William Dollhopf ’21: Young Democrats 

The United States of America needs former Vice President Joe Biden to be their president. In a time of crisis, we need someone who is mentally stable and has a plan to combat COVID-19. With 200,000 people dead, and no signs of that number dropping, we need a president who will value human life over the economy. Biden is the compromise between the two parties that can bring this country out of the pandemic. He and Obama brought the United States out of the 2008 financial crisis, and he can do so again with COVID. Biden has plans for combating climate change, getting more Americans healthcare, creating more clean energy and supporting LGBTQ+ rights. Biden is promising to have 100% clean energy in 30 years and reenter the Paris Agreement. These promises, based off of the Green New Deal, will be funded by rolling back the tax incentives that Trump gave to corporations that hurt jobs and the environment. Biden wants to reward real work and will not raise taxes on any citizen who makes under $400,000 a year. Biden will protect the Affordable Care Act that makes 100 million Americans not have to worry that they will be denied insurance because of financial insecurity. He aims to give Americans a choice of whether they would like Medicare or private health insurance. Biden will enact the Equality Act in his first 100 days as president, which will guarantee that LGBTQ+ individuals are protected under existing civil rights laws. He will stop employment discrimination in the federal government based off of sexual identity and reverse the transgender military ban.

In addition, we need a leader who will be respected in international affairs. Right now, the United States is the laughingstock of the world when it comes to politics. We need to be acknowledged as the largest economy and one of the largest military powers in the world. A president who, if necessary, will put a judge on the Supreme Court that will fight to uphold Roe v. Wade and LQBTQ+ rights is needed. Republican Presidents Trump and George W. Bush both inherited stable economies from their left-leaning predecessors; however, their terms resulted in two economic crises. A Democrat is exactly who we need to lead us out of this pandemic and into the future. For that reason, the YDC endorses Biden in the 2020 election. 

William Thompson ’21: Young Republicans

he GOP as we know it is dying, and President Donald Trump is one of the few people still fighting to restore Conservatives to their greater glory. The No. 1 goal of any politician in the United States should be to create a country where everyone can reach their full potential and to create an economy that works for its people, not the other way around. A country where one can grow up in a nice, safe community and get a good education. One could then go on to get married, have a family and live a happy life. 

People must realize that Washington, D.C. lacks integrity and forward-thinking. These so-called “Conservatives” are failing to do the single thing their self-proclaimed ideology alludes to: conserve. For the past 50 years, public officials have allowed our country to tear itself apart, leaving us more polarized than ever before. This built-up discontentment has promoted outright anarchy and formulated a modern civil war between our citizens. The GOP has failed in every conceivable metric: from abortion to foreign policy, immigration, environmentalism, etc.  We’ve allowed ourselves to be overrun by our left-wing counterparts by abandoning any prior Conservative values. Nowadays, GOP candidates merely seek validation while preaching social liberalism and libertarian economics. 

We have witnessed the degrading of our nation’s both moral and social fabric, while simultaneously not prioritizing policies that benefit our own interests. It’s no wonder we have an opioid crisis, decreasing marriage rates, and even skyrocketing suicide and depression cases. Republicans, along with the free market, have failed us! However, with another Trump victory — no longer will bureaucrats send our youth to fight endless foreign wars solely for profit; no longer will Big Tech companies continue to inflict their bias onto the masses; and no longer will we see open borders continue to wreak havoc on this land. A strong sense of nationalism, traditional values, and America First policies are key; or else, we risk losing our country once and for all. Trump’s presidency is more than just an experiment: it’s an entire revolution! We the people must continue this momentum and save the GOP, which is why the YRC endorses Trump for the 2020 presidential election. Thank you, and God bless America! 

Gavin Guerrette ’21: Young Democratic Socialists 

There is an undeniable schism within the American left that has weakened progressive politics as of late. Former Vice President Joe Biden’s policies appease moderates but leave many more socially and economically progressive voters feeling as though they must compromise on numerous issues, such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal – rebranded and softened by Biden as The Biden Plan for Healthcare (protecting and building upon the Affordable Care Act) and The Biden Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice – in addition to an underwhelming approach to police reform, are indicative of this split. 

Democratic Socialism places immense value in democracy, social progress, and the assurance of fundamental human rights (including healthcare, housing, education and freedom from oppression), and, while Biden’s administration might not fully satisfy these expectations, it will also not subvert them as thoroughly as the Trump administration. President Donald Trump’s conservative policies are fundamentally at odds with the values of Democratic Socialism. While Biden might have a weaker than ideal plan on climate change, the Trump administration proudly pulls the United States out of international climate agreements. While Biden’s healthcare policy falls short on universal healthcare, the Trump administration fights socialized medicine at every turn. And while Biden’s racial policy and police reform do not do enough, President Trump refuses to publicly condemn white supremacy and alt-right violence while also boasting his support from law enforcement.

The fact that we are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils in this election is indicative of greater issues within our two-party system. Therefore, the YDSA endorses Biden, because he is an approximation towards greater progress rather than a hindrance. But, I do ask you, what better time than today to start considering alternatives to a two-party system that has categorically failed to represent the will of the American people?