On January 20th, Joe Biden was sworn into office as the 46th President of the United States in front of the U.S. Capitol building. In his inaugural address, President Biden called for less division between Republicans and Democrats. He also mentioned the importance of our democracy and unity among the American people in light of recent events, such as the insurrection of the Capitol. On his first day in office, Joe Biden signed fifteen executive orders. Some of these orders include requiring mask-wearing for federal workers, revising civil immigration enforcement policies, and allowing all qualified Americans to serve in the U.S. military, all help to set the tone for Biden’s first 100 days in office. Mr. Kerkman, a social studies teacher here at East, reflects on the importance of the plan for a president’s first 100 days.
“It’s the start of his presidency, so he’s going to set the tone and give direction as to what he wants done and where he wants to go concerning his presidency,” Mr. Kerkman said.
Over these past few weeks, we have seen and heard what topics of concern President Biden is currently choosing to focus on. He has signed executive orders that address Covid-19 vaccines, raising the minimum wage, investing in green energy, tackling climate change, and immigration. Looking forward, it will be interesting to see what progress the Biden administration will make in these areas of focus. While it may be difficult to understand as youth and young adults, the decisions being made in Washington right now will have a direct impact on our lives and the lives of our peers.