by Grayson Lewis (staff writer)

Over the course of American history, two major political parties have emerged: the Democratic party and the Republican party. Through the changing currents of American demographics and feelings, the parties have changes in a multitude of ways, leaving us with the left-leaning Democratic party and right-leaning Republican party that we know today. Over the years, the Republican party has grown a reactionary base, and have moved to set America back decades. The Democratic party currently has, and has had, the platform to make meaningful, progressive changes in America, but instead tend to be passive towards Republicans in the name of cooperation and bipartisanship. Don’t get me wrong, bipartisanship and mutual cooperation is important, but Democrats do it to a point where it’s utter appeasement. The leader of the Democratic party, and the nation, Joe Biden, is a repeated offender of this appeasement and complacency, with past complacencies and current lack of drive for progressive change. In a political and social climate where change should no longer be delayed, President Biden and the Democratic party need to end the appeasement they bring towards Republicans. For the sake of the wellbeing of not only the nation, but the party itself, they must enact the progressive change they have withheld for years. 

Since his time in the senate, Joe Biden has been the ideal bipartisan negotiator for the Republicans, since he’s so ready to give them what they want. NAME THINGS HE CAVED TO. Bipartisanship and working across the aisle IS important- but there’s a fine line between bipartisan cooperation and appeasement, a line that Joe Biden has crossed many times. This pushes Republicans forward with their power and helps them to enact horrible policies. That raises a question.. Why is Biden’s appeasement a bad strategy? The simple answer to the question is that it ends up fueling the republican Party, and their conservative base. If they see that Biden is willing to cater to their needs, they will slowly, but surely start adding interest in order to achieve the ultimate goals of the party. Since the Republican party is based on tradition and religion, their intolerance is increasingly evidence. Of course there are racist Democrats, but most Conservative Republicans enact their bigoted views on harsher level, and a lot, but not all, of them take the opportunity to be harmful towards other communities. If Biden is a pushover in his party, that means the Republicans will take every opportunity they have in order to make sure that Biden gives them what they want. There can’t be a pushover leading a party, because then it’ll be as if there was never a new leader or party elected. Biden needs to put up a strong front, otherwise he WILL be taken advantage of.

The idea of Biden being a pushover is a scary one. It would make those on the left feel as if the progress that was made was just trampled on by the ill will of Republicans and the softness of Biden. If our Democrat President is easily swayed by the desire of the opposing party, it leaves a bad reputation of the Democratic party. A Democratic party representative being soft, makes it seem like the rest of the party is soft and easygoing, and not only will Republicans take advantage of the President, but they will use that ability to take advantage of Biden’s party as well. This will not rest well in the hearts and minds of the Democratic party either, because it is ESSENTIAL that the people have trust in their strong politicians. If the President doesn’t put up a strong front, then the work of the left will go to waste; so much campaigning, voter mobilization,  and effort will go down the drain.

With that, it is important to do as we said we would; elect him and hold him accountable. Biden made certain promises to the people that he needs to keep, and if he breaks those promises, then all hope that we had for America will cease to exist. In a world where a pandemic is running rampant, xenophobia and racism are still prevalent, and the decline of the nation’s economy, the American people elected President Biden to take the needed action to solve these problems. Bombing Syria is not what your people asked you to do. Deporting thousands of migrants is not what your people asked you to do.  The American public asked you to have humanity, to raise the minimum wage, to advocate for those who don’t have a voice. You have all the tools you need; a blue Senate, a blue House of Representatives, and the support of Americans. With that said, please take this opportunity to prove that you’re not just Donald Trump in a different colored tie.