By: Catherine Daleo
Reading time: 10 minutes
For many, Saturday, November 7th, was a day of celebration. A day of relief. A breath of fresh air. A lifting of the weight on our collective shoulders from the past four years.
The AP finally called it – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are now our President- and Vice Presidents-elect, and Donald Trump has been “fired” by the American people, who are celebrating across the country.
While there is much to celebrate right now, especially with the results of certain state elections and ballot initiatives, it is important to remember that today is not necessarily a day of celebration for many others in the country.
I am not referring to people who supported Trump and are upset over his loss.
I mean to the people who voted for Biden because they acknowledged that Trump is an existential threat to our country and democracy. And I mean those who decided to protest-vote or not vote at all because they felt disenfranchised.
The people who were forced to choose, once again, between the lesser of two evils, and responded how they each saw fit. People who have been harmed by the policies of presidents from Trump to Obama, from the administrations over the last few decades before, and from the very inception of our country.
This includes Black and Indigenous people who’ve been wronged by this country for centuries; people of color in general who’ve dealt with systemic racism at all levels; immigrants, Hispanic people especially, who saw detentions and massive deportations which happened under Bush and Obama only get worse under Trump as human rights violations were committed; people who are impoverished or can’t afford health care; and everyone who is sick of inaction against things like police brutality or climate change, or of war, wasteful spending, and corruption.
These people know that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ records – from the past to the present – are not that great on these fronts and many others. There is much to be concerned about and much to be criticized. But despite that, people elected them to lead our country. Making sure that is done effectively is another story yet to be written.
Unfortunately, we have a two-party system, we have the electoral college, and we don’t have ranked-choice voting. While only a couple of notches below Trump regarding his political history, policies, and positions, it is arguable that between the two main choices we had this election, Biden was the “better” one, if only by comparison.
Trump has damaged much of our country in four short years, the effects of which will be playing out for many years, even decades, to come – just in the Supreme Court alone.
What’s important to remember is that Trump is a symptom, not the disease, of what plagues our country. The things that made it possible for him to be elected, get this far, and do this much harm are still everpresent and must be addressed if we want to prevent something like this from happening again.
Because the next time someone like Trump comes along, they will be much more dangerous. And with nearly half the country voting for Trump, despite everything we’ve seen, there is a lot to address about the heart of our country while we still have a chance.
At most, Biden’s win is a band-aid solution. Unless we make some massive changes in this country, things will not get better for most people. Our country is still very ill, and we have an incredibly long road ahead of us to heal as a nation so we may prosper and rise from the ashes of the dumpster fire that was the last four years.
Biden mostly ran on a campaign that was simply him not being Trump, which was effective given the situation’s seriousness. There was not much promised to voters to really sway them, though. Arguably, the Biden campaign focused more on moderate Republicans than they did members of their party’s left-wing, appearing to expect them to “tow the line,” as it were.
Whether or not they identify as Democrats, despite the way Biden ran his campaign – Black, Indigenous, and other people of color still showed up for Biden in droves and secured his win, which came concerningly close, given everything we’ve gone through and despite Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic.
The Navajo nation backed Biden with 97% of the vote and was critically important in flipping Arizona to blue. People like Stacey Abrams, Tameika Atkins, Helen Butler, Nsé Ufot, and Deborah Scott mobilized voters in Georgia helping to secure the win there. And, people like Bernie Sanders, Nina Turner, The Squad, and all the other progressive candidates, coalitions, and people who worked tirelessly to get people out to vote and make this election historic in many ways. To all of them, we owe them our gratitude.
We broke voting records across the board; re-elected and expanded the Squad, increased the number of progressive candidates in the House; elected more BIPOC to Congress as well as to state and local offices and courts; we elected more LGBTQ+ people to office; and we have our first woman and person of color as our Vice President.
These things are worth celebrating. And worth acknowledging with a grain of salt.
Nearly all the progressive candidates who ran for office won their elections and re-elections, particularly those running on a platform of Medicare For All and a Green New Deal. In contrast, many moderate and centrist incumbents lost theirs. We ended up losing seats in the House. The senate’s balance is still in limbo, as Republican senators like Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham won reelection, despite the damage they’ve done in the Senate the last four years in their support for Trump. The runoff election in Georgia happening in January will determine the Senate’s fate.
For the Democratic National Committee, it needs to be a wake-up call to them. They won because of the efforts of grassroots organizers and progressives and the American people who came out and did their civic duty to ensure democracy.
Without those people, it’s entirely likely that Trump would have won. The amount of disenfranchised voters who still showed up to the polls is outstanding, and their importance needs to be recognized. They deserve an actual seat at the table and should be listened to and acknowledged.
More than that, the issues which so many people feel disenfranchised by must be addressed.
As I said – Biden’s win is a band-aid solution, much like Obama’s was. Part of the reason stems from the corporate control and influence over our government. The other part was that people assumed that things would be okay under Obama and didn’t get as politically involved as we were this year and in recent years. We were complacent as a nation, it hurt us severely, and we can’t let that happen again.
Biden being president will not automatically fix things. We the people will decide what is accomplished in the next four years. We can not be satisfied with the reversal of damage that Trump caused as the only thing done. We must push for so much greater than that as a goal for our country and for the administration we are about to be governed under. We are more than capable of it; we just have to fight for it, and never waver.
We must secure our democracy for future generations and fix the problems in our system. Our government and republic can not be allowed to be this easy to dismantle ever again. We must safeguard it against the Trumps of the future.
It is up to us to work together to ensure that our country learns from this experience and truly moves forward to something better.
This includes holding every person in our government accountable, from our local governments all the way up to Biden and Harris. It’s time for our government to start answering to us and working for us. They have been chosen to represent us, and it is our responsibility to make sure that they follow through with that obligation.
No more can we be on the sidelines to how our government works. We must be active members of our country to be a truly great nation.
And for those who told people to essentially “suck it up” and vote for Biden, saying we will hold him accountable – don’t let those be empty words. Act on it. Do not “go back to brunch”.
Over the coming months, as we prepare for the transition of power and welcome a new administration, each of us should be seeking out ways to be involved in whatever capacity we can manage.
Whether it is big or small, everyone should be committing themselves to something because we all have a part to play. Don’t worry – you won’t have to carry the weight upon your shoulders alone. If we are all doing something to the best of our means, we collectively will move this country forward.
Here are some things you can consider doing in the coming weeks:
- Make a list of representatives at every government level you want to contact and demand action on the issues you care about.
- Identify representatives who actually work towards addressing those issues, and find ways to support them and communicate with them regularly. If there’s someone who really does a good job, donate to their campaign or volunteer if possible.
- Know who your local representatives are, including your county commissioners and city council members, members of the boards in your school district, judges in your city and state, and so on. All of these people make decisions that affect you, your family, your neighbors, and your community directly.
- Keep a watchful eye on these people and call them out on their bullshit and the things that they do or say that are harmful. Don’t let excuses be made for politicians, no matter how much you like them or agree with them. Also, let those who are doing well know you support them, but give them constructive feedback and criticism when necessary.
- Hold everyone accountable by writing letters or calling offices when necessary, attending or viewing meetings and legislative sessions when possible, joining demonstrations or sit-ins if needed, and hold their feet to the fire when they are not representing their constituents. Part of this also means not worshipping politicians at all, including those who lean towards your ideals. I’m already seeing people with Biden flags in their yards, some of whom probably called Trump supporters cultists, but fail to see the irony in their own worship of other politicians. Doing this blinds people to the faults of those they follow. Don’t fall into this trap.
- Call or write to Congress members (both the House and Senate) who are not in your state to increase the volume of the voices demanding action on things, especially when certain bills are being voted on.
- Get organized by joining coalitions and committees in your community that focuses on different issues or goals. Want to fight climate change? Find an environmental organization to work with. Want action on progressive issues? Find a local group that works to push for that. Look for mutual aid networks in your area and see how you can get involved. Even just joining a neighborhood group and sharing information about what’s happening in the community or about those in need is a revolutionary act. Don’t see a group in your area addressing an issue you care about? Start your own organization!
- Help get initiatives and propositions written up in your state, and/or volunteer to help collect signatures for those ballot measures or for any petitions to get legislation passed by your city or state. Share petitions when possible.
- Volunteer for something, whether it’s to call/text people for a non-profit organization that focuses on a specific cause or legislation, a non-profit in general, or even a campaign/candidate you support. All of these efforts need the help and support of people like you to create change. Walking a dog at a rescue, picking up trash at a park, and everything else you do makes a difference and impacts your community for the better.
- Run for office, encourage/help your friends and family to run for office, and support people running for office that will fight for change. Whether it’s for a local position or a national one, being involved in our democracy directly can be the most impactful thing one can do for their country. And with the success of people from the Squad in 2018 to those elected this year, we know for a fact how it truly is possible for regular Americans to win a major election and shape the future of our nation. We need more teachers and doctors; artists and writers; cashiers and service workers; tradespeople and construction workers; and everyone in between representing their communities.
- Be active and be loud about EVERYTHING. No matter what you do, always find a way to be a part of something – part of the movement, whatever that movement for you is. There is little that is not affected by politics in some way, so find something you love and see where help is needed. Speak up when you see things that are going unnoticed or are ignored in your community and country. Never let others silence you or stop you from speaking the truth and what is a legitimate fact. We’ve gone through four years of people rejecting reality, and we must not be gaslit about what is real and what is not. This starts at home and extends out into our community, just like we saw in response to the pandemic. Share information with people every chance you get to help spread awareness, but be ready to provide sources to back your claims up. If people reject objective evidence, call them out on it. Facts don’t care about feelings.
- Be informed about what’s going on in your community, the country, and the world. Verify claims, ask questions, look at all sides and perspectives, and be aware of fallacious arguments. Trust science and objective research, especially what is peer-reviewed and widely accepted among experts in a particular field. Do your own research, and dig deeper than a YouTube video, blog post, or other “source” making a claim. Please support local journalism, get a newspaper subscription (online or in print form), and actually read it! If you want to know what’s really happening in your community, it’s often journalists who uncover and report it -especially local corruption.
- VOTE! If this year proved anything, it’s that your vote absolutely matters, on every level. The Senate literally hangs in the balance of two elections in Georgia because the votes were so close they couldn’t call it. So whenever a special election comes up, a general election happens, or the midterms come, VOTE! Make your voice heard! Don’t only vote when we’re electing the president.
The time for not caring about “politics” needs to end.
When people say they don’t like politics, they fail to realize that everything we do and the way everything is, is a direct result of politics. Having animal rescues or homeless shelters in your community is politics. Politics determine business, education, and healthcare. Protections for workers and consumers is politics. The type of energy we use, addressing climate change, and whether or not we have a planet to leave our grandchildren is politics. Dealing with police brutality and fixing the criminal justice system is politics. Ensuring our constitution is upheld and that human rights are guaranteed for all is politics.
Everything is determined by this single word that has such a negative connotation. But it doesn’t have to. We can make politics a beautiful thing when we are active in it, because then it becomes a reflection of us and our communities.
When we as individuals care about other people – particularly those outside of our circles and the groups we identify with and choose to fight for people we don’t know – that is when our country will be great. We must do this with no expectation of getting something in return, other than the satisfaction of building our community and nation – and of helping our fellow Americans.
When we are kind as a nation, we will be a nation of love and respect, and will truly prosper. Until then, the fight for our future and how we define ourselves as a country continues. But we have to look at ourselves in the mirror and address the underlying issues we’ve ignored long enough.
By all means, celebrate this moment. Enjoy the happiness and relief that so many are experiencing right now. Be hopeful for the future again. We as a country deserve that much after everything. But to take a quote from Hamilton, remember this – “this is not a moment, it’s a movement.”
It doesn’t end here. It only begins.
Use this time to take a break from everything we’ve gone through. Breathe. Rest. Pause. Rejoice. Raise a glass (“to freedom”)! But once you’ve done that, don’t be complacent. There is so much work to do on so many levels. Get ready for the marathon because this was just the warm-up.
We have been granted a reprieve. We’ve been given an opportunity. We have been shown the problems that so deeply plague the country and threaten its prosperity for future generations. And, we have been given the tools and knowledge to create solutions to those problems. We have to utilize those resources if we are to build the country we want, redefine ourselves, and what the American Dream can be.
We cannot waste our shot. I’m not going to waste mine.
As we prepare to enter this new year and a new administration, I will say what I always like to say: Always look for ways to get in motion, and please remember to always be kind and be the change you want to see.
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