Lobby wrote: Fri Nov 06, 2020 7:28 pm
Hugo wrote: Fri Nov 06, 2020 6:49 pm
I wonder how this plays out over the next four years.
Biden campaign garnered the most votes in Presidential election history and has barely scrapped over the line. His was a very diverse coalition (GOP establishment all the way to the BLM types on the left) so Biden will govern in the centre but it is going to be hard to satisfy such a broad church. The primary driving force in the US politics has been Trump for the past five years and without him to energise and mobilize people against him I would imagine turnout and participation in politics will recede. Also, I can imagine the "settle for Biden" Warren/Sanders types becoming disillusioned if stuff is not accomplished specifically on healthcare. I'm not sure that Biden or Harris ever really articulated a clear position on healthcare during any of this, seemed like a lot of back and forth. Maybe they did, I just seem to recall them saying one thing during one debate, then switching their position a few days later.
Going to be interesting to see how the media adapts, Trump has been the most covered President in history and has been a godsend to the 24 hour news media. It's not going to be as easy to capture people's attention with a conventional politician.
I’m not sure. It’s just possible that a dull and dependable presidency is just what America needs, rather than yet more controversy and division. Settle the wounds opened during 4 years of Trumpian chaos, and then look to the second term to move forward with a more radical agenda.
A simmering down that a plodding Presidency would offer is a good thing undoubtedly but the underlying problems that existed four years ago and that gave rise to Trump haven't gone away and will need to be addressed with a degree of urgency:
1. The environment/climate change - the window is closing on this.
2. Wealth inequality - I'm guessing one of the outcomes of COVID has been a massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the rich, the devastation of small, locally owned businesses whilst the likes of Amazon made out like bandits.
3. Healthcare not provided to all but tied to jobs. Jobs that may have been lost since the outbreak of COVID.
These are all pressing issues that he is going to have to deal with in the first term.