Clarion call to #VoteBlue! Reforms needed to cure Trumpziism

Student echo opinion published in The Daily Pennsylvanian, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation which publishes The Daily Pennsylvanian newspaper, 34th Street Magazine, and Under the Button, as well as three newsletters, Dear Penn, The Weekly Roundup, and The Toast.

Incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in 1984, The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. receives no funding from the University of Pennsylvania and is student-run.

Echo opinion:  In 2016, Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by around 44,000 votes. That’s roughly the size of Temple’s student body. And right now Pennsylvania is the most likely tipping point state in the entire country, which means that it is the most likely state to decide the 2020 election. All of that to say — what you do matters! You get to decide which version of the future we will live in.

Guest Column "We must vote for Joe Biden" - guest opinion in the The Daily Pennsylvanian newspaper authored by 

Joe Biden must be the next president of the United States.

Rather than continuing to read Trump’s disgusting tweets, it would be a better use of our time to explore how the world might differ depending on the outcome of this generation-defining election.

Let’s say on Jan. 20, 2021, Vice President Joe Biden is sworn in as president.

As president, Biden passes a sweeping stimulus bill that puts money in your pocket, saves the café down the road, and reduces the risk of budget cuts to West Philadelphia public schools. Biden creates a national COVID-19 testing strategy, uses his office to advocate for mask-wearing, and helps roll out a safe and effective vaccine in an orderly manner. You can now choose an affordable public option for healthcare no matter where you are. And you can stay on your parents’ health insurance until you’re 26. Your friend from high school who took on crushing student loans has had their federal student loan debt wiped clean. And in 2050, when our economy is entirely powered by clean energy that has created millions of well-paying jobs, you can show your children the forests and oceans and biodiversity of our beautiful planet that you helped preserve.

But let’s say Trump wins. 

Vice-President Joe Biden #VoteBlue

Let's cure Trumpziism!

COVID-19 continues to spread and a lack of planning and effective public health messaging on the federal level causes hundreds of thousands more to die, including someone with whom you are close. A vaccine is doled out in a partisan and haphazard manner, leading to confusion and further delays in returning to normal life. Rather than stay on the margins of society, white nationalism is further emboldened and hate crimes spike. And in 2050, the Schuylkill river trail and low-lying areas of Philadelphia now regularly flood. By the end of the century, the average day in Philadelphia is seven degrees hotter and millions have died around the world from climate change-induced catastrophes.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but it is plausible, and frighteningly likely if our country heads down this dark path.

In 2016, Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by around 44,000 votes. That’s roughly the size of Temple’s student body. And right now Pennsylvania is the most likely tipping point state in the entire country, which means that it is the most likely state to decide the 2020 election. All of that to say — what you do matters. You get to decide which version of the future we will live in.

Electing Joe Biden is absolutely necessary if we are going to make any sort of progress. Because if Trump has taught us anything constructive, it is that our lives and our society are not guaranteed to get better. We need to make that change. And we need to make it now.

FRANCOIS BARRILLEAUX is a College junior. He is the Legislative Director of Penn Democrats.

Donald Trump's actions have caused lasting damage to this country- #VoteJoeBiden

Editorial | Joe Biden for President

By The Daily Pennsylvanian Editorial Board

The Editorial Board of The Daily Pennsylvanian Inc. endorses Joe Biden for the 2020 

Presidential Election. Credit: Son Nguyen

In 2020, the grueling election process produced two candidates with close ties to the University of Pennsylvania: President Donald Trump, a 1968 Wharton graduate, and former Vice President Joe Biden, a former Penn professor.

While both share a bond with Penn, the similarities end there.

In fact, the stakes in this election are higher than ever. The climate, the economy, our health, and our lives are on the line. While we can't reverse the past four years of failed leadership under Trump, we can prevent the next four from resembling them. If that sounds like a noble goal, there is only one way forward: A vote for Joe Biden.

The constant chaos stemming from the White House, the ever-growing division in our nation, and a worsening pandemic are all evidence of Trump's disgraceful first term. As a result, The Daily Pennsylvanian Editorial Board is endorsing Joe Biden for president.

Tens of millions of people, from both Pennsylvania and beyond, have already cast their vote, and tens of millions of people will do the same up through Election Day.

Despite the fact that millions have yet to cast their ballots, only a small fraction of voters remain undecided. The vast majority of Americans feel strongly about Trump, Biden, or both. Although some have their reasons for leaving their vote until the last minute, the last four years should make the choice simple.

Joe Biden deserves your vote, both because of his own merits as a candidate and to prevent another four years of Trump.

As president, Biden will likely pass a giant stimulus bill, resembling the one passed over a decade ago under the leadership of former President Barack Obama. In today's COVID-ravaged economy, this is desperately needed. Biden would also enact an ambitious climate change plan that would get the United States to net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan would also attempt to close racial wealth gaps by encouraging the investing of tens of billions of dollars in communities of color.

Even if voters are not thrilled about Joe Biden, the alternative is far, far worse.

Donald Trump is an affront to American values. He has repeatedly violated legal norms, lied shamelessly tens of thousands of times, and set an abysmal example for the nation's young people. He has granted mainstream credibility to racist conspiracy theories, incited violence, and waged a constant war against the media. These are not the actions befitting of a president.

Donald Trump's actions have caused lasting damage to this country. His blatant disregard for long-standing norms could encourage future presidents to eschew tradition in favor of raw power. His attitudes on race have contributed to a spike in hate crimes, and will likely set race relations back years. And his corruption, coupled with a lack of serious consequences for it, will enable greed in future politicians.

Although Biden may not be the ideal candidate for many Americans, he is the only alternative to the damage done be Donald Trump. Some will argue he is too liberal, or not liberal enough, or too old to be president. But that is the nature of a successful presidential campaign. The best candidates bring together a voting bloc that does not agree on everything, but can agree on overarching principles.

Vice-President Joe Biden will bring back a sense of normalcy to the White House. He is a decent, honest man with the best of intentions. His administration will be far better for this country than four more years of division, chaos, and hatred.

Over eight months ago, we endorsed Bernie Sanders for president in the midst of the Democratic primary season. Now, we urge Penn community members to cast their ballot for Joe Biden in the general election. We must unite to defeat Penn's most infamous export: Donald Trump.

Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn's campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.

Nancy Pelosi - an experienced political leader

Rep. Nancy Pelosi- supporter from Pennsylvania writes, 

"She is the right person to be the Speaker of the US House"

By Michael A. Keshmiri published in The Daily Pennsylvanian newspaper

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

After the Democrats’ resounding victory to regain control of the House of Representatives, the hot topic of discussion turned to the speakership. Would Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) once again become the Speaker of the House for the incoming 116th Congress or would Democrats elect a new speaker?

A power struggle ensued.  But, what surprised me about the opposition was not its existence, but its fierceness. This made me wonder what crime Pelosi had committed to earn the contempt of so many Democrats?

After some internet research, I discovered: She has served her country honorably through government service for many years.


One may ask, when in her 16 years as leader of House Democrats, did Nancy Pelosi’s service suddenly turn from something admirable to a deal breaker? I don’t know the answer to that, but neither do her detractors.

But Mrs. Pelosi's opponents, some of whom are part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, have decided that they may want new, younger leadership. Perhaps, a perfectly valid wish. The idea of fresh leadership has strong appeal and denotes energy. 

Nevertheless, if that is why they want her replaced, then they should say so, instead of making inaccurate claims about her excellent qualifications.

Some claim that she is not liberal enough. For three decades she has served the people of San Francisco, a liberal bastion, and championed some of the causes closest to their hearts: LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights in general.

Others feel that she and the other leaders of the House Democratic establishment have lost sight of liberal priorities and care only about holding on to power. This ignores the nearly two decades she has spent leading Democrats in their fight to protect those Americans whose rights are most vulnerable to conservative attacks. Anyone who has followed Pelosi’s tenure as Democratic Leader has witnessed what a tireless advocate she has been for all Americans.


The energy she has put into getting things done in Washington is impressive. She was instrumental in leading America out of the Great Recession; in passing the Affordable Care Act; in repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the discriminatory policy that prohibited openly gay people from serving in the military; and in passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which provided women a better chance to fight gender-based pay discrimination.

Being an effective Speaker of the House requires tremendous political acumen and tenacity. It demands of you the ability to take hundreds of competing policy ideas and requests and synthesize them into legislation.
Recently, former President Obama praised Pelosi. “I think Nancy Pelosi, when the history is written, will go down as one of the most effective legislative leaders that this country’s ever seen,” he said. “Nancy is not always the best on a cable show or with a quick sound bite ... but her skill, tenacity, toughness, vision, is remarkable.”

I suspect that the attacks on Pelosi stem from the recognition that she is by far the strongest candidate to take up the gavel as the next Speaker of the House. The only way for them to take her down is to try and tarnish her record and reputation. But she deserves better than to be targeted by disingenuous attacks.

Moreover, with Democrats rightfully taking control of the House, Congress will finally provide a check on the Executive branch, making it all the more important that Democrats have the right person at the helm.

Pelosi is smart and she will ensure that Democrats pursue the Trump administration only when there is reason to believe that laws or ethical rules have been broken. She will appropriately provide a check on the elements within the Democratic Party that could act unwisely.

Nancy Pelosi is the right person for the House Congressional leadership job and the experienced person the country needs, right now.