Jan. 20, 2021: After a clear victory in November, the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, stands in front of the chief justice of the Supreme Court, his hand on the Bible.
As soon as he has taken his oath, Biden announces that he will debut a big vaccination campaign to combat COVID-19 in February. Donald Trump leaves for Mar-A-Lago, where he will continue to berate the government between rounds of golf.
“Back to normalcy”? Not so fast. As surprising as it was, Trump’s victory in 2016 was not only legitimate, but it gave a voice to scores of voters who were unsatisfied with federal politicians.
The Victory of the Forgotten
Worried and frustrated, millions of Americans see Trump as the hero who will bring about big change. They know his faults but rely on his independence and his non-conformist approach to shaking things up.
Who are these voters? A mix of citizens from rural areas, blue-collar workers, white men and women shaken by the rapidly changing demographics of the country and reformists who were between Bernie Sanders’ promises and those of the Republican candidate.
Yes, Trump and his team knew how to exploit social media and master the art of spectacle politics, but the billionaire really won the election because he was successful where Hillary Clinton failed: in listening to, visiting and speaking to those whom the system too often forgets.
I Remember
We often deplore the racism exhibited by some of the president’s supporters, but if certain attitudes are despicable and reprehensible, they are not the prerogative of most of the voters who favor Trump.
In the case of a Democratic victory, we already know that the most progressive voters will be heard. However, the conditions that allowed for Trump’s victory in 2016 are still alive and well. Driving out Trump is desirable, but Biden’s motto should be “I remember.”
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