Opinion: Joe Biden Isn't The Democratic Candidate That We Need | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Opinion: Joe Biden Isn't The Democratic Candidate That We Need

Old, white, and moderate? Been there, done that.

439
Opinion: Joe Biden Isn't The Democratic Candidate That We Need

Recently, former Vice President Joe Biden officially announced his run for president in 2020. There's been a big mix of emotions over his candidacy from the left—some love the idea, some hate it, and others are somewhere in between.

Here's my take: Biden is not the Democratic President that we need. His campaign so far looks to be running on a platform of only two main things:

1. Defeating Trump.

2. Helping out labor unions.

While both of these are obviously important to Democrats, many of the other candidates are focusing on a much wider array of issues, and are willing to take much more progressive stances than Biden. Bernie Sanders, for example, is running again; and while his candidacy faces the same age-related issue as Biden's (Sanders is 77 and Biden is 76), he still holds a much more liberal agenda than does Biden. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Tulsi Gabbard, and Beto O'Rourke, among others, are other candidates who have platforms that are more progressive.

It's also impossible to ignore the case involving Anita Hill, where Biden completely mishandled her trial, to say the least. Hill was testifying against judge Clarence Thomas, claiming he had sexually harassed her when they worked together in the 1980s. While presiding over the hearings for this trial, Biden allowed members of the committee to attack Hill and didn't do a decent job calling forth witnesses that could have helped Hill's case; in summary, Hill did not receive what many of us would deem a fair trial. Biden, to this day, has not issued her the adequate apology that she deserves. We can claim that this is "nothing" compared to the stacks of sexual assault/harassment accusations that our current President has stacked against him. If you ask me, though, I'd like to finally see a President that actively condemns anything involving sexual misconduct and the way it's so commonly mishandled in our country.

Granted, it's easiest to picture Biden winning the presidency and getting Trump out of office, which is a big priority for Democrats and even some Republicans. Biden's been vocal about his disdain towards the Trump presidency and about his goal to get Trump out of office, which is definitely an effort that I and many others on the left appreciate. Additionally, his centrist-leaning views, appeal to the working class, and his focus on the morality on our country could definitely help him win the Republican votes he'll need to get Trump out of office.

However, the question becomes this: Is it enough just to kick Trump out of the White House? It's certainly a very important first step in getting this country on track, but there's so much more to address once that actually happens. There's so much more, not just on Democrats' agenda, but on the country's agenda. What is the next President going to do to combat climate change? Where will they stand on Medicare? Are low-income families going to get the assistance that they need? Will student-loan debt continues to skyrocket, or will our next President finally help us broke college students out? These are issues that many of the other Democratic candidates have discussed as some of their main party platforms; meanwhile, Biden has yet to touch on these.

The campaign season has yet to begin, so candidates have yet to fully develop their platforms, and it's still early to see who's going to come out on top. I don't know yet which Democrat I'll be giving my vote to, but I know that out of the 20 runnings so far, my vote won't be going to another old white man with a moderate agenda. We need someone young and progressive to make a change, and in my opinion, Biden just won't cut it.

Report this Content
Featured

15 Rhyme Without Reason Greek Life Function Ideas

When you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function

314984
A dog and a frog
Healthy Pets

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Yoga love

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

27892
A person in a yoga pose surrounded by a supportive community of fellow yogis with a look of peace and gratitude on their face the image should convey the sense of strength mindfulness and appreciation that the writer feels towards yoga
StableDiffusion

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Keep Reading...Show less
Arts Entertainment

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion.

8888
The Norse Creation Myth

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

Keep Reading...Show less
Old school ghetto blaster sat on the floor
8tracks radio

We all scroll through the radio stations in the car every once in a while, whether its because we lost signal to our favorite one or we are just bored with the same ol' songs every day. You know when you're going through and you hear a song where you're just like "I forgot this existed!" and before you know it, you're singing every word? Yeah, me too. Like, 95% of the time. If you're like me and LOVE some good throwback music, here's a list of songs from every genre that have gotten lost in time, but never truly forgotten.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

38134
Best Things in Life

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments