My Shock: Joe Biden First 100 Days a commentary on the Left
On August 20th 2020 Joe Biden accepted the Democratic nomination with Kamala Harris being chosen as his Vice-President. And on November 7th 2020, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris became President-elect and Vice-President elect respectively. I remember me the Bernie Sanders supporter, a social democrat being upset as I watched the DNC. Silently saying to myself why couldn’t Bernie win! And on election day I remember my dread and cursing to myself: “Joe Freaking Biden! I am really voting for Joe Biden!” as I went to my polling station and filling out Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on the Working Family Party line. Imagine my shock when I sat here today and say Joe Biden has had a “good” 100 days. And yet there are those on my side say his first 100 days have said its back to the status quo and have lost hope in the process. And to those people I say that you have no right to believe such a thing.
To start I must mention how much I didn’t like Joe Biden, I remember the crime bills, I remember him trying to cut welfare programs such as social security, his staunch stance against universal health care, and even his work with segregationist! I truly did not like Joe Biden with me only liking this man during his vice-presidency of President Obama. And this was only because I knew nothing of politics. Yet, I now confidently say that Joe Biden first 100 days of presidency were “good”. I use good because it hasn’t been perfect and I especially take issue with his bombing in Syria and his refusal to forgive student loans.
But, aside from those issues that are important and what hesitates me from saying a “great” government. However, we must admit that he is governing more left than originally expected. The American Rescue Plan while not the perfect bill I wanted to be, included $1,200 checks to every American, not just to adults, but college students as well. An extension of $400 unemployment benefits, $3,600 child tax credit. Not to mention a promise to completely pull-out troops from Afghanistan this upcoming 9/11. And lastly in his upcoming bill Biden plans on making community college free for up to ten years. The fact is President Biden has been running a center-left government and that should be celebrated and has already surpassed the Trump administration. Now, I know there are leftist/progressives that share similar views as to me, who say “Trump is such a low-bar?” or “Biden is just meeting the lowest bar, we shouldn’t be celebrating such actions!”. My counter to these statements is simply “yeah, it is meeting such a low bar and that’s why we should celebrate it”. For simple reason that it is progress.
Let's remember before Bidens Presidency, and if your a lefty like me three words come to mind: Milk-Toast Centerist. Who at best will governor as a centrist and at worst a center right president but we didn’t get that Joe Biden. Why? Because of the Left. I guarantee the reason why we are seeing a completely different Joe Biden is because of us: the left. I guarantee that if Bernie Sanders hadn’t run in 2016 and Joe biden had instead we would have same old same old. I mean lets be real; if you told me Joe Biden wanted to pull out troops from Afghanistan back in 2014. I would reply back “what did you smoke, because I want some of that!”
Yet this is happening because of the left and the Bernie Revolution in the democratic party, we have been able to push one of the most centrist politicians to the left. Now, that is something I see as a cause for celebration! My point in this article is quite simply that as a base: the left must not be so cynical when looking at the Biden administration. Yes be critical of the administration but not view what is currently as “no progress” that we have gone back to the status quo and that America is back to pre-Trump. Now, I understand it's frustrating, when reading articles saying that Joe Biden only planning to raise the capital gains tax, for wealthy individuals to 39.6%, him not signing an executive order on student loan forgiveness, him dragging his feet on healthcare issues, etc. And are response to that is simple: keep pushing him! He has shown that he can change and the left can change him! All we have to do is have faith and keep fighting. So, to leave off where I started Joe Biden first 100 days have been “good” but we have to push him to do better!
