Suggestions for President-elect Biden
Dear President-elect Biden,
Congratulations on your election. Here at The Olympian, we are thrilled to have you as our 46th president and look forward to what the next four years will hold.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a major toll on our lives for the past eight months and we are hoping to see improvements. We believe expanding mask requirements and increasing access to testing would be beneficial because they have been proven effective methods of keeping cases under control. In the long run, we think developing a vaccine should be made a priority, and once it is made, it should be easily accessible to everyone because a vaccine is our best solution at returning to our “normal” lives quickly.
Climate change is a growing issue that requires attention, and it is important to us that your administration address it. We suggest protecting endangered species in the Arctic by permanently preserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, building more efficient cars and buildings to reduce waste that contributes to climate change, and making agriculture a key part of the solution to sustain the environment. Your administration’s plans for climate change gained our approval, and we believe they will yield positive change. However, try to also appeal to Republicans, conservatives and Trump supporters who are concerned about the economy.
A large sum of our budget goes towards the military, which is why we support a decrease in military funding and using that money for other projects. We also think the ban on transgender people should be lifted because it is discriminatory towards a person’s gender identity. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty should be signed and the arms treaty with Russia reestablished, because it would ease relations with Russia and create a safer political climate. We also support U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle East because it would promote peace and also appeal to Republicans who support a withdrawal.
Trump’s presidency raised multiple moral concerns over immigration and we believe his actions such as separating families and keeping people in cages should be the first to be undone. Construction of his wall should stop, as it symbolizes bad relations with Mexico, and ICE should be abolished or reformed. However, immigration doesn’t need to be the top priority because COVID-19 is a bigger issue plaguing our country, and public health measures at the border regarding the pandemic should be kept in place.
The issue of civil rights has been ongoing in our country, and recently grew over the past few months, splitting our country. The Olympian supports the fight for equality, thus supporting the reinstatement of anti-discrimination policies from the Obama era and the expansion of affirmative action to jobs in order to protect people of color and uplift their voices. We would like to see systemic racism in law enforcement addressed and solutions found to reduce police brutality.
A more equal funding system for schools should also be established because the lack of funding for certain schools, especially in poorer minority areas, results in limited opportunities for those children.
Mr. President-elect, thank you for considering our suggestions and good luck helping our country to “build back better,” as your campaign slogan promised.
Sincerely,
The Olympian journalism students of Castro Valley High School
I believe that Castro Valley requesting the president elect to focus problems that truly can make this country better is a good step in the right direction and sets a good example for the community.
I am excited for the Biden-Harris Administration to take action in the upcoming weeks and years to come. I am a firm believer in US success depending on immigration. This country was built off of immigration and it was sad to see a president start off his campaign by trying to build a wall and putting horrible labels on certain groups. In a country where becoming a resident or citizen is hard enough, he should have been looking for an easier way for immigrants to become citizens. I am hopeful for the future under future President, Joe Biden.
I agree with this climate change is very important to combat today.
I agree that there should definitely be more mask requirements because people are still getting the virus and it’s so dangerous how people are going out in public without a mask and putting their health at risk.
I agree that there needs to be more mask requirements since cases are rising and a large risk factor of why people are getting COVID is from wearing no mask.
I agree that we should repeal the ban on transgender people in the military, because there is no objective reasoning for the ban in the first place other than that many people are transphobic.
I like what the suggestions are for Biden. I agree with them all. Expanding the mask mandate is essential if we want to get rid of this pandemic. As a child of an immigrant family, I agree with those who want to get rid of the border wall and what is happening from ICE.
I agree with the Climate change argument.We need to help with the wildlife but they should have added with the fires in california as part of the article.I just have a feeling that it is important to
I agree that the concerns about immigration and the separation of families at the border is a major issue Biden should address immediately. Those actions are simply immoral and go against the ideals America is supposed to represent. However, like the article states this should be addressed after Covid-19 properly dealt with first.
I think that it is really important that we take the Covid-19 pandemic a lot more seriously than the Trump administration did. I think that increasing mask mandates and increasing tests is a good start, but I do feel that the federal government is going to have to work hard to make sure that our citizens are following the guidelines and start listening to the CDC and stop believing the lies that the Trump administration spread in these past months. I also think that it is really important for us to take a more defensive stance against climate change and begin implementing policies that will benefit our planet. As time goes on, the damage becomes more irreversible, and it’s time that we start working against the damage that we have caused over the years.
Even as the wait for the vaccine is quickly dwindling, I still agree that it is imperative to increase testing and have mask requirements. After all, the number of cases is increasing quickly and we need to minimize the number of deaths before the vaccine comes.
I agree that expanding mask requirements and increasing access to Covid testing would be beneficial to the entire nation. There are so many opportunities for Biden to make this country a better place for everyone, from pandemic control to climate change to anti-discrimination policies. I am hopeful for the future and hope the Biden/Harris administration will not disappoint!
With the advice to decrease military spending, why not ask for it to both be used more efficiently and decreased depending on what you think should go to the military. Companies who make equipment for the military charge insane amounts money for their gear, which doesn’t look like it matches what they are selling. For example, one of the Javelin anti-tank weapons cost 175,203 per unit, according to Wikipedia, which sounds ridiculous (search for what it looks like and what it does and it will be even more ridiculous relative to prices).
I agree there needs to be more mask requirements and increased testing, because it will save lives, and bring us out of the pandemic. Some places are not as strict as others on mask requirements which is not good. Also, increased access to testing will help slow the spread because more people will know when they’re sick.
I agree that anti-discrimination policies should be reinstated by Biden. While there are many issues that need to be addressed, civil rights should and must be prioritized. Our country has only split more these past few years and action must be taken immediately.