Promises Broken or Promises Kept: Biden’s First 100 Days in Office

During his campaign, President Joe Biden broadcasted a lot of different messages to the public. He was entering the white house during a time of general discomfort with the government and a negative opinion of the previous administration. The country was working to combat high rates of homelessness, unemployment, police brutality, racial injustices, and a worldwide pandemic. All Americans were hoping that his actions would do something to confront this unhealthy atmosphere. 

The Hilltopper chose to look into some of these major campaign promises to determine if Biden had followed through with real change since taking office. We’ve broken it down into four major categories.

COVID-19 Response:

Biden won the 2020 Election well into the COVID-19 pandemic and because of this, much of the media’s attention was on his response to it. He opened with his American Rescue Plan which became an outline for the relief legislation making its way through congress. In this $1.9 trillion package, stimulus checks were provided to those families in need, as well as funding for reopening schools, aiding small businesses, and vaccination infrastructure. The bill passed on March 11. He also set a goal of 100 million COVID-19 vaccines in his first 100 days. He blew that number away in only 59 days and instead upped his numbers to 200 million by his 100th day. On top of this, he also rejoined the World Health Organization in the hopes of a return to normal in the fall of this year.

Civil Rights Protections

Under President Biden we have not seen the end to police violence targeted towards people of color. On the campaign, Biden promised to create a commission to oversee police brutality at the national level but in April the idea was scrapped. However, AG Merrick Garland made an announcement that there would be a civil investigation into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments. The new administration has put its support behind the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, passed by the US House in March. 

Biden also promised voters on the trail that he was the candidate to increase diversity and inclusion. He called for the immediate passing of the Equality Act, amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include gender identity and sexual orientation. It passed the House in February and now sits in the Senate. Biden himself however has not pushed for any movement from the Senate on this legislation since its passing in the House.

Climate Change

Since Biden’s January 21st inauguration, wildfires have ravaged the California forests, and Texas has practically frozen over. Many grew weary over how the planet was responding to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Biden has kept his promise to make America more “green-minded.” He issued an executive order on day one to kill the Keystone XL pipeline. He also stopped the development of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement. Biden’s team also established the Office of Domestic Climate Policy in the White House. In progress, Biden and his administration have a plan to conserve 30 percent of American land and water by 2030 and help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Voting Rights

Biden promised to update the Voting Rights Act. He also wanted to pass the For the People Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Amendment. These bills are all awaiting their respective hearings in the US Senate where Republicans have been staunchly in opposition of their passage. These motions by the President have not been met with great acceptance across the country either. In Georgia, a law was passed that led to widespread protests, boycotts, and even a withdrawal from the MLB in hosting its All Star Game in Atlanta in 2021.

Progressives go for a Trial By Fire Approach in Special-Election Races

As special election season has begun, spectators from both political parties have taken notice, especially in blue-leaning districts across the country.

It is not a matter of which party will win, but who from the incumbent’s party will- a progressive or a moderate? As members have been appointed to cabinet positions and other roles in President Joe Biden’s White House, a scramble has begun behind the scenes to see who will be their successor. Former Congresswoman and now Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge (D-OH) provides viewers with a great case example. Her seat is one of the bluest in the country, going D+60 in the 2020 election. It is safe to say no Republican is going to be a challenge in this predominantly urban district that encompasses Cleveland and Akron. 

This situation is not uncommon in the United States, particularly at the beginning of a new presidential administration when many elected officials are asked to join the executive branch. Cedric Richmond from Louisiana’s 2nd district who also joined Team Biden as a special advisor is leaving behind a D+48 district back home. These circumstances allow for basically a one-party election to determine who will fulfill the vacancy. As of late, with polarization at an all time high, it’s been progressive Democrats pinned against more moderate candidates, while in heavily red districts its moderate Republicans versus Trump-like opponents. With a Democratic White House, however, there have been more vacancies on the left side of the aisle than the right. 

Enter Bernie Sanders campaign chairwoman Nina Turner. A lifelong progressive from Ohio’s 11th district, Turner has been able to promote her prior experience as a state legislator and credibility as a pro-union and pro-Medicare For Alladvocate on the national scene to gain traction in her home district. She has also been able to get endorsements from local leaders such as Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson and Ohio Senate Democratic Whip Sandra Williams. On the flip side of the coin is moderate Shontel Brown, who has the highly sought-after endorsement of the United Auto Workers Union, something many candidates look to receive when trying to sway working class voters. She also has the  endorsements of Pro-Israel America and Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), a Super PAC that has spent vast sums of money on moderate Democratic candidates in the past. Many view this as a proxy battle between progressives and moderates, and with a few months to go before the primary election, expect this race to heat up.

A fall point for Progressives however can be seen in the race to fill Cedric Richmond’s seat in LA-2. Over this past week Troy Carter, a moderate state senator with experience working across the aisle over fellow state senator Karen Carter Peterson, a staunch progressive who ran on a Green New Deal and had the endorsement of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14). Although this endorsement made waves on blue-check Twitter, it was not enough to propel the state senator over her fellow candidates, especially after local teacher unions endorsed Mr. Carter. 

Biden Gives Go-Ahead On Airstrikes In Syria Amid A Flurry Of Controversy

Last Wednesday night President Joe Biden approved an airstrike that struck an Iranian-backed facility in Syria, amid bipartisan criticism on how to act. The move came weeks after Iran launched a missile at US targets in Iraq, killing a US contractor and wounding another service member. Following the initial Iranian attack, a first test of the Biden administration in the Middle East, some Senators from the Republican side saw blood in the water and pressed the President to take action. From Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), many Republicans voiced support for retaliating against the Iranian government. It wasn’t what happened during the retaliatory strike that frustrated Biden’s counterparts in Congress however, it was before the counterstrike. Only the congressional leadership, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) were notified before US action took place.

War powers have been a topic of much controversy and bipartisan debate on what the President can and can’t do without Congressional approval. Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution states that Congress has the power “To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;”. Since President Biden didn’t consult with the full Congress, many like Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mike Lee (R-UT) believe this attack needs legal justification- at a minimum. This also upset progressive Democrats such as Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), who have always been vocal opponents of US involvement in the Middle East. Following a confirmation defeat and minimum wage knock by the Senate Parliamentarian, it has not been the start to the Biden presidency many were hoping for.

GameStop – To The Moon, Or To The Pavement?

Gamestop, NYSE: GME, increased from $17.25 on Jan. 4 to $347.51 on Jan. 27 at closing after being fueled by Reddit traders from r/wallstreetbets, WSB.

On Jan. 28, Robinhood and other stock trading apps banned the buying of heavily shorted stocks, such as GME, causing a decrease to $63.77 as of closing on Feb. 5.

WSB’s investment into shorted stocks such as GME began when Keith Gill, known as u/DeepFuckingValue, began posting his gains and losses to the subreddit in mid-2019. Gill’s success in mid-December and the subreddit’s belief that GME was undervalued, prompted other members to begin investing and holding the stock. This increase in price was not only because millions of redditors bought the stock, but also because these stocks were heavily shorted.

On Jan. 22, 140% of GME stock was shorted by hedge funds, such as Melvin Capital. When a stock is shorted, investors borrow a share of a company and sell it. When the short contract expires and the investor must return the stock to the seller, he must buy the stock back. If he buys it back for less than he sold it, he makes a profit. However, if the price goes up, he suffers a loss. Short positions can provide a large amount of profit if successful, but if unsuccessful, the potential loss is infinite. When these stocks sharply increase, a short squeeze can occur.

A squeeze forces investors to buy their shorted stock back otherwise losses will compound. If sellers decide to hold, then the price will increase. Melvin Capital, the largest short seller of GME, has lost 53% of its assets since the stock increased and was bailed out by Citadel at a price of $2 billion. Citadel, Melvin Capital, and other hedge funds had to prevent an increase in GME stock.

Robinhood, the most popular trading app used by WSB, made nearly $700 million from selling user data to hedge funds and Citadel purchased 55.06% of Robinhood’s market orders, according to Robinhood’s 2020 SEC filing. To prevent their biggest customers from losing money, apps such as Robinhood forbade the purchase of shorted stocks like GME. When Robinhood finally lifted their ban on GME, the damage was already done.

Last week when WSB lost millions, fear, uncertainty, and doubt began to plague these traders. WSB still has faith that the short squeeze has not occurred and they are holding fast claiming that GME will still go to the moon. Friday gave them hope as GME increased 24.3%. In addition to Friday’s gains, GME’s upcoming short interest report is scheduled for publication on February 9th. 

While the future of GME remains unclear, WSB continues to believe its research is correct. If last week has proven anything, it is that hedge funds will do everything in their power, legal or otherwise, to prevent losses. 

Only time will tell how GME stock will fare.

Brady Wins 7th Ring as Bucs Dismantle Chiefs 31-9

If anyone was trying to make an argument that Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. wasn’t the greatest quarterback to ever put on the pads and helmet, they will surely have to come to terms with the fact that they were mistaken. The 43-year-old quarterback put up yet another Super Bowl-winning performance (201 yds, 3 TD) as the Buccaneers won their first championship since 2002 and their second in franchise history. 

The chemistry between Brady and partner in crime Rob Gronkowski (6 catches for 67 yards) was on full display as the two connected for two touchdowns in the first half, with another former Patriot, Antonio Brown, catching Brady’s other touchdown pass. Leonard Fournette (16 carries for 89 yards) added a score on the ground in the third quarter to round out the Bucs’ touchdown scoring efforts.

The Tampa Bay defense will more than likely not receive the credit they deserve for shutting down Patrick Mahomes (270 yds, 2 INT) and the rest of the dynamic Kansas City offense. The Chiefs were completely kept out of the end zone, an impressive feat considering the scoring success the team has enjoyed under Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid. Travis Kelce, who had ten catches for 130 yards, managed to find some success in an otherwise disastrous night for the offense. The story of this matchup was much different than that of their first in Week 12, where Mahomes threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns with Tyreek Hill hauling in all three scores in the first half as the Chiefs were victorious 27-24. 

There’s no doubt that Mahomes and the Chiefs will be back. However, as long as the ageless Brady is still suiting up, the road to the Lombardi will never be an easy one.

Immigration Bill Set to Reignite Partisan Flames as Biden Takes Office

As Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January 20th, an immigration debate has been reignited across the country. President Biden is set to propose a piece of legislation that ensures citizenship for Dreamers, known as DACA, political liberals and conservatives are soon to have another bone to pick with one another.

DACA, an Executive order signed by President Obama in 2012 gave children of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, assuming they had no criminal record. This order sparked outrage not just because it created a race to cross the border for illegal immigrants, but because many Americans were concerned with the order’s constitutionality. Many, including myself, wondered what legal authority POTUS had to rewrite immigration laws, instantly legalizing and granting citizenship to those who were residing in our country illegally. With the new administration, one upside is that their proposed DACA legislation will be presented as a bill to Congress, not as an Executive order, seen by many as executive overreach.

What’s wrong with DACA as a bill sent to Congress? Nothing. Assuming we have our southern borders secured with no flaws. However, with pores throughout the wall, fence, invisible line- whatever you prefer to say, there is still the opportunity today for people to cross into our country illegally and undetected, presenting a grave security risk. This is not some crazy hypothetical, it happens practically every day. Since 2016 over 52,000 illegal immigrants detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol had prior criminal records. Now, with a bill that grants a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, who wouldn’t want to give entering the country a shot? This vacuum is already in full effect as NBC News has noted, with a caravan from Central America already on the way to the border. This caravan is set to arrive after President Biden rescinds the national emergency order on the border- how fitting. In addition to the lure of free citizenship, the Biden administration has included in their $1.9 trillion proposal, a national $15/hr minimum wage. Not only is this country offering free citizenship, but a high wage as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I support a pathway to citizenship for the law-abiding immigrants here already- immigrants are what make this country the best in the world. I do not support, however, amnesty before security.

“Stats and Summaries.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 2021, http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats. 

Ainsley, Julia. “Incoming Biden Administration to Migrant Caravan: Don’t Come, You Won’t Get in Immediately.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 17 Jan. 2021, http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/incoming-biden-administration-migrant-caravan-don-t-come-you-won-n1254550. 

The Attack on the Capitol is the Epitome of White Privilege in America

On Wednesday, January 6th, we all bore witness to a series of tragic events that took place at our nation’s Capitol. We saw what months of falsehoods, misinformation, and lies – all spewed by Donald Trump and his inner circle – amounted to as the U.S. Capitol was attacked and overrun by domestic terrorists in support of Trump. On a day in which the Electoral College votes were to be counted and mark the official end to a long and chaotic presidential election cycle, our nation was, instead, having to deal with these heinous acts carried out upon our nation’s Capitol. From these events, there are many topics and issues that one can pick at and further discuss, but the issue that is most prevalent and urgent for the student body at Saint Anselm College to understand is white privilege. 

In short, the events that took place at the Capitol are a perfect illustration of white privilege at its finest. 

First, think back to just this past summer as you witnessed millions of Americans protesting horrific acts of police brutality that had taken the lives of Black Americans such as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, and countless others. Almost always at these protests, protestors were met with law enforcement officers lined in tactical gear and armed to the teeth with riot shields, batons, canisters of tear gas, and rifles filled with rubber bullets or live rounds. It appeared as if law enforcement officers were ready to battle soldiers of a foreign nation invading our borders, not fellow Americans. Videos and photos that emerged from these protests made it clear, however, that law enforcement did not hesitate to consider these protestors as the enemy and viciously attack them at any opportunity they were given. 

Now, think about what we all saw take place at the U.S. Capitol this past Wednesday. We saw a group of domestic terrorists storm and raid the Capitol with little to no resistance from law enforcement. These people were able to march onto the Capitol’s steps, smash windows and force open the main doors, mozy their way through the halls of the building, invade and completely trash the offices of members of Congress, and casually pose for pictures after having overtaken the U.S. Senate chamber, all without having barely met any resistance from law enforcement. And even after having done all these atrocious acts, these same people were then able to peacefully walk out of the Capitol, steal some property as they were leaving, and then carry on with their days as if nothing had happened. 

The major contrast between these two instances is that those who were protesting against police brutality this past summer largely consisted of and were led by Black Americans, while those who attacked the U.S. Capitol largely consisted of White Americans. This stark contrast in law enforcement response is indicative of what Black, Brown, and other communities of color have been saying over and over again…. we are not viewed the same, nor treated the same in this country as white people are. White people are given certain privileges and luxuries solely based on the color of their skin that are not afforded to the Black, Brown, and other communities of color. 

It is now important to understand, however, what acknowledging the existence of white privilege does and does not truly entail. Acknowledging the existence of white privilege does not attempt to villainize white people and/or point to them as the root of all evil. It does not mean that white people should feel guilty or feel ashamed for who they are. It does not mean that society is attempting to dismiss all the work that has been done by white people in the present or in the past. It does not establish the notion that white people have never struggled in their lives or that, because of their privilege, they should not be proud of their accomplishments in life. Rather, the point in acknowledging the existence of white privilege is to understand that you have not had to face any difficulties in how you live your life and/or how you are viewed by society because of your skin color. Acknowledging the existence of white privilege means acknowledging the fact that communities of color are burdened with specific issues that white people have the luxury to never face and be concerned about. 

It is because of white privilege that white people never have to face the hardship of being considered a danger to society until proven otherwise. It is because of white privilege that white people do not have to deal with the burden of overcoming negative stereotypes that are placed upon members of their own community. And most importantly, it is because of white privilege that white people do not have to protest and march in the streets in order to stop police from killing them and other members of their communities. 

Instead, it is because of white privilege that white people are afforded the luxury of insulating themselves from the daily toll of racism. It is because of white privilege that white people have the luxury of automatically having positive relationships with the police and other law enforcement. And the events which occurred on January 6th showed us that it is because of white privilege that white people have the ability to storm and attack the U.S. Capitol without having to face the same amount of resistance and punishment that Black Americans face when protesting for their own lives.

Going forward I challenge those of the Saint Anselm College community who are unaware or not well-versed in the concept of white privilege to learn more about its inner-workings and how it shapes our society. Understand how white privilege gives certain people certain luxuries while depriving others of those same luxuries. And once having done this, understanding how to use this privilege to help those around you who are not afforded the same luxuries as you are. How to use this privilege to support non-privileged communities in their fight against injustice, remove bias that exists throughout facets of life, and make society and its many institutions work for all, not just a select few.

Now, this may be difficult for some to do. It may be a harsh reality that some do not want to face. Our future demands that we are truthful and honest about the privilege that comes with white skin, however, because if we fail to do so, then we will never be able to fully establish the fair, just, and equitable society we all strive to achieve.

Trump Supporters Lay Siege to Capitol Building In An Effort To Disrupt Electoral Vote Count.

Federal law states that every four years, after the general election, Congress shall meet in a joint session in order to certify the vote count of the Electoral College and officially name the incoming president. In typical years, this comes after the outgoing president has conceded the race, and is used as a photo-op for the president-elect and vice president-elect, as well as their supporters in Congress. This year, on the other hand, it comes after weeks of unproven voter fraud allegations from supporters of President Trump, claiming that the election was “stolen”.

After all voter fraud allegations were thrown out in court due to lack of evidence, over 100 Republican lawmakers announced that they would object to the Electoral College vote count during the joint session of Congress. It was clear that this would not be enough to overturn the election results, so President Trump asked Vice President Pence to overturn the election results himself, something which the Vice President has no authority to do. Pence published a statement this morning explaining that though he agrees with the President’s concerns about the election results, he cannot constitutionally overturn the results himself.

Prior to the beginning of the certification process in Congress, President Trump held a rally in Washington, DC, where he claimed that if Vice President Pence did the “right thing,” he would be given another term. 

The certification process began at 1:00 pm today, and though the vote counts from Alabama and Alaska-both states that voted for President Trump-were accepted with no issue, the first challenge came with the announcement of the vote in Arizona. This prompted a separation of the House of Representatives and Senate to enter debate on the issue. Soon after, protesters outside the Capitol began to break through barriers and storm the steps of the Capitol building. As crowds began to gather on the steps, others forced their way into the building, some breaking windows and climbing through them to enter. 

As rioters made their way through the building-many wearing Trump campaign memorabilia or carrying Confederate flags-lawmakers were sent into lockdown in their offices and instructed to wait until they were able to safely evacuate. Representatives were even given gas masks to protect themselves from tear gas that was deployed inside in an attempt to disperse rioters. One rioter, whose identity has not been released, was shot inside the Capitol and was brought to a local hospital where she has since passed away. Several law enforcement officers were also injured.

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, DC set a curfew for the city of 6:00 pm, before asking for assistance of the National Guard and defense from neighboring states. After the curfew went into effect, law enforcement officers were able to secure the Capitol building, and Congress has resumed debate on the acceptance of Arizona’s 11 electoral votes. Members of Congress expect the certification to be finished tonight.