Tired of not knowing diddly squat about politics? Well, get ready to impress your friends with your knowledge, because boy oh boy do I have an article for you.
2020 is one of those years that, as a kid, sounded kind of weird and made up. It just didn’t compute in your mind; it was too far away and we’d probably never make it. But alas, the decade is ending, and 2020 is nipping at our heels, so it’s time to really pay attention to those upcoming presidential elections, wouldn’t you say?
So, why not be informed this time around? While I will not be giving an exhaustive explanation of each candidate, I (with a little help and information from the New York Times) will be giving you a little snapshot of what a few of the Democratic front runners are doing so far, just to jump start you in your political journey.
First, Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., affectionately known as Joe Biden. You may know him as the 47th vice president back in the day, when Barack Obama was in office. Biden is 76 years old (77 on November 20th!) and was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania right next to Michael Scott. But don’t let that fool you, the man is no stranger to politics. Biden is a six-term senator from Delaware, and he has also tried for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988 and 2008. And of course, there’s the whole vice president thing. He’s kind of like your cool, famous grandpa.
Biden’s current national polling average is 28%, making him the Democratic front runner. He is passionate about the issue of health care, and often discusses it in relation to some of his own personal tragedies, including the loss of his first wife and daughter in 1972 and the loss of his son in 2015. Along with the issue of health care, the New York Times states that some of Biden’s other signature issues are, “Restoring America’s standing on the global stage [and] strengthening economic protections for low-income workers in industries like manufacturing and fast food.” Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Joe Biden. *applause*
Close behind Biden, with a national polling average of 20%, is Elizabeth Ann Warren, affectionately known as Elizabeth Warren. The 70-year-old Massachusetts senator and former Harvard professor is known for “having a plan.” Seriously, she has released detailed plans that could potentially reshape and restructure the economy, and her phrase “I have a plan for that” has even made an appearance or two on t-shirt designs. You may also know her as that candidate who takes selfies with everyone. That’s right, Warren spends hours at the end of her town hall meetings at the front of her “selfie line,” where anyone and everyone can quickly and efficiently have their picture taken with her and shake her hand. Maybe that seems a little silly to some, but in a world of social media, this has proved to be an effective mode of spreading her name and message to those across America, as well as helping her stand out among competitors. She’s kind of like your cool, hip grandma.
As an expert in bankruptcy law, Warren also knows her stuff. She helped set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the Obama administration, and is known for her policy plans, including “creating a wealth tax, canceling student loan debt for most borrowers, and breaking up big technology companies,” according to the New York Times. Warren is passionate about income equality and political corruption, as she sees big corporations attacking the middle class. Let’s also not forget that she is a woman, and a woman has never become president. A history-making election, if she makes it. Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Elizabeth Warren. *applause*
For our third and final candidate, coming in with a national polling average of 17%, we have Bernard Sanders, affectionately known as Bernie “Feel the Bern” Sanders. A theme so far in these three candidates is that they seem to know what they’re doing, and Sanders is no exception. Sanders was elected to the House of Representatives in 1990 and is the former mayor of Burlington, Vermont (not to be confused with the Burlington Coat Factory), as well as a senator from Vermont. Something definitely worth mentioning is that Sanders is 78 years old, which means that if he were to be elected, he would be the oldest president in history. I will say that, if Joe Biden or Donald Trump were also elected, they too would hold the title of oldest president in history. However, Sanders takes the cake, because he is older than both. He’s kind of like your cool, really old grandpa.
Sanders, runner-up to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary, has many topics and ideas that he is trying to push forward. First, Sanders is a self-proclaimed democratic socialist. While the exact definition of this term is a little tricky, democratic socialists do not support capitalism, meaning that “they want workers to control the means of production,” according to the New York Times. They also believe that socialism should be achieved via democracy, hence the term democratic socialist. Sanders is also known for his “Medicare for all” platform, as well as pushing for tuition-free public college. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bernie Sanders. *applause*
These are brief insights into your top 3 Democratic candidates, but let me remind you there are 14 other Democrats currently running. So remember to stay informed, exercise your right to vote, and keep doing your best!