NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 01: (Images have been converted in to black and white) Vice President of the … [+] United States Joe Biden speaks on stage during the 2015 Concordia Summit at Grand Hyatt New York on October 1, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)
getty
A pandemic. An economic downturn. And a nation in distress. How do you start when inheriting a country in crisis?
Team Biden has answers: Decisive action. Or in other words, a day full of salient executive orders.
President-elect Joe Biden will start his term to signal a turning point for the state of affairs in America, a New York Times article suggests. This comes at no surprise. Because Bidens running platform has stood at stark contrast with the Trump administrations stance, both on ideological and policy levels.
Towering Biden-Trump Differences Prompt Radical Change
On Covid-19: Biden will push for mandatory mask-wearing policy across the country. Trump left it up to states and localities. Biden expressed interest to invest at least $25B in Covid-19 vaccination program. In comparison, Trump committed just over $10B. On healthcare, disagreements persist. While Biden has bolstered the Affordable Care Act, Trump undermined the same in a 2017 executive order.
On Race, Diversity And Inclusion: Bidens cabinetappointments reflect Americas diversity. Trumps advisors had fewer Black Americans. Concerning policing, Biden plans increased oversight of policy departments with a record of civil rights violations. Biden will also address racial economic disparities: creation of fair-lending and fair-housing protections and extending $300M to decrease discriminatory zoning regulations. He is also motivated to study the issue of reparations to descendants of slaves. There can be no realization of the American dream without grappling with the original sin of slavery, Biden said. In understanding the potential of reparations, the voices of descendants are central when gathering data and information, he assured.
On The Economy: Biden advocated a cautionary reopening after ramping up Covid-19 testing across the country. Trump differed, pushing states to open rapidly, irrespective of virus cases spiking up. Biden supported raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and reversing part of Trumps 2017 tax cuts.
On Climate Change: By 2035, Biden envisions 100% clean electricity. While Trump pulled back some of President Obamas regulations, Biden will revive tougher standards: eliminating subsidies for oil, strengthening auto-emission benchmarks, researching nuclear energy. Most notably, Biden wants to re-enter the Paris Climate Agreement, a move that will reverse Trumps aversion to climate diplomacy.
On Immigration: Biden has expressed intent to rescind many of Trumps signature hardline policies that, in effect, were fundamental to the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. Biden will not limit immigration during the Covid-19 pandemic. He will protect the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that the Trump administration decided to terminate. Biden opposes Trumps zero-tolerance policy on illegal border crossing that eventually resulted in widespread family separations. Biden also plans to rescind the travel ban, a creation of the Trump administrations executive orders.
Expected Line-Up of Executive Orders On Day One
On his first day in office, Bidens executive orders will be partly substantive and partly symbolic. Following are anticipated, reports suggest:
- Rescinding the travel ban on predominantly Muslim-majority countries;
- Halting evictions during the coronavirus pandemic;
- Pause on student loan payments during the coronavirus pandemic;
- Issuing a mask-wearing mandate on all federal property;
- Re-entering the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
For Young People, All Eyes On Bidens First Day In Office:
Weve seen a youthquake, TIMEs wrote on the 2020 presidential elections. Throughout the election cycle, young people in general and youth of color in particular came out in extraordinary support for the Biden campaign. Voting data indicates youth of color supported Biden in key states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona. Black and Latino young people had game-changing impact on Bidens performance in Arizona and Georgia.
Voter turnout for youth in last years presidential election was the highest in over 100 years. They TikToked, they led marches and they stepped up as poll workers in their communities, Maria Espada said in November, Now, theyve helped tap the next President of the United States.
As Joe Biden heads into the White House, young people are watching. From student loan forgiveness and job creation to healthcare coverage and reopening of educational institutes, young Americans are awaiting policy action that is empowering, robust and restorative. They solidly favored Joe Biden. For the president-elect now, it is time to swiftly prioritize intersectional issues affecting them. The tone needs to be set from day one.read more
