My morning routine consists of checking my phone before I even get out of bed, like most people my age. And a late wake up on November 7th, 2020, meant that the first pieces of information I received were a series of ecstatic texts from my friends and a Twitter notification that Joe Biden has become the President-elect.
The days trailing Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination, through the uncertainty of November 4th, seemed only to heighten the ongoing fears that have followed so many people since 2016. And after days of waiting and waiting, to say this news was a breath of fresh air is an understatement. The Biden-Harris win is something to celebrate. Although it may be idealistic to assume that Trump’s hateful era has finally come to a close, it is sure nice to have a day where that feels like a reality. A day where I can laugh at Trump’s tweets instead of pulling my hair out. A day where I feel, as I’m sure many other Americans feel, that we have gained a new sense of confidence.
Biden’s astounding 74.9 million votes (and counting) can be attributed to his campaign’s stances and promises. The many great promises from the Biden campaign include; “Build Back Better,” Biden’s lengthy Covid plan that aims to tackle both the physical health and economic health of Americans, a clean energy and electricity plan with the goal of slowing climate damage, his support to codify Roe V. Wade, which would make it a federal law, and his promise to fully reverse every discriminatory action against LGBTQ+ people that the Trump-Pence administration put in place.
But the fight does not end here. This is a win for democracy, no doubt, but there is still progress to be made. With a Democratic majority House, a close Senate, and a majority Republican-appointed Supreme Court, it will be a tough battle for most legislation. This means the Biden-Harris administration will have to push hard for legislative progress, and they will need the American people to not only support them, but to push them for greater change. The fight for police reform, prison reform, and military reform, will still need to be heavily fought for, and the battle to push Trump’s rhetoric back underground will be hard. The president alone cannot and will not be able to do this by himself. The closeness of this race shows that change cannot come timidly.
To continue this wave of change, everyone must stay engaged and active. The American people know how to organize. The increase of voter turnout is in part due to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals vocalizing the importance of voting and encouraging people to do whatever they can to help make a Biden-Harris presidency a reality.
There is still much to happen before Biden is sworn in. The official Electoral College vote takes place on December 14. Then comes the Congressional certification on January 6. Not to mention the myriad of lawsuits the Trump team is putting together, and one can only guess what Trump might pull in his last few months of office. But before all of that, it is necessary for everyone to take a deep breath and enjoy this win.