Graphic created by Evan Brooks using Wix.
The United States has officially entered into a new administration, headed by the 46th President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden Jr., a former Delaware Senator and Vice President to President Obama. At the heart of the questions surrounding this new administration are two in particular: what will this new administration mean and look like for America, and what will we see from the now former president?
It would be a lie to state that leading up to this new administration instability and division had not been ruling America for the past several months, if not a couple years. No time in our nation’s history has it been this hard to transfer power peacefully. I am personally appalled by the actions, statements and atmosphere that has been generated in a country that used to be so magnanimous.
Our country is hurt, deeply wounded by our own kind, and it can only be addressed by our fellow Americans. My hope is that this new administration will bring a new calm and peace to the domestic scene, forging an era of American example of what to strive for instead of what to avoid. It is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history that, should we be up to the task, together we can forge a new meaning of what it means to be American.
Already in the first month, there are evident signs that this administration will blend old democratic values with new progressive ideas. This merging of old and new thought will most likely lead to a steady American future, forged by increasingly progressive initiatives. The previous administration will likely hold influence of the initiatives but not in obvious ways.
The previous administration will most likely influence how the new administration interacts with Congress and how far it can get in the courts. While no longer being president, having been the leader of the Republican party for four years, former President Trump will still hold sway over those Republicans in Congress that share his philosophy and, most of all, voter base. The loyalty of a president’s base brings about power for that president to wield.
The question is how long the previous president’s brand of politics will resonate with a significant population of voters. The less voters that subscribe to it, the less sway the old administration will have. The new administration will have to deal with the courts, mostly due to the massive packing of Republican judges in all levels of the judicial system.
Should a judge deem a law unconstitutional, say the Green New Deal, then the law no longer is in effect. This is most likely to occur in the highest of courts. With the Democratic party holding both chambers of Congress and the executive branch, they will be able to place their own judges, balancing the judiciary.
Looking at things straight on, the new administration is likely to look a lot like the Obama years but a bit more progressive in terms of policy. A lot of the administration’s time will be spent on the war against COVID-19, the unification of America, strengthening of foreign policy and rebuilding the economy.
The level of success from this administration will be determined on how much can be done, which will in turn be influenced by how well the government can cooperate. I think that this administration will bring back a sense of normalcy, which it already has with the normal press briefings. The excitement from this new administration will spark from the outside, progressive movements and old voices. It is all probably what America needs, if not wants, at this moment: a bit of calm, so we can begin to piece ourselves back together.
Evan Brooks is a third-year Business Management major with minors in Economics and Civic and Professional Leadership EB916132@wcupa.edu.