Biden’s Big 4 Challenges Biden’s Big 4 Challenges Facing an uncontrolled pandemic resulting in thousands of deaths and economic collapse, while at the same time battling a divided Congress and an increasingly radicalised right-wing, it is not unreasonable to say that Joe Biden is expected to face no shortage of challenges in the next four years.
WORDS BY Sebastian Andrew
covid
exists the likelihood that the American public grows increasingly weary of these restrictive measures.
As this is written, 28.4 million cases of COVID-19 and 502.5 thousand deaths have been recorded in total across the US. Curbing skyrocketing COVID infections and deaths is what I believe will be the greatest challenge Biden faces as a president, but one that will not be resolved nearly as quickly or easily as many hoped.
Although it has been highlighted that many of these challenges arise from the actions of state governments, Biden ran on and was elected due to confidence to stop COVID, and will be ultimately blamed if deaths and infections continue.
The Biden Administration’s proposal of enough vaccines for all Americans by July is promising but subject to potential roadblocks along the way. A shortage of doses due to higher demand could delay timelines and leave at-risk communities vulnerable for longer. Similarly, as vaccine distribution remains the responsibility of state governments, they run the risk of differing on criteria for receiving a jab, or as is alleged in Florida, distribution of vaccines overwhelmingly favouring wealthy and white residents over POC and poor residents, despite the latter being more at risk of contracting and dying from COVID. Additionally, vaccination rates could be impacted by misinformation and refusal, with around 20% of American adults either hesitant or refusing to get vaccinated. However, Biden’s challenge of curbing infections and deaths will face challenges before enough of the population is vaccinated, primarily from public apathy and resistance. Protective measures such as mask mandates or business shutdowns vary between states, from relatively tight, or nearly non-existent, leading to outbreaks in population centres such as Florida or Los Angeles. Additionally, there
Biden inherits a nation in desperate need of economic relief. More than 779’000 Americans are seeking unemployment benefits and more than 400’000 small businesses have been permanently shut down. In 2020, McKinsey & Company estimated that most industries could recover by late 2020 or early 2021 in a virus-contained scenario, but estimated in a muted-recovery scenario (without COVID containment), return to pre-COVID GDP levels would take years, with the arts, food services, and manufacturing especially hard-hit, and expected to experience this return in 2025 or beyond. The speed at which economic recovery is achieved will depend on whether Biden’s vaccination program is successful and whether infections can be brought to a minimum. However, some industries will take years to recover, regardless of how favourable virus conditions are. This recovery is also stalled by the number lacking sufficient disposable income. Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus seeks to address this through directed cheques and rental assistance, in the hope Americans will spend more.
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