The two United States Democratic senators from Maryland hailed the results of the presidential election, predicting it foretold good things for the state’s residents.
Under a President-Elect Joe Biden’s administration, residents who work for the federal government will be respected, climate change will be addressed as well as other issues including gun safety and equity, agreed U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen during a press conference Nov. 9.
Biden’s message to Build Back Better will include money for infrastructure, which should be good news for the Purple Line and road construction, Cardin said. As for money spent to improve cities, especially Baltimore, Cardin said, “We will have a president who wants to invest in our cities, who really likes cities.”
Van Hollen said he hoped the day would soon come when rather than just fight for Marylanders, he would “finally be able to move forward.”
Van Hollen was optimistic that a new immigration policy would be adopted that would end the Muslim ban and make the young people on DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) secure. He also predicted that a Biden administration would rejoin both the Paris Agreement on climate control and WHO, the World Health Organization.
“I believe democracy and decency has prevailed,” Cardin said. He praised voters here, noting, “Maryland was not a battleground state and yet our numbers were off the charts.” Added Van Hollen, “This was a decisive victory.”
Both senators said they were sorry that the Republican Party continues to deny that Biden was the winner. Cardin said their rhetoric “feeds into the propaganda of our enemies.”
Added Van Hollen, “What Donald Trump is doing is downright dangerous.” He hoped “Senate Republicans will stand up for our democracy” rather than abetting Trump.
This weekend, County Executive Marc Elrich tweeted, “The worst part of the nightmare is over. Now Congress must come together, rebuild the country from ravages of Covid, take action against the virus, and focus on solutions not differences. Biden and Harris can lead but they’ll need partners.”
