The election of President Joseph R. Biden has been seen as a massive victory for the Democratic party and liberalism as a whole after almost four years of conservative leadership. Biden’s victory over former President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election was rightly celebrated by Democrats and the left, but now is the time to evaluate what his election means for where the nation is headed politically. The country now has in office what may be the most ineffective political tool of the 21st century — a centrist. 

Biden’s centrism and bipartisanship may have won him the election and the support of many moderate Republicans, but proves him to be a hindrance for progressive Democrats in Congress. He panders to both sides, as is typical of centrists, as a perfect compromise but offers little in actual policy that would aid either. This pattern showed up in Biden’s February 16th CNN town hall where, before insisting that the country was not divided along partisan lines, Biden shot down a proposal created by progressive Democrats that would forgive up to $50,000 of student debt per borrower in favor of a plan that would cancel only up to $10,000. Though he claimed that he would prefer to shift those funds to early childhood education,  New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter says, “We can have both.” 

This announcement, his lack of support for policies like Medicare for All, and the opening of a new migrant detention center suggest that Biden is not willing to fully commit to the progressive ideals that many left-leaning Democrats were hoping for. Despite this, he has still drawn ire from Republicans for his dedication to end private prisons and other more liberal policies. His centrism has forced him into a difficult position, working with two ever-more divided parties that have little desire to compromise. Biden’s largely positive reputation in the Senate and strong history of bipartisanship can only do so much to pull the two parties together, and his attempts only seem to be pulling the Democratic party further to the center at a time where liberal policy decisions are needed. The radicalization of the Right during the Trump administration forced Democrats to compromise, yes, but this effect should not continue into the current administration. 

Biden’s more conservative history is also incredibly concerning from a Democratic perspective. His infamous 1994 crime bill, past support for segregation, and involvement in the American “War on Drugs” will affect his judgment during his presidency, no matter how time may have changed his opinions. 

None of this is to discount the progressive efforts he has made so far in his term as      president, for example his strides in fortifying DACA and ending contracts with private prisons. Biden has put in a massive amount of work to undo the damage done during the Trump presidency, work that will hopefully continue throughout his first 100 days. Undoing the Trump administration’s damage, however, is just a start. The fact is that the country elected a man who campaigned on returning the country back to the “status quo” does not inspire confidence for a nation starved of progress.