Democrats must deliver or face ouster in 2022
It's 2008. The U.S. rejoiced as a charismatic Chicago native became poised to be the nation's first Black president after eight years of Republican control and the emergence of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Democrats had significant majorities in Congress set to govern with the long-coveted Democratic trifecta. There was nothing standing in their way to give the people everything we needed and more ... right?
During the first two years of President Obama's term, the list of major achievements is rather short: Congress barely passed Obamacare on top of some economic rescue legislation. By the time the 2010 elections rolled around, the unemployment rate had decreased by an unimpressive 0.4%, working-class families were still losing their homes and the rest of America wasn't much better off than they were during the Bush administration. For this, Democrats paid the price: they lost a record-breaking 69 seats to Republicans in Congress along with Speaker Pelosi's gavel.
Historically, with the exception of just three, almost every midterm election results in the president's party losing seats. In 2020, Democrats squeaked by with the presidency and slim majorities in Congress. If they want people who are Black, Hispanic, young and disenfranchised to show up at the polls next year to expand the majority, they need to give us a reason to.
President Biden inherited a country plagued by a pandemic, economic recession, distrust in government and a glaring racial gap. In response, Democrats must deliver big, structural change to the American people with student debt relief, D.C. statehood, universal health care, climate policy, consumer protection, immigration reform and criminal justice transformation - all of which are popular among voters. At the end of the day, Democrats have two options: (1) abolish the Jim Crow-era filibuster and deliver, or (2) lose in 2022.
Dylan Toth
Schaumburg