Editorial: The pendulum of American politics

An American author said it but was true not only for her or the US.

For four years she woke up every morning and felt as if a dark cloud was descending on her and she said, “My God, Donald Trump was elected President!”

For four years she felt anxiety, frustration, and rage. Now she is calm and the nightmare is over. Although the country, like the entire planet, is besieged by the public health emergency, there has been a return to political normalcy.

Today is President Joe Biden’s 100th day in the White House. In that period, he did not just “write off” his predecessor by, for example, bringing the US back into the Paris Agreement on climate change and resuming talks with Iran on its nuclear programme.

He also made known his intentions as regards the coming year of his presidency.

Domestically, he intends to expedite the vaccine rollout and he managed to pass through Congress a 1.9 trillion dollar package to address the economic repercussions of the pandemic.

He has also tabled another 2.3 trillion dollar package for massive investment in green energy and technology.

Abroad, he restored ties with Europe and made clear to China and Russia that human rights will be high on the agenda. He also recognised the Armenian genocide with indifference about Turkey’s reaction.

Many media outlets are already comparing the US president with Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Although it is too soon for such comparisons, there are serious indications that Biden will close the cycle begun precisely four decades ago by Ronald Reagan and will become the “grandfather” of a more social democratic America.

In that sense, the pendulum of history will not return to the same point as in the Trump presidency. It is already swinging more widely. It is departing from the aim of as small a state as possible and is veering towards creating a state with smaller inequalities and greater solidarity.

Margaret Thatcher was wrong. There is an alternative solution!