Women in Politics Magazine: An Election that Broke Barriers by Women In Politics

WOMEN IN POLITICS MAGAZINE

Dec. 2020

EDITOR'S NOTE Katherine Bronov When the clock struck November it almost seemed like everyone around the world was collectively holding their breath anticipating the US Election. While everyone was just getting their popcorn ready I had been preparing for the insanity since the beginning of summer.

Every week until the election I volunteered 2-3 of my days to help campaign for my local candidate for State Senate. Every day I walked into an office where I was surrounded by information and talk of the election. By a certain point, I became numb to all things voting. After talking to voters about mail-in ballots and discussing political ideologies day in and day out the election began to lose its significance. But then I woke up on November 3rd and realized that I knocked on all those doors and dialed all those phone numbers for this moment: the day people would walk to their polling location possibly spending hours to cast their voice for individuals who will serve on their behalf for democracy.

Watching people clamber to the polls and helping individuals with voter information was euphoric. I had never witnessed election day up close and personal. Even amid a pandemic and an election as contentious as this one, the sense of community felt from a day where the public chooses who will serve the people was indescribable. It may not have been a normal election day with results still unknown for days after and legal battles spread out across several states, but I believe I still made my mark on this election.

A lot has happened since that fateful Tuesday and I hope you enjoy our dive into the aftermath of The Election that Broke Barriers! Happy reading!

A B O U T

T H E

C O V E R

The vision for this month’s magazine cover came from Kamala Harris’ victory speech walk and a play on words on how this election “broke” barriers, with the election of our first women of color president. The highlight of the cover is Kamala Harris in her now-iconic white pantsuit through a broken brick wall. The brick wall stands for all the obstacles in the way of women pursuing politics. Kamala walking through this wall expresses that the first step towards fully breaking down the status quo pertaining to women in politics.

A N EL

EN OM W EC

TI O T BR O KE BA

WOMEN MAKE HISTORY IN 2020: THE SMALL VICTORIES FOR WOMEN THIS ELECTION CYCLE

S TIC LI PO

STACEY ABRAMS: GEORGIA'S WONDER WOMAN

BUILD BACK BETTER: JOE BIDEN’S ECONOMIC PLAN FOR RECOVERY Sara Keegan

THE WORLD IS WATCHING NOW: HOW BIDEN WILL AFFECT THE UNITED STATES’ INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS STATUS Andrea Chow

ABC’S OF WHAT ACB MEANS FOR THE SUPREME COURT

Manya Kodali

IN 15

HOW BIDEN KEPT THE FAITH ON HIS LONG ROAD TO THE PRESIDENCY Ting Cui

Ella Stillion Southard

IT'S MADAM VICE PRESIDENT TO YOUR: A PROFILE ON KAMALA HARRIS

Rebecca Joseph

LAWSUIT AGAINST DEMOCRACY

Cedar Roach

Regan Madding

THE LAWSUIT

democracy

DEMOCRACY By: By: Rebecca Rebecca Joseph Joseph

The Summer Solstice is normally the longest day in the year, but in 2020 another day took its place— November 3rd—also known as election day. Elections are always highly anticipated, but amidst the pandemic this election took the spotlight above all previous elections.

Leading up to the election most major news sources and polling experts had predicted a Biden victory but they also expected Trump to finish election night with a strong lead. With Trump’s strong urge towards voting in person,many Republicans followed suit, thus causing a skew of votes

towards Trump during the earlier counting stages, since mail-in-ballots were counted last. On Tuesday evening, Trump was leading in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. However, as the night bled into early morning more mail-inballots were counted last. On Tuesday evening, Trump was leading in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. However, as the night bled into early morning more mail-inballots were counted and Biden emerged to close the gap in those battleground states, yet no winner was officially called yet.

On November 4th, a little after 2:00 am EST Trump spoke in the white house and claimed that the election was “a fraud on the American public” and touted a win in states, where he was leading from early results, but had not yet been officially called the victor by the Associated Press. Trump concluded the early morning speech stating “Frankly, we did win this election.” Trump's message during the press conference was clear and it sparked fear amongst the greater American public as to where the democracy was headed, as these claims Trump made were, at the time, and still are, false. Trump said he would fight election results in court even before the election if it came to it. He announced, after election night, “We want all voting to stop. We don’t want them to find any ballots at 4 o'clock in the morning and add them to the list, ok?” This claim is blatantly false and it is known that votes that were counted after November 3rd, 11:59 pm were votes that were in the polling centers, not votes that were added after November 3rd. Additionally, a joint statement from elections infrastructure Government Coordinating Council and the Election

Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees states: “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised. While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too.” However, this statement goes unnoticed by the Trump administration as they carry on filing court cases on the basis of fraud, leaving the rest of the country wondering about the sustainability of the democracy that the United States was founded on.

Trump has every right to pursue whatever legal avenue he has, but many Republicans and Democrats are cautioning Trump about the message he is spreading to American’s at home and the rest of the world. Mitt Romney, Republican Utah Senator, and former Republican presidential nominee in 2012 came on NBC in mid-November for a comment on Trump's response to the aftermath of the election. Romney was asked whether pursuing these cases undermines the United States Democracy and Romney responded:

Well I'm more concerned about the language that is used. I think it's fine to pursue whatever legal avenue one has, but one has to be careful in the choice of words. When you say that the election was ‘corrupt’, or ‘stolen’, or ‘rigged’ I think it discourages confidence in our democracy here at home and with the battle going on right now between authoritarianism and freedom. I think it is very important that we don’t use language that could encourage a course in history that could be very very unfortunate.”

After election night all eyes were on the key swing states, one of which is Michigan, a state that played a central role in Biden's election and has been facing high speculation of voter fraud. In the 2016 election, Trump had won the state by 10,700 votes, it was the closest race in Michigan presidential history. Four years later, Joe Biden won Michigan by over 154,000 votes, according to results certified by the Board of State Canvassers. Biden’s margin of victory was 14 times larger than Trump’s 2016 victory in Michigan.

Although this was not a close race, it is well within Trump’s rights to get a recount. However, the Trump campaign filed two lawsuits in Michigan, aiming to block the counting of votes and delay the certification of election results—both cases fell through.

Although every case Trump and his allies have filed in Michigan has been unsuccessful, there is still mass speculation regarding Trump's interference with the Michigan ballots after Trump's latest meeting with Mike Shirkey, State Senate Republican majority leader, and Lee Chatfield, State House Speaker along with seven other lawmakers. With Michigan’s unusual method for certifying votes, the president could dishonestly flip the state if enough Republicans follow suit. Trump has openly encouraged Legislatures, specifically Michigan’s, to appoint their own electors. However, Mike Shirkey says President Trump just wanted to discuss Michigan’s election results in the meeting and did not pressure them to interfere in the election process. It is not entirely apparent why Trump would summon seven state GOP legislators to Washington D.C. just to learn about Michigan’s election law, which clearly requires that the state’s electors must be those nominated by the party that received the most votes- not the Legislature. Shirkey reassures that the electors and Trump understood that

“The

law is the law,

and we made it very clear we were going to follow it.”

No matter what the legislators claim to say happened at the white house meeting, the trip has come under heavy scrutiny. Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat who also served as the state attorney general, implied there could have been some sort of inappropriate ask of Chatfield and Shirkey during the meeting. On Friday, Biden campaign attorney Bob Bauer called the meeting an obvious attempt to intimidate elected officials. "This is really very harmful to the democratic process and it actually troubles the people a great deal. There is nothing that I can imagine that is more beneath the president of the United States than to be haranguing officials."

In true President Trump fashion, he took his battle against Michigan to Twitter stating

“Everybody knows it was Rigged. They know Biden didn’t get more votes from the Black community than Obama, & certainly didn’t get 80,000,000 votes. Look what happened in Detroit, Philadelphia, plus!”

Republican Congressmen from Michigan, Paul Mitchell responded

“Oh my God. @realDonaldTrump Please for the sake of our Nation please drop these arguments without evidence or factual basis. #stopthestupid”

The issue of falsely claiming fraud has been attacked by both Republicans and Democrats. In this tumultuous time as election speculation only seems to rise it is important to remember what Mitt Romney said in an NBC interview in response to how a president should handle elections.

“Clearly people in the past like myself have gone out in a way that says look, I know the eyes of the world are on us, the eyes of our own people, the eyes of the institutions, the eyes of history and in a setting like this we want to preserve what is far more important than ourselves, or even our party, and that preserves the cause of freedom and democracy here and around the world.”

IT'S MADAM VICE PRESIDENT TO YOU: A PROFILE ON KAMALA HARRIS

By: By: Ella Ella Stillion Stillion Southard Southard

On November 7th, as approximately seventy-eight million Americans exhaled a sigh of relief as they watched the celebratory fireworks in awe, fully embracing the feeling of a salvaged democracy, Joe Biden officially became the President-elect of the United States of America. The 2020 Presidential election cycle was labeled as historic, on the grounds of increased voter turnout and mobilization, absentee voting, social media campaigning, campaign fundraising, misinformation, and polarization inside and outside of the two main political parties. Women across the country also openly celebrated the election of Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris, a Black, Indian-American woman. Although this next step towards representation is a huge victory for marginalized groups, some Democrats and Republicans alike are unsatisfied with the choice of Harris as Vice President. Starting all the way back in the fall of 2019 in the Democratic

primaries, nicknames such as “copmala” or “top cop” emerged in an attempt to emphasize her harsh prosecuting past. Similar attacks are re-arising today now that she is the Vice-President-Elect. All of the praise and criticism Kamala is receiving is legitimate and everyone is entitled to their own interpretation of her political decisions, however, because of Harris’ relatively new entrance to the national stage, many are not aware of who exactly she is as a person. Let’s take a look at who the new Vice-PresidentElect is.

In 2010, Kamala Harris moved up in ranks by being the first Black woman elected as Attorney General in California. As Attorney General, more police unions supported her, however, Harris was met by increasing criticism from the progressive left. As Attorney General, Harris opposed mandated body cameras for all of the police departments in California, and took a more moderate position stating it was up to each individual police department to decide the presence of body cameras. Additionally, she did not take a firm stance on the “realignment” initiative, which would have relocated prisoners to local jails to preserve room in state jails. Hence, throughout her time as California Attorney General, many argue that Harris consistently took the middle road or stayed indifferent on a plethora of initiatives and legislation, which ultimately justified the assessment that Harris was a lukewarm politician.

Although many people find Harris’ prosecutor record somewhat troubling, Madam VicePresident Elect contributed positively to an assortment of polices. Shortly before her time as District Attorney in San Francisco, Harris headed the Child and Family Service unit at the San Francisco city attorney’s office - a seemingly low-grade job offer. With this position Harris was able to officially make human trafficking a crime in the state criminal code. Moreover, as Attorney General, Harris charged a CEO of a website promoting “adult services”, which further publicized her stance on sex trafficking.

One of Harris’ most popular policies was the “Back On Track” Program. Seemingly radical for the early 2000’s, this program allowed for first time, non-violent drug offenders to participate in supervised education classes and therapy consultation. Likewise, to prevent homicide and truancy, Harris endorsed a bill in 2006 that would heavily punish or fine the parents of class-skippers at school because of the correlation between homicide and low school attendance. In present day, many judge this as detrimental to families and students’ life, however, at the time truancy rates dropped by a third, according to the Marshall Project, deeming the policy effective. Kamala Harris was elected to the United States Senate in 2016, and since then she has sponsored significantly progressive legislation, and named, by some, one of the most liberal members of the Senate. She is one of the first co-sponsors of Medicare For All, a supporter of decriminalizing marijuana (something she did not support as Attorney General), expanding Medicaid, decreasing infant mortality rate, ban fracking (although President-Elect Biden does not support this), and eliminating the age cap for DACA.

Many supporters point out the character development of Kamala as inspiring and inevitable, as she is human like the rest of us. Contrastingly, leftists and Republicans label Harris’ record as questionable and inconsistent with Democratic ideals. Both of these viewpoints are valid opinions and interpretations. What is the truth though, is that this woman is the United States’ Vice-President-Elect. Key word woman. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, I hope it can be agreed upon that representation is a pivotal part when progressing towards an equal society. Kamala Harris broke a huge glass ceiling, and now it is up to women to follow her lead, and rise up. Nothing is impossible now!

Stacey Abrams: Georgia's Wonder Woman Stacey Abrams rose to the national spotlight in 2018 during Georgia’s gubernatorial race after narrowly losing to nowGovernor Brian Kemp. Abrams was vying to become the first black woman ever elected governor in United States history

BY: MANYA KODALI

Kemp had disenfranchised minority votes through voter suppression. and had alleged throughout her campaign that

The race was long and bitter with Abrams eventually conceding to Kemp. Though she did not win, her fight made one thing clear to Democrats across the country — demographic shifts in the suburbs could allow Democrats to take control of the historically Republican state by expanding their presence and aiding disenfranchised voters.

Georgia has consistently gained more electoral votes in each of the last 3 census reapportionments, drawing increasing focus from both parties; Georgians have voted for the Republican presidential candidate since 1996 with the majority of votes coming from white voters. In recent years, however, the state’s demographics have shifted to include larger populations of people of color and young, college-aged voters. The 2016 election saw then-candidate Trump win by a relatively small margin of only

5%, highlighting the potential

for an increased Democratic presence. Then, two years after Abrams’ defeat, Georgia flipped blue during the highly contentious 2020 presidential election, going against decades of tradition and shocking the nation.

Georgians have voted for the Republican presidential candidate since 1996 with the majority of votes coming from white voters.

Citizens across the country watched in awe as the state turned blue, appearing to shift as though by magic, but behind the scenes Abrams, arguably the nation’s leading voice on voting rights, has been working relentlessly to ensure a Democratic win.

Abrams’ strategy is simple and seemingly obvious: expand Democratic presence in the state by registering more voters. And yet, it was in stark contrast to the prior plan. In 2014, Dubose Porter, the former Georgia Democratic Party chairman and a member of the state’s legislature from 1982 to 2011, was the first to insist his state should be considered a battleground; Democrats nominated centrist candidates to appeal to moderate white voters who’d shifted right. The approach failed, allowing Republicans to take control of the state’s federal and state offices by wide margins.

Years ago, Abrams wrote, “Any[thing] less than a full investment in Georgia would amount to strategic malpractice.” Democrats listened. The party campaigned for almost a decade, creating strongholds in the suburbs and engaging previously disenfranchised demographics. The grassroots organizing all paid off in 2020 with Biden winning the Peach State by over 10,000 votes, largely thanks to Abrams’ work

After this debacle, Abrams asserted herself

. She expanded the party’s focus from white moderates to potential voters: younger Georgians, infrequent Black voters, growing Latino and Asian-American populations, and Black voters moving into Georgia. Her movement, the New Georgia Project, was founded in 2013, but

engaging college voters.

and began to put her plan into place

“Any[thing] less than a full investment in Georgia would amount to strategic malpractice."

truly took off a few years later when Democrats understood her method was necessary. Her methods proved fruitful in 2018 when, even as Abrams herself lost, Democrat Lucy McBath won a onceRepublican congressional seat. Years later,

Abrams created the Fair Fight Georgia Initiative to expand further into minority and LGBTQ+ demographics. after her infamous 2018 loss,

Abrams hasn’t relaxed just yet. Georgia is readying itself for a tough January runoff election with control of the Senate hanging in the balance. Without winning two seats, president-elect Joe Biden will face an uphill battle to confirm nominees or pass legislation in a Republican-controlled Congress. Though it’s far from guaranteed that Democrats will win even one Georgian runoff seat — runoff elections traditionally have lower voter turnout among Democrats — both candidates,

Jon Ossoff and Raphael

Warnock have a fighting chance. Abrams is drumming up support and keeping the elections in the spotlight in hopes of seeing a Democratic Senate for the next four years.

Abrams has worked relentlessly for much of her career to ensure fair and equal voting practices in her home state. Her framework has driven the Democratic Party into a competitive position in a state once thought to be impossible to turn. An inspiration to all, Stacey Abrams has continued championing minority voices during critical times in this nation, and it doesn't look like she's stopping anytime soon.

WOMEN BREAKING BARRIERS IN THE 2020 ELECTION BY: CEDAR ROACH

In 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the

Before the election even concluded,

first woman to ever be elected to the

women had already begun to set new

United States Congress; in 1981,

and impressive precedents.

Sandra Day Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor became the

According to the Center for American

first female Supreme Court Justice;

Women and Politics, a record number

and in 2007, Nancy Pelosi became

of female politicians filed to run for a

the first female Speaker of the

Congressional seat. Of the 583

House. For centuries, women have

women running, 227 filed to run as a

been breaking political barriers and

Republican; this almost doubled the

in the 2020 election, women proved

previous record of Republican women

just how capable they are. Here are

fighting for election. Women of color

just a few of the ways women made

also broke records this election cycle

history this U.S. election cycle-

with 267 women of color running for Congress.

Over the years, as more women ran for government, the public’s view on women in politics has changed drastically. The American people’s desire to see more women in government has been steadily increasing, a 2018 Pew Research Poll found. 2020 shows that this poll holds true; the American people want more women in politics.

Due to the unprecedented amount of women running in 2020, it is unsurprising that election day broke even more barriers. Sarah McBride made history this election by being the first openly transgender individual elected to be as a state senator in all of United States history. Ana Irma Rivera Lassén became the first black and openly lesbian woman to be elected to the Puerto Rican senate. Stephanie Byers made her mark by becoming Kansas’s first transgender elected official and by being the first Indigenous trans individual elected to state legislature.

On a congressional level, women undoubtedly won the night. In setting a new record, women won a remarkable 134 Congressional seats. Many of these women also became “firsts” that night. Cori Bush became the first Black woman elected to represent Missouri in Congress. Marilyn Strickland was elected to the U.S. House which makes her the first Korean American woman to ever be elected to Congress. New Mexico has a whole set a first for women by electing only women of color to its Congress.

No list of impressive firsts for women

In her first address to the nation as

would be complete without

Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris

mentioning Kamala Harris. For years,

told the world “While I may be the

women and girls around the world

first woman in this office, I will not

have been waiting for the moment

be the last. Because every little girl,

we could use the phrase “Madam

watching tonight sees that this is a

Vice President.” In this election

country of possibilities.” Kamala

cycle, Kamala Harris fulfilled young

Harris, and dozens of others, set a

girls’ dreams by becoming the first

prime example of what women are

woman elected to the office of vice

capable of. This 2020 election cycle

president. Furthermore, she is also

set many firsts, showing what the

the first woman of color to become

future of the American government

vice president-elect.

is capable of.

The officials elected in 2020 show a diverse group of female politicians; a diversity that allows our government to accurately reflect its people. Now, the American government no longer just simply listens to the voices of women but is made up of the voices of women. From inspiration to representation, this type of diversity is important. However, where this vast group of women can make the greatest impact is in policy. Because of their unique background, these women are able to address issues that disproportionately affect women, BIPOC, and the LGBTQ+ community.

HOW BIDEN

KEPT THE FAITH ON HIS LONG ROAD TO PRESIDENCY BY: TING CUI

This year has been tough for us all; we have struggled with a global pandemic that has

In grade school, Joe Biden

drastically changed and will

began dreaming of being

continue to change our lives.

President of the United States.

Classes have been moved

He began chasing that dream

online, we have been forced into

the moment he entered office

social isolation, our future plans

as a Senator in 1972. He first

have been put on pause - and

ran for president 33 years ago

there seems to be no end in

in 1987 at the end of Ronald

sight. An anxiety-filled

Reaganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second term. He was

presidential election seemed to

in his 40s and ran as a

be the furthest place from calm.

candidate embodying a

However, it is precisely in

generational change that

President-elect Joe Bidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

would bring in a new period of

journey to the White House that I

presidential leadership. At that

have found solace.

point in his political career, he was known for his personal tragedy as much as his

legislative accomplishments.

At the start of the campaign, Biden was drawing crowds, hitting fundraising goals, and many within the Democratic party saw him as formidable. However, everything made a turn for the worse when he was accused of plagiarizing speeches. The most memorable account of this is at a debate in Iowa where he was caught using the words of British politician Neil Kinnock as his own which led to a series of unpleasant experiences for Biden.

The nomination of Regan Bork to the Supreme Court was another contributor to the end of Bidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first presidential run. Head of the Judiciary Committee at the time, he led a major effort by the Democrats to block the confirmation of the heavily conservative judge. Deeply invested in the Bork fight, he dropped out of the race months before the Iowa and New Hampshire polls. Ultimately, Bork was not confirmed to the Supreme Court which was a significant victory for Bidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senate career. Following this event, Biden pivoted his goals to focus on the tasks ahead of him in the Senate. He spearheaded foreign policy initiatives, pushed a crime bill in the mid-90s, and established himself as a capable broker among partisan lines. However, the idea of running for president never left Bidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind. He considered running again in 2004 as George W. Bush sought re-election, but decided against it. It was in 2008 that he decided he was ready for a second run for president.

In his 2008 campaign, Joe Biden was a different candidate, bringing 30 years of experience in the Senate that he didn’t have before. Unfortunately, that experience didn’t resonate widely with voters. He was running against history-making candidates, like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who made Biden seem dull and out of touch by comparison. On the policy side of things, he voted for the Iraq War, while Obama voted against it - which was arguably the most important foreign policy issue of the election. It was clear that the 2008 election was not Biden’s time and he dropped out immediately following the Iowa caucus. Unlike the 1988 election, he left the race presenting himself as a knowledgeable peer among his rivals. The biggest gain of this election cycle was becoming Vice President to Barack Obama, the eventual President of the United States.

In 2009, it is unlikely that Biden will run for president again after two failed presidential bids. Much like after the 1988 election, he threw himself into the job he had as the vice president instead of focusing on what he didn’t have. But, Biden’s ambitions for President did not fade. In fact, they were reinvigorated at the end of Obama’s two terms. Tragically though, his son Beau Biden died in 2015, throwing an unexpected obstacle at his 2016 campaign. During Biden’s period of grieving, he realized the window of opportunity to launch a presidential campaign had closed and announced he would not be running.

For myself and many others, we saw the 2016 election as his last chance to run for president. Much to our surprise though, he ran again in 2020. And as we can all recall, his most recent presidential campaign was a roller coaster of highs and lows, but in the end, he prevailed and won the democratic nominee. We watched election night with racing hearts and after days of obsession, vote counting finally came to an end. It was a long and perilous journey, but Joe Biden ultimately achieved his dream of becoming President of the United States.

I believe the moral of the story is, like

Things are tough now, but the

Biden often says, to “Keep the Faith”

pandemic will subside and there

through the difficult times. We are about

will eventually be an opportunity

nine months into the pandemic and it has

for us to thrive. What we can do

not been easy on any of us. Personally,

now is focus on the tasks in front of

this has been a time of confusion and

us and wait patiently for the right

despair as the pandemic has caused me

opportunity to arrive. To everyone

to doubt the goals I’ve had since grade

who has been struggling: Keep the

school. The path towards reaching them

Faith.

seems cloudier each day and it has been hard to motivate myself to continue amid the isolation. However, Biden’s journey showed that time creates new opportunities if we only stay determined. After all, Biden was nothing more than an ordinary man who persisted despite the tragedies thrown his way. He succeeded, so why can’t we all?

BUILD BACK BETTER:

Joe Biden's Economic Plan for Recovery

By: By: Sara Sara Keegan Keegan

COVID-19 has brought about a multitude of negatives, ranging from the hundred thousand lives lost to the American economy decreasing rapidly. A sense of uncertainty has blanketed the nation itself, ideas of failure and uneasiness looming over the American people. This made the 2020 Presidential Election even more significant than before. The two parties symbolized drastically different beliefs and plans and it was up to the American people to vote according to their political values and beliefs. However, a new idea had to be factored in‒how would each political figure handle the surge in COVID-19 cases and the damaged economy? Well, the American people have spoken. Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election, positioning him to be the

46th President of the United States. Although many are knowledgeable of his main focuses‒containing COVID, providing healthcare, and raising the minimum wage‒many are not aware of his plan to rebuild the economy.“Build Back Better” is Biden’s economic plan, one which aims to benefit working families during such a crucial time of unemployment and expense. Biden plans on spending over $7 trillion on initiatives such as the creation of 10 million clean-energy jobs, housing, education, healthcare, and economic fairness (Build). Although this may seem like a large sum of money, this sort of spending is quite typical for the United States Government, as change comes with a significant price tag. With these initiatives in mind, Biden hopes to provide working families across the nation the ability to bounce back after financially difficult times, especially because many have lost

their jobs due to the pandemic. By providing millions of jobs, it not only aids those recently employed but also benefits the economy as a whole, as more people will purchase goods and services benefiting various businesses. More specifically, Biden’s plan focuses on the clear racial disparities associated with health and finance. Many Black and Hisapnic Americans have suffered and died from the coronavirus at rates far higher than White Americans. In addition, Black unemployment has reached 15.4 percent (Build), and businesses owned by minorities have closed down at shocking

rates. With this in mind, racial equity is one of the pillars of “Build Back Better,” providing minorities with proper healthcare and the ability to access additional opportunities. Some of Biden’s plans listed in “Build Back Better” are designed to aid minorities and lead to a better economic standing with access to necessities. One of the first proposals is to increase the funding and stature of the Minority Business Development Agency, which provides business consulting services and connects

business owners with opportunities that can benefit their finances and exposure. Biden also promises to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for all families with incomes below $125,000. This will provide education to those who historically could not afford it, allowing them to pursue any career they dream of without being weighed down by financial burden. This plan is set to benefit roughly 91% of Black households and 88% of Latino households (Build). These are significant margins that will impact millions across the nation. Lastly, and most importantly, Biden vows to end pay discrimination in the United States. He strongly supports the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ensure that businesses are paying their workers equally and that there are no loopholes in the system. This is significant as women of color are paid much less than white men doing the exact same job.

Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan is one that covers a wide range of topics, bringing hope back to numerous Americans who felt as though the stability of the nation was lost.

For most supporters, this plan provides them with benefits that would have not been offered under the Trump administration. Biden plans to begin acting on his entire plan as soon as possible; already began creating a COVID task force on November 7, 2020 that is analyzing the best way to contain the virus in the United States. 2020 has been a year full of uncertainty and worry that has impacted every person around the world. With the new presidency comes hope and the possibility to help the United States “Build Back Better”.

The World IS Watching NOW:

How Biden Will Affect the United States' International Relations Status

n November 7th, the world seemed to unplug and restart. Leaders of nations that had maintained tense relationships with the United States for the past four years were suddenly wishing our president-elect congratulations. This comes as no surprise, as Biden was once recognized as Vice President for his inordinate expertise in the foreign policy field. Biden faces unprecedented international challenges upon entering the White House including immigration, coronavirus, trade, and militarization -- all dependent on foreign diplomacy. His policy constitutes a full "reset" of American international relations. Biden's most prominent focus on foreign diplomacy is shifting

BY: ANDREA CHOW

the United States from a position of praising autocrats and dictators to emphasizing the importance of democracy. He plans to hold a summit to discuss how to best support democracies worldwide and re-build relationships with key allies Australia, Israel, Japan, and South Korea. Biden expresses serious concern that without American leadership on a democratic front, a power vacuum will leave too much room for North Korean or Russian leadership to potentially fill, dooming democracies far into the future. The Southern Border is the most prominent physical reminder that the United

States is not isolated on the world stage. Trump has left a legacy of inciting conflict and outrage over border immigration policy, including building a physical wall to block migration, gassing migrants at the border, and separating migrant children from their parents in detention camps. Mexican and Central American leaders expressed clear distaste over these policy decisions. Biden is a clear shift from this approach to immigration. On the campaign trail, he emphasized how his administration's decision to provide monetary aid to Central American governments decreased rates of migration to the United States. He supports temporary protected status for citizens of El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Venezuela.

Under Trump's leadership through the coronavirus pandemic, international travel has been blocked off to and from many countries due to the United States' high infection rates. Biden plans to respond to the pandemic on not just a national level, but also a global level. He pledged to send aid to third-world nations struggling with the pandemic and has promised to rejoin the World Health Organization and work together more efficiently with the United Nations and other major world leaders. Biden will not stray from Trump's rhetoric on whether or not China caused the pandemic, arguing that they should have had increased transparency in the early stages of the spread.

A bold shift away from Trump's tariff policy, Biden supports the liberalization of trade and plans to lower barriers to worldwide commerce. As Vice President, he supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership to limit China's power in world trade. He supported both the North American Free Trade Agreement as well as Trump's renegotiated Canada/United States/Mexico version of the agreement. Biden also plans on strengthening relations with African countries to build their economies and expand the reach of American companies there. He advocates for stronger enforcement of current trade policies and protection of intellectual property,

Although the United States has only been withdrawn from the Paris Climate Accords for less than a month, Biden still plans on immediately rejoining and repositioning the United States as a world climate leader. This is a huge development, as climate discussions stalled immediately after America promised to leave since one of the most prominent climate leaders was no longer willing to discuss progress on the climate front. Biden plans to leverage America's economic power to bolster clean energy abroad, such as withholding aid for countries with coal-fired power plants and providing debt relief for countries with clean energy policies.

Biden's approach to international relations offers a radically different attitude from that of his predecessor. Whether or not democracy reigns over dictatorship depends on the success of this political reset.

OF The checks and balances– we’ve all learned about them in 8th grade US history or junior year APUSH. The idea that all three branches of government should be equal and keep each other in, well, check. For the past few years, it feels as if all eyes have been on the executive branch, with the occasional glance to the judicial and legislative. But recently the judicial branch has grabbed the country’s attention, as the continual questions about reproductive rights, LQBTQ+ equality, and racial justice, rise again. Not to mention how the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been emphasized with a deadlock on Pennsylvania’s voting rights case. But now, with the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Supreme Court has returned to its full bench status this time with an overwhelming conservative presence (6-3). We are going to feel those changes in the court very noticeably.

By: Regan Madding

Democrats across the nation have received some consolation with Vice President Joe Biden’s and Senator Kamala Harris’ historical triumph last week but the left still shows signs of dissatisfaction coming off of seats lost in the House and their majority on the Hill balancing on a special election in Georgia. while every side is entitled to their own responsibilities, if they can't find some common ground, laws will continue to bounce around like a kid in a jumpy castle. Millions of Americans are still waiting for just the second stimulus bill that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to even talk about. Despite the Senate’s legislative inaction, Justice Amy Coney Barrett was rushed onto the Supreme Court, thanks to President Donald Trump’s eagerness with Justice Barrett practically waiting in the wings for the moment to slip into the robes. It's no surprise Justice Barrett has already faced her fair amount of factually supported criticism from the left along with praise from the right. These critiques include questions of experience or lack thereof.

According to Mother Jones, “Barrett has zero experience practicing the law, and only 3 years of experience as a judge.” Many are also concerned about Barrett's religious ties, specifically her Orthodox Catholicism. However, the issue with her religion isn't necessarily her Catholicism, but rather the issue lies in the implications her religion could have on her decisions. The Pope himself announced his tolerance for members of the LGBTQ+ community recently. When it comes to cases regarding LGBTQ issues of healthcare and adoption, and reproductive freedom issues regarding Roe v Wade and accessible birth control, strong religious beliefs have proven to bear weight on rulings across the nation.

Some may say the main difference between a conservative and liberal justice on the court is that a liberal judge rules not only based on precedent and the constitution, but also people's lives, and takes into account what effects their ruling could have on actual, reallife, people. But this isn't always the case, Chief Justice John Roberts is known for being a ‘swing judge,’ and previously, when the conservative majority was only 5-4 that was enough to change the ruling, but now, Roberts possible shifts are no longer enough and too many cases will be lost simply to the imbalance of conservative and liberal justices on the court. The hot button issue right now is abortion, specifically Roe vs. Wade, and how Justice Amy Coney Barret's presence on the court may affect speculation of the cases overturned. But the thing is, we have seen how abortion rights and technicalities have been fought over, tooth and nail, again and again, and so from a Pro-Choice perspective, Roe v. Wade would be a huge loss and more cases need to be put into place that secure reproductive rights, rather than strip them away. If abortion rights get left up to the states, conservative states will have no Supreme Court holding to keep them from outlawing abortion, wholesale. According to the AP News, a recent abortion law in Tennessee was ruled unconstitutional, proving that certain conservative states are making efforts to ban abortion, and Roe v. Wade is the only thing keeping them from doing so.

While Justice Amy Coney Barret’s appointment to the bench is historic as only the fifth female justice, many women argue that her viewpoints may oppose the progression of women's rights, activism, and work women have spent decades fighting for. It's important to remember the backs of all the women that ACB stands on and ponder what she means for women in positions of political power from this point on.

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WOMEN IN POLITICS MAGAZINE Founder and Co-Exec. Director

Rebecca Joseph

Walnut Creek, CA | 14 years old

My name is Rebecca Joseph and I am a highschool sophomore from the Bay Area. I got interested in politics during my first year of high school where I joined the Speech and Debate team. From there I fell in love with the world of politics, but soon became aware of the lack of representation women were getting in the field. I wanted to be part of a community of teens who want to support each other and the younger generation to pursue a career in politics; however, I was unable to find anything, so I started Women In Politics. Now, four months later I have been blessed with an amazing team and I cannot wait for all we are going to accomplish.

Co-Exec. Director Katherine Bronov

Philadelphia, PA | 17 years old

My name is Katherine Bronov and I am an online high school senior from the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. I have been passionate about politics since the start of high school and I have searched for organizations and clubs that interest me but found nothing until Women In Politics (WIP) caught my eye. WIP is a very special organization and fascinatingly the first of its kind. I am so grateful to be a part of this team and work alongside girls that are just as enthusiastic about politics as I am and recognize the shortage of women in this important field. Please enjoy this issue!

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Please enjoy this issue!

Kansas City, MI | 16 years old

Editor Leader

Lily Sun

San Ramon, CA | 16 years old

Isabella Pang

Long Island, NY | 16 years old

Kashish Singh | Sara Keegan | Grace McPadden

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Ella Stillion Southard

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Writing Leader

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