We did it! Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have won!
Together, with a huge, diverse, energized, massive majority of Americans, we made history!
Now let’s get to work.
The election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is an indictment of and critical departure from the current incompetent, corrupt and divisive politics of President Trump and the Republican Party, and the election of the hard-charging and inspiring Kamala Harris shatters glass ceilings as she becomes the first woman and the first woman of color elected to this level of leadership in our country.
This win is historic: We have defeated a would-be authoritarian regime, allowing us to turn the page to a new chapter in American history.
And now, we need to help President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris pursue a big, bold, ambitious agenda that meets the crises we face as a country and can help transform our society and economy for decades to come.
Democrats have a clear mandate in this new chapter: to drive and implement an agenda that meets the needs of the American people now. And they’ll need to deliver on the following:
— A robust, bold, expansive package to combat the health and economic crises posed by the pandemic, including massive job-creating investments in climate change solutions as well as a public option for health insurance and an aggressive approach to rebuilding our economy so it works for everyone, not just the wealthy 1%.
— Reform the rules of our democracy so that it is responsive to the needs of the people.
— Serious action to address racial injustice, including police violence.
— A path to citizenship for immigrants in the country and doing away with the bigoted Muslim ban implemented by the Trump administration.
We’ll have our work cut out for us. Trumpism won’t just disappear, and change doesn’t come by the election of one leader. It comes because we the people demand it.
We just rose up and defeated an incumbent president, one who flouted the rule of law, who sought to abuse his office to hold power, and who had Big Money and structural flaws in our democracy on his side.
We made history by defeating him, electing Joe Biden with a record turnout, and making Kamala Harris the first woman and woman of color to hold office at this level. And now, we’ll keep doing all we need to fight for change, hope and progress for all of us.
So take a breath. Take a nap. Hug a loved one. Cry tears of joy.
And then let’s get back to work, together.
Leoncio Martins
Santa Barbara
