What I Want From the Biden Presidency
By: Patsy Fergusson
Tags: Feminism, Politics, Election 2020, Equality, Social Justice

What I Want From the Biden Presidency

How an ‘average Joe’ could make extraordinary changes

Photo from The Atlantic Voice:

Note: I wrote this originally before the election. When Biden was announced as the winner on Nov. 7, after breathing a huge sigh of relief, I updated it a little.

President-elect Joe Biden is in a position to make extraordinary changes in the United States. One reason is that he will be a one-term president. He’s already announced that he won’t run again in 2024, so he doesn’t have to play the political game or worry about protecting his chances for reelection. He’s free to do what he thinks is right. Another reason is he’s old, and often old people (current president excluded) are more interested in their legacy than immediate gain. A third reason is the country is in such terrible upheaval. Tepid solutions won’t do in 2021. It’s a time for bold action.

What should that action be? In my humble opinion, his boldest steps should speak to the original and most famous ideal of this country as set out in the Declaration of Independence: all men are created equal.

It’s true the founders meant only rich white men when they okayed that line — excluding indigenous people, Blacks, women, Asians, poor whites who didn’t own property or pay taxes, and countless more. In fact, voting privileges only applied to about six percent of the population at the time. But thankfully, we have brains. That’s how our species evolved to dominate the planet. So 244 years later we understand that the phrase, when applied to all people, is a noble and worthy goal.

But how do we do it? How do we ensure that all people are treated equally in the United States? The list of necessary actions is long. But here’s what’s bubbling to the top today.

1. Fix the Supreme Court

When I first wrote this story, the polls were predicting a “blue wave” that would take both the White House and the Senate. Since that didn’t occur, the Supreme Court fix will probably have to wait. But who knows? Maybe with a unifying politician like Biden in the White House, the two parties will be able to find a solution acceptable for both. Because no one believes the current Supreme Court was composed fairly.

By seating Amy Coney Barrett eight days before the presidential election, the GOP created a 6–3 conservative majority that includes two seats they stole. Had they not stolen the seats — i.e. acted on Barack Obama’s nomination of the moderate Merrick Garland in March of 2016, who had been suggested by many Republicans as a candidate they would approve; and postponed filling Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s seat until after the election, as they claimed was right and just when obstructing Garland— there would be a 5–4 liberal majority, and by “liberal” I mean moderate.

The GOP actions were not fair, just, or representative of the will of the American people, and that needs to be addressed. Many proposals have been discussed in the press and on social media, including term limits and expanding the court. My personal favorite is impeaching and removing both Thomas and Kavanaugh, both of whom had kangaroo court confirmation hearings where not all evidence was heard in the plausible charges brought against them of sexual harassment (Thomas) and assault (Kavanaugh). I first heard that idea here:

As much as I would dearly love for those lame-ass misogynists to be removed from the court, impeachment is contentious and Biden wants to bring the country together. So I’ll be satisfied if he restores balance in a less aggressive way.

The bottom line is we need a Supreme Court that understands that when all people are treated equally under the law, you can’t use racial slurs in the work place, fire people for sexual preferences, or force women to bear children against their will.