Biden x Harris: A New Age
FINALLY we have a result, after a hectic few days of anticipation, number crunching and sleep deprivation. I'm ecstatic to announce that Joe Biden is officially the President of the United States!
Joe Biden has been elected as the 46th President of the United States of America. This means that Senator Kamala Harris has been elected as the Vice President of the United States of America. A victory for the Democrats!
So what actually happened?
“Well, Pennsylvania, you beauty. You turned blue and tided Biden over to 273, giving him the presidency.”
So how? Well, Pennsylvania, you beauty. You turned blue and tided Biden over to 273, giving him the presidency. Nevada has announced it is in Biden's favour but not before Pennsylvania did, meaning it wasn't a big deal. Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina and Alaska are yet to declare but will not change the outcome. Biden and Harris are in!
This election was so crucial. Every election is of course important to a country, but the last four years of the administration have been detrimental to not just America but the entire world. Trump's term has been explosive - he signed a hateful Muslim ban; he was against taking the knee and the BLM protests; he called paedophile Jeffrey Epstein 'a terrific guy'; he was impeached over a call to Ukraine; he pulled America out of the Paris Agreement and he called African countries 'sh*tholes'. And that's not even half of it.
Trump seemed to stand for everything the alt-right loved, racism, misogyny, hatred of religious groups etc. Many people don't understand how someone with these views could be elected in the highest office of the United States. You might think that it was a joke, or a blip, with Hillary Clinton being the favourite to win back in 2016. This election has shown that there is still a significant demand for a Trumpian figure that appeals to voters, because Biden's pathway to victory wasn't an easy one.
Landslide or close call?
"It's clear from this election that Biden was indeed the correct candidate and the only candidate who could have appealed to a wide demographic of voters. "
At a time when we are seeing the far right rising and increasing rates of racism and islamophobia, this election proves that we can be better, that we want to be better. But then again, why was this election so close? Biden (at the time of writing) has not won a landslide and we weren't sure whether Trump would beat him. Given Trump's atrocious handling of the pandemic (not wearing masks and the recommendation of drinking bleach), you would naturally assume Biden's victory. Trump has been the most controversial President in history, with his close ties to dictators and unwillingness to condemn far right groups in America.
And yet, the call was close. It's clear from this election that Biden was indeed the correct candidate and the only candidate who could have appealed to a wide demographic of voters. With his 40+ years as a senator and 8 years as Vice President with Obama, there is no doubt about his wealth of experience, having been in the game since the 70s. It certainly feels like nobody else could have defeated Trump.
KAMALA
"Kamala's appointment is historic, and should be celebrated accordingly, but let's normalise it."
On the topic of Biden's experience, it'd be rude not to mention his trusty new Vice President-elect, Senator Kamala Harris of California. Kamala is now the first female, first Black and first Indian VP in US history, making her election a historic achievement for the rights of women and minorities.
As an Asian female, seeing Kamala in the White House makes me excited.
I see Kamala and I see hope. Hope for young girls wanting to enter politics, when every barrier is against them. Hope for young black people, who want more representation in politics so it is fair for all. Hope for the future, not just of America, but of the world, because we can make a difference when it matters to us. This election is proof of that.
Kamala's appointment is historic, and should be celebrated accordingly, but let's normalise it. After Kamala, there should be more. We need to keep progressing and prove that women and ethnic minorities deserve a seat at the table as much as white men do.
I still think Biden's appointment was suitable as a candidate, because look at the struggle. As a white male in his 70s, Biden struggled to win this election. Kamala, or any candidate who didn't fit this criteria stood no chance. Hillary Clinton could not win, despite her decades of experience, as a white female.
So maybe America isn't ready for 'catstrophic' change in the form of a female/POC President, but we'll settle for Kamala as VP for now. Baby steps.
And next?
"Biden's win symbolises a new golden age for America."
Biden's win symbolises a new golden age for America. How he will interact with countries and the deals he will do (with the UK following Brexit) remain to be seen.
Trump is in denial about the result, he's currently on a golf course. He will probably be getting on with his lawsuits and Supreme Court appeal in a desperate last bid to cling to the White House. But who cares? He's officially irrelevant as of today.
I'm excited to see the work Joe and Kamala will do. Here's to the next 4 years America, and this time, I truly believe we can make it great again.
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