to his supporters. Perhaps a smart move, considering the vitriol that a direct attack on the outgoing president could cause. He focused on the issues he would be tackling, taking a silent moment to mourn the more than 400,000 Americans killed by COVID-19 - something Trump did not do in his farewell address. But Biden must reflect that care in his healthcare policy in order to retain popularity. His coronavirus relief plan has already come under fire as a broken promise, so it will be the number one priority to ensure a swift rollout of vaccines.
Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash
“I will be a president for all Americans. I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did”
Biden pledges to end the “uncivil war” that came to define the Trump era. But the economic, social and environmental issues facing the U.S. have never been bigger. The pandemic’s disproportionate impact on unemployment, the climate crisis, and racial inequality cannot be solved by executive order. Kamala Harris’ historic inauguration sees her become the Senate’s new tiebreaker, but bipartisan legislation will still be essential.
In the coming weeks and months, I will be staying up to date with the Biden administration’s fight against the legacy of Donald Trump. No presidential to do list has ever been bigger - only time will tell how much he will tick off.
