President Joe Biden has been in office for a bit over 100 days, and the trend of Democrat mediocrity and a disappointing “return to normalcy” is set to continue.

Biden has done some good so far. He passed his COVID-19 relief bill, providing a much-needed economic support to millions of Americans. He rolled back some major Donald Trump mistakes, from headline issues like rejoining the Paris Climate agreement to issues farther from the spotlight like stopping oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

However, many Democrat talking points like a $15 minimum wage and student debt cancellation are coming with catches, with Biden’s plans being a “yes, but only if…” situation as opposed to an across-the-board plan to raise wages or cancel debt. Only federal contractors are required to pay $15 an hour, and only a few hundred thousand employees are affected according to estimates by NPR. Currently, the minimum wage for these employees is $10.95 an hour, so this jump is a far cry from many campaign promises. 

But are people as vocally up-in-arms against Biden as they were against Trump? Absolutely not. The status quo has returned, and people can get comfortably numb again. Modern social media shares some of this blame, with echo chambers being created easily and often. Many people do not want to have actual discussions outside of arguing for the sake of arguing and proving themselves within their social circles. 

Under Trump, social media would have people at each other’s throats constantly, calling out friends and neighbors over who they supported, or how they felt about politicians like Representatives Dan Crenshaw or Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. Instead of discussing important topics, the Trump era and “us vs. them” mentality has caused people to just fall into cycles of arguing for the sake of arguing instead of trying to convince others of their opinions. 

I am not a Democrat, nor am I a Republican. If I had to choose, my ideals align more with the Green party (or Bernie, if he ever gets another shot). However, infographics on Instagram stories or comments under a Turning Point USA post would have you believe that modern American politics is a yes-or-no question, and if you do not support Biden, you are as bad as the people flying Confederate flags in upstate New York. 

People oftentimes post cutesy infographics and call it a day, instead of actively working to make their communities better. Yes, national issues like the murder of George Floyd or the ex-president being a sexual predator are important but do not lose focus on local issues. Nobody is going to be convinced of anything because of an Instagram post.

Change does not happen by arguing on Facebook or shaming your 80-year-old neighbor for being a Republican, just like someone is not going to support the NRA after being called a snowflake via Instagram comment. Have conversations with people and realize there are always valid criticisms and agreements. Politicians are not perfect, and neither side of the aisle should think they are. Instead of posting something on Instagram, get involved in your local town government and make the change yourself. And at the end of the day, chill out. There is no way constantly arguing with people is good for your health.

Photo from Flickr