It is advised that you sit down before reading this article. As of April 8, Sen. Bernie Sanders has called for an official suspension to his presidential campaign. This will undoubtedly confirm former Vice President Joe Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee. Sanders fought vigilantly for proposals such as the Green New Deal, Medicare-for-All, and a $15 federal minimum wage. Consequently, his legislative agenda has reoriented the landscape of policy debate in the United States. For the second time in two consecutive election cycles, Bernie has failed to secure the Democratic nomination.
Vice President Joe Biden played a very consequential role in the White House during the two-term Obama administration, which has made him a very desirable candidate for those who would prefer a continuation of Obama rather than Trump. On March 3, 2020, candidate Biden won 10 of the 14 voting Super Tuesday states. Sanders had initially won the first three state primaries but was unable to overcome the coalescence of Biden and the establishment. Biden’s path to the presidency is now only obscured by sitting President Donald Trump. The two politicians have been caught up on opposite ends of the Russiagate imbroglio, which makes Trump’s incumbency a limiting factor to Biden’s legitimacy as a candidate.
The 2020 presidential election is one of enormous magnitude. The democratic field is narrowed to one, after endless debates featuring dozens of candidates. Finally, the democratic establishment has chosen their person to take down Trump. The Biden campaign has done everything in its power to conceal Biden from the public spotlight, which is a sound strategy given Biden’s age and temperament. This route has been a viable one. In his efforts to acquire the nomination, Biden did undoubtedly face overwhelming scrutiny from liberals and conservatives alike. Amid coronavirus concerns, both Biden and Sanders took to digital modes of communication. As the nation faces a dire health crisis, Sanders will reallocate his efforts to supporting Biden. Now the guaranteed nominee, Biden’s camp will look to select a running mate. In their final debate, both Sanders and Biden announced they would pick a female vice-presidential candidate. Regardless of his future running mate, Joe Biden has fundamental strengths that will prove decisive in his presidential bid. With senior voters (a demographic which votes quite consistently), Biden does extremely well, whereas Sanders did not. His numerous years of administrative experience make him overqualified for the job, despite concerns about his cognitive ability. We shall wait to see what is in store for the November election as coronavirus continues to savage the country at an unparalleled rate. Trump’s reluctance to act against his self-interests has virtually crippled the national response to the pandemic. This exemplifies the importance of the election.
Trump’s whimsical and virulent nature makes him the single greatest threat to democracy in the world. No democratic country can function healthily without strong institutions, an informed public, and a transparent government. Trump has upended these ideas and replaced them with his cult of personality. There is a cult, but there is no personality. Biden is problematic in my eyes, but next to Trump, he looks like John F. Kennedy’s doppelganger. Bernie’s movement was predicated on grassroots involvement, and his movement does not end with him. As a generation, it will take the greatest sum of our efforts to rescue this country from decay and collapse lest we forget about climate change, student debt, wealth inequality, etc. We can and must do something before it’s too late. Whether or not voting booths are open on Nov. 3, exercise your rights and go vote!
