Democracy’s Day
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States this past Wednesday. Kamala D. Harris was sworn in as the Vice President of the United States as well.
History was made when Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman Vice President and the highest-ranking woman of color and South Asian descent in America. She will be joined by other women of color in the most diverse administration we have ever seen. LBGTQ individuals have been nominated to cabinet and other administrative positions. Native Americans too will join the ranks of national leaders for the first time. President Biden’s list of appointees, while not perfect, are consistently educated, experienced, competent and ready to take on their assigned roles. With control of the Senate, all should be confirmed quickly.
President Biden’s inaugural address hit all the right notes. He called for the nation to unify, putting hatred and division away and replacing them with respect for one another, listening to one another, having empathy and compassion and working to find common ground. He also put forth a bold agenda to deal with the crises we face together, ending the COVID pandemic, addressing climate change, dealing with systemic racism, and healing the damage done to our democracy over the past four years. His inaugural ceremony recognized and marked well our multicultural and diverse society by including people of all races, creeds, religions and backgrounds.
The spirit of the inauguration and the incoming administration’s moral imperative was captured by Amanda Gordon. The young poet accepted the challenge and challenged the rest of us to rise above past divisions and hatred, “for there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
The inauguration helped lift a dark cloud from our collective psyche and replaced it with the realization that people who care about us, all of us, are back in charge. They will act with respect, integrity, empathy and compassion. The ceremony, for all its pomp, renewed the American Spirit to seek “a more perfect union.”
After laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, President Biden got to work signing Executive Orders, memorandums and proclamations aimed at reversing some of the damage done during the previous administration.
President Biden went right after the COVID pandemic, immigration, climate change, protecting the environment, systemic racism in our government, ending discrimination against LBGTQ Americans, pausing evictions and foreclosures, ethics in his administration and freezing pending administrative regulations. His first day actions started to fulfill campaign promises and will shore up support in Congress for a bold legislative agenda.
On Thursday, President Biden released a comprehensive plan to speed up the federal response to the pandemic, increase vaccine distribution, mandate travel restrictions and other measures to combat Covid-19.
Clearly, President Biden’s bold strokes will make those who oppose his actions on social or religious grounds wonder how they will unify the country. His agenda makes a clear statement. We can disagree and debate how to achieve the goals he set, but not the goals themselves. We will debate based upon facts and science, not lies and alternate realities.
While much remains to be done and the work to get it done ramps up, let us relax and take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment