A Sneak Peek Into America’s Political Landscape In 2021

If you think 2020 was an unpredictable year, you probably weren’t paying enough attention. For more than a decade, epidemiologists have warned the authorities about a once-in-a-hundred-years pandemic ravaging the planet. They also said that even the most advanced nations would be ill-prepared for the fallout. 

Now that 2020 is over, and we have stepped into a new year with new hopes, we know for sure that 2021 won’t be devoid of challenges—both familiar and unforeseen. However, we will also see rays of rejuvenation as the world recovers from the lockdown.

With online sportsbooks already having lines for the 2024 U.S. elections, let’s look at how the next year will play out in terms of America’s politics.

The U.S. Political Landscape: Same But Different

It is true that some new faces have emerged in 2021. But don’t expect to see the status quo being rocked on Capitol Hill.

• A New Leader For The Left

Much like Speaker Pelosi, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will slowly settle down into an octogenarian lifestyle. The realization will dawn on the liberal democrats that their torchbearer is inching closer to retirement instead of another presidential run. If anything, the leadership vacuum will become a real risk as there are currently no apparent candidates with Sanders’s stature and seniority to match.

Nonetheless, there are a few young progressives working at the state level, like the N.Y. State Sen. Julia Salazar, who could back for the federal runs, reported to happen in 2022.

• Trump TV

The President sure is having a difficult time letting go of the Oval Office, but let’s wait until he sees the T.V. set re-creation. Keep politics apart, and if there is something Donald Trump is a pro at, it’s entertainment. His reality T.V. show was a runaway hit, and he captivated the whole nation through his rallies.

It’s reported that in 2021, Trump will join hands with One America News Network—known as a mouthpiece for the President—to put forward a primetime show that will premiere on Fox News. He will also go neck-and-neck against Sean Hannity in the 9 p.m. slot and take Laura Ingraham away to serve as his T.V. Veep.

• Nancy Pelosi’s Farewell Tour

Having led her party through the Capitol Building for around two decades, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at 80, will now stand at the helm of the Democratic ship for one last expedition across the harsh seas of the Beltway before passing over the rudder. Pelosi is exceptionally tight-lipped about whom she would choose as her successor. However, out of all the names that floated around, including Hakeem Jefferies (N.Y.), Cheri Bustos (III.), and Tim Ryan (Ohio), we think it will be California Rep. Linda Sanchez (who got elected to her 10th term) who will be taking the gavel.

• Here Comes The Reaper

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell takes pride in his nickname, the Grim Reaper—a title he bagged by steadily and skillfully slaughtering any Democratic bill that crossed his desk. While his past performance doesn’t really indicate the future results, it seems unlikely that McConnell’s heart will swell thrice its average size under Joe Biden’s presidency.

Numerous Democrats are expectant that Biden’s long history in the Senate will give him some kind of in with the steel-faced McConnell. However, we don’t expect any ‘Kumbaya’ moments that unite Mitch’s Republicans with the left.

• Student Debt Canceled

With the pandemic raging on, authorities are trying their best to inject an FDR-Esque stimulus into the economy. Biden has shown a green flag to Senators Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren’s idea of wiping away 50 grand of federal debt per borrower. This executive order sidesteps Congress and outlives multiple legal threats, thanks to the broad wording of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

• Habers Going To Habe

After finishing a new whirlwind tour documenting the Trump White House, New York Times’ start reporter Maggie Haberman landed a rewarding book deal and, just like she would in her prolific fashion, published the account just before 2020 ended. The memoir quickly rose to the bestseller list of her employer, and we are expecting a television adaptation to follow soon.