Why Joe Biden Is Lacking College Students’ Support

Gabriela Enamorado/Staff Writer

After an intense primary season with many unexpected turns, it seems that Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic presidential nominee. 

Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign on Wednesday, April 8, leaving only Biden in the race. Many young voters, especially college students, have expressed distaste in this outcome. Sanders had a strong following that consisted of young voters, and while older voters flocked towards Biden, he has had some problems gaining the interest and support of Sanders’ audience. This stems from their lack of interest in his policies, Biden’s ignorance of young voters’ concerns and young voters wanting major change. 

From the very beginning of the primary season, Biden hasn’t caught my interest at all. In fact, he was one of my last choices. I know I wasn’t the only one who had little to no interest in Biden, as he has the lowest turnout among young voters.  

One of the big issues for me was that it seemed he wasn’t listening to us and issues that concern us. In 2018, Biden said that he had no sympathy for millennials and members of Generation Z who complain, because what we were experiencing was nothing compared to the time he grew up in. This shows how he really feels about the problems younger people are facing today and the issues we are inheriting. How can young voters rally for him if we feel that we aren’t even being taken seriously? 

Something that Biden continuously says is that he wants the country to go back to normal. For many young voters, many who lean more progressive, “return to normalcy” is not enough to get us interested. 

Young voters have witnessed so much in so little time, from multiple mass shootings, economic turmoil, acts of terrorism and the growing concern of climate change. All these things were happening even before Trump. We want a better society.

Many Democrats think “anyone but Trump” is a good political stance, but not those who want to see actual progress in our country. What was normal back then was never working for us. 

With many young voters growing increasingly progressive, most would like to see Biden adopt more progressive policies. Medicare For All is something that has been a hot topic, especially now with the current global pandemic. The Green New Deal is something that Biden should embrace as well, as climate change is getting to the point of no return. 

I know many FIU students will agree with me when I say that college tuition is among the top concerns of young voters. Tuition is far too inaccessible to many young college students across the nation due to steep expenses, which is why we support free tuition, or at least more affordable tuition.

Biden has expanded his college plan from free tuition for community colleges to public colleges for students whose families make less than $125,000. This is limited compared to Sanders’ proposal of free tuition regardless of income, but it’s a step in the right direction. 

If Joe Biden wants our support, he has to earn it. Young people are too concerned and too tired to wait for change and a leader who will represent the change we need. If he wants our vote, he’s going to have to do a lot more. Embracing young voters and our ideas is a start.

Featured image by Gage Skidmore on Flickr.

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