11 Months

Where were you 11 months ago?

On January 20th, 2021 there was much trepidation, fear, and anxiety in the air. Those of us who remember that day remember that it was unlike any other in our nation's history. For the very first time, our Capitol had been attacked by our own citizens a mere two weeks prior. There was much discussion about canceling the inauguration all together. There would be no shame in having President-elect Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. shift the event to a more secure, indoor location. But Joe Biden's entire life is a story of resilience. He wouldn't allow the domestic terrorists to win. He wouldn't downplay the historical significance of having the first female Vice-President take the oath of office in the traditional setting. He wouldn't let the fact that his decrepit predecessor would break tradition and not attend the event bother him in the slightest. All Joe Biden wanted to do was to show the world that America was back and better than ever. 

Flash forward 11 months to December of 2021.

The country, and the world as a whole, are in a much better place thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration. People forget just how bad of a situation we were in with Agent Orange in charge. There can be no doubt we would be in a much different situation today had the election gone a different way. Donald Trump was a heinous, vindictive president who cared for nobody but himself. Had he won a second term, that aura would have continued with everything he would have done. There would not have been as robust an American Rescue Plan. Countless American soldiers would have been slaughtered in Afghanistan with no end to the war in sight. Transgender troops would still be forbidden to serve. There would have been no Child Tax Credit, helping to lessen child poverty by 40%. Jobless claims would not be at their lowest point in 50 years. Family detention would still be ongoing rather than having ended like the Biden Administration has done. Infrastructure Week would still be an ongoing joke rather than a reality. And instead of appointing 40 judges, 3/4 of them women, Donald Trump would have instead rubber stamped 40 Federalist Society-approved judges along the likes of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

But beyond all that is the simple fact that having adults back in charge means the world of difference to each and every one of us. Joe Biden knew what Trump did not: there can be no American recovery until we get the virus under control. That's why his greatest accomplishment these past 11 months has been the ability to fully vaccinate 61.4% of the population despite ongoing resistance from the entire Republican Party as well as a fully vaccinated Fox News team of anchors intentionally spewing misinformation each and every night.. Biden's ability to bring together Merck and Johnson and Johnson was a masterstroke in wartime (and yes, we should view the pandemic as wartime) governance. Biden's September Executive Order using OSHA to enforce vaccine mandates was another stroke of genius and helped get hesitant and meandering federal employees, including our Armed Forces, on board. Despite bitching and moaning and cries of tyranny, we've consistently seen 95%+ vaccination rates across the board from these federal agencies, showing that once again that those that complain the loudest are unwilling to do so at the cost of their livelihood and wellbeing. 

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration we are now equipped to take on the new Omicron variant. Booster shots are widely available at tens of thousands of locations across the country. Starting in 2022, at-home testing kits will be free, thanks to a planned reimbursement by the Administration. Unlike with TFG, hospital PPE will be widely available for our heroic doctors and nurses. Schools are better equipped to deal with COVID thanks to an additional $10 billion in funding having been released in late October. While the Omicron variant is less than ideal, there can be zero doubt that the United States is in a much better position with Joe Biden at the helm than with TFG. Already the United States has provided 290 million vaccine doses to countries around the globe with another 780 million promised over the next year. Having a pro-science and empathetic administration is literally making a world of difference.

We still have a ways to go to recover as a country. But there can zero doubt that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the right people for the right time. Their empathy, their understanding, and their compassion are exactly what this country needs right now. Combining Joe Biden's half-century of political experience with VP Harris' growing repertoire from her domestic accomplishments (she's not getting enough credit for the border) to her growing resume of having met with and engaged world leaders (and selecting fine French cookware to boot), the Biden-Harris duo has restored both American and international confidence in American governance. Republicans don't fear big government, they fear effective government and the Biden-Harris Administration has already proven to be one of the most consequential administrations in United States history and has done so with a razor-thin House and Senate majority. If the first 11 months are any indication, the Biden-Harris Administration is well on its way to making history. 

And we all can all sleep much easier at night with a Democratic Administration at the helm.