Are We Reliving 2020?
By JOSEPH KIM ‘26
In November 2020, the people of the United States chose between two presidential candidates: Joe Biden of the Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party. Four years later, things look similar on the surface. The same two candidates are running and are most likely to be the nominees of their respective parties. At the same time, so many events have changed the political landscape since the last election cycle, and the situation for Biden and Trump is unrecognizably different.
Immediately following Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, Donald Trump disputed the integrity of the election results. Within months, a mob of extremist Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in a historic insurgency. This event marked the first time an internal insurrection captured a government building as important as the U.S. Capitol. With the multiple impeachment trials on Donald Trump and the eventual convictions, his slate has been muddled with dirt.
The United States’ outlook on foreign affairs has also become much more partisan. The Biden administration made the controversial decision to end decades-long American involvement in Afghanistan. The Russian invasion of Ukraine completely altered the American attitude towards European affairs. Foreign policy opinion became increasingly polarized as many Republicans criticized American aid to Ukraine, while the majority of the Democratic Party fervently supported it. However, the war in the Gaza Strip led to more nuanced division between Americans, although President Biden attempted to limit the traditional policy of unconditional support for Israel. Of course, Biden and Trump’s attitudes towards the U.S.-Mexican border could not be more different, with Trump advocating for intervention to sooth the current illegal immigration crisis while Biden voices for leniency on border control. Overall, the two major parties have become increasingly distanced in foreign policy. Other social policies have also further polarized the two parties. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and the overturning of Roe vs. Wade have ever heightened social tension. With the rise of inflation, a banking crisis in Silicon Valley, and changes in economic policies, many people also became more divided on economic issues. A number of previously unpolitical topics, such as social media usage and even opinions on Disney movies, have become highly politicized in the last few years. So many issues, from foreign policy to social issues, have further separated Americans into binary political affiliations since 2020.
Although the American people have become increasingly politically polarized, they are also generally less supportive of both candidates. A large group of Republicans fear Trump’s unpredictable and perhaps foolhardy nature or oppose Trump’s radical foreign policy objectives. At the same time, a significant number of Democrats question Biden’s cognitive capability, considering his age and numerous gaffes during his presidency. Although both candidates still dominate their parties and have eliminated any opposition threatening their leadership in the party, both Biden and Trump lack the total party support that they desperately need to secure a victory in the 2024 election. The relative unpopularity of both Trump and Biden, even within their own parties, is concerning for both candidates, and marks a major difference between this year’s election and that of four years ago.
While we do see the same faces this year as in 2020, the political situation could not be more different. Donald Trump ended his presidency by supporting a violent insurrection in the Capitol, and Biden’s old age and mental wellbeing took a hit in the last four years. The two candidates show widely opposing views on social, economic, immigration, and international relations issues. Although political polarization has increased, more Americans wish for a better, third option. For the better or the worse, this election has changed in numerous ways since the previous election. Regardless of who wins, the upcoming election will inalterably impact American society.
Courtesy of Detroit Free Press