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To Regain Support, Groups Say Biden Must Embrace 'Finish the Job' Youth Agenda
"In 2024, you cannot win higher office without the youth vote, and you cannot win the youth vote without the Youth Agenda."
Mar 06, 2024
On the heels of Super Tuesday and ahead of the annual State of the Union address, a quartet of U.S. advocacy groups on Wednesday unveiled the "Finish the Job" Youth Agenda, inspired by the reelection campaign of Democratic President Joe Biden—who is expected to again face former Republican President Donald Trump.
"In 2020, young people sent Biden to the White House. In 2024, how many young people turn out for Biden will determine if we stave off a second Trump presidency," said Sunrise Movement political director Michele Weindling in a statement. "Right now, young people are shouting for what we need from Biden to mobilize our generation this November."
"President Biden must do everything in his power to fight the climate crisis, to end gun violence, to not cater to the right at the cost of immigrants' lives, and he must call for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza," she asserted.
In addition to the climate-focused Sunrise Movement, the coalition is made up of Gen-Z for Change, which works on a variety of issues; March for Our Lives, a gun violence prevention group; and United We Dream Action, a national immigrant network.
Their "bold, progressive" agenda features demands on climate change, criminal justice reform, democracy, economic justice, education, gender and LGBTQ+ equality, gun violence prevention, housing, immigration, and reproductive justice.
"Our Finish the Job Youth Agenda is a clear reiteration of the issues that matter most to young constituents and a roadmap for President Biden and his administration to follow if they want to earn our support," said Michelle Ming, political director of United We Dream Action. "With the Youth Agenda, we're giving Biden our winning playbook."
Members of the organizations announced the agenda at a press conference on Capitol Hill, where they were joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Greg Casar (Texas), Ro Khanna (Calif.), and Summer Lee (Pa.).
"Young people across the country are boldly demanding a cease-fire, affordable housing, Medicare for All, and for our leaders to tackle the climate crisis. It's time we listen to them," declared Khanna, thanking the groups for their "vision and advocacy."
Shoutout to the young people and organizations, like @genzforchange, @sunrisemvmt, @UWDaction, @AMarch4OurLives, and so many more that are doing the work to make change in our communities. We're with you! pic.twitter.com/NBs2iyye53
— Congressman Jamaal Bowman (@RepBowman) March 6, 2024
The coalition also sent a letter to Biden, explaining that "we have reached out to you before to urge you to listen to our generation, and today we are asking you once again to work with us to fight for better."
"We are a generation that grew up through crisis, but we have big dreams," they wrote. "We dream of a country where we all have access to healthcare no matter what, where we don't have to hide under our desks during school shooter drills, where families aren't broken apart at the border, where we're not crushed by student loan debt, where we have clean air, clean water, and a livable future, and where our leaders can expansively hold safety for all of us and vigorously fight for a lasting cease-fire and against Islamophobia and antisemitism, rather than write blank checks for genocide."
The letter continues:
Going into 2024, you must run on a bold and progressive agenda that invests in our generation and recognizes the need for immediate action to combat the issues of our time. We need you to prove to our generation that you are fighting for us every step of the way.
We want to acknowledge the leadership your presidency has provided—from the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act to the announcement of the American Climate Corps, to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the establishment of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, your administration's attempt to cancel student loan debt, and your solidarity with United Auto Workers on strike and the halting of Liquified Natural Gas projects—we appreciate these efforts.
At the same time, we hope you can understand this is not enough. We need far more.
After stressing the important role that younger voters have played in recent elections—a trend expected to continue—the coalition concluded that "if you commit to prioritizing these actions, young people will turn out and make 'finishing the job' a reality."
Coalition leaders echoed that point. Gen-Z for Change executive director Elise Joshi pointed out that her group "launched a tool last week that enabled people across the country to send over 4 million emails to members of Congress urging for a cease-fire."
"On top of that, millions are marching, divesting, donating, learning, and amplifying," she continued. "So to the Biden administration and our representatives, youth are awake and unwavering."
March for Our Lives executive director Natalie Fall similarly said that "however you square it, young people are inheriting a broken and imperfect world. But as young people step into their political power, we are not accepting things as they are. Young people have organized and stood up for ourselves and our future. It's time for our leaders to do the same for us."
"So we are saying to any candidate who wants our vote: Listen to us, govern with our needs and our future in mind, and we will deliver you our votes," she added. "We know that our vote is a precious and powerful thing. In 2024, you cannot win higher office without the youth vote, and you cannot win the youth vote without the Youth Agenda. If President Biden really wants to 'finish the job,' this is the roadmap he must follow."
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Biden Accused of 'Stabbing Student Debtors in the Back' With Response to SCOTUS Ruling
Biden's so-called Plan B "buys time for more baseless, bad faith, billionaire-backed lawsuits to get lined up with rogue judges eager to block anything that helps working people," fumed the Debt Collective.
Jun 30, 2023
Proponents of student debt cancellation reacted angrily Friday to what the leading activist group Debt Collective called President Joe Biden's "horseshit" response to the U.S. Supreme Court's invalidation of his proposal to forgive $400 billion worth of educational loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers.
In a Friday afternoon White House address, Biden vowed he was "not going to stop fighting to deliver borrowers what they need, particularly those at the bottom end of the economic scale," and that his administration would create a "ramp repayment program" to help struggling debtors make their monthly loan payments when they resume in the autumn.
"I believe that the court's decision to strike down our student debt relief plan is wrong," Biden said. "But I will stop at nothing to find other ways to deliver relief to hard-working middle-class families."
That, the president said, includes invoking the Higher Education Act (HEA) in order to empower the Department of Education to deliver loan relief.
Biden urged patience, saying action is "gonna take more time" and tweeting that "we're moving as fast as we can."
"Not fast enough," Debt Collective co-founder Astra Taylor shot back.
"The problem is speed," Taylor wrote on Twitter. "This plan buys time for more baseless, bad faith, billionaire-backed lawsuits to get lined up with rogue judges eager to block anything that helps working people. Under HEA you can cancel debt immediately. That's what fighting looks like."
"Time is of the essence," Taylor stressed.
Debt Collective called Biden's so-called Plan B "worse than this morning's Supreme Court ruling."
"He is stabbing student debtors in the back. This is a deeply cynical approach they know will fail," the group said. "It is designed to make sure future administrations cannot cancel debt under the HEA."
"Today Biden joined the six conservatives on SCOTUS to make sure no student debt is coming," Debt Collective added.
Even before Biden's Friday speech, activists warned what inaction or inadequate action by Biden could mean.
“Democrats desperately need young people to turn out in 2024 and future elections," the youth-led progressive groups Debt Collective, Sunrise Movement, Gen Z for Change, Path to Progress, March for Our Lives, and United We Dream Action said in a joint statement published just before Biden's speech.
"Young people believed President Biden would deliver student debt abolition—not a costly return to repayment without a penny of the promised relief. Meanwhile, our skies are choked orange with wildfire smoke, and the average monthly student debt payment is north of $400 a month," the groups continued. "And from approving the Willow Project and the Mountain Valley Pipeline, to their cruel asylum policies, President Biden cannot afford another disappointment with young people—a vital voting bloc for Democrats."
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Progressive Young Voters to Biden: Energize Us and Win or Ignore Us and Lose
"We need you to deliver the bold ideas that our generation cannot live without—stop the climate crisis, fight for the rights and dignity of immigrants, impose real gun control—and run on a bold platform that will get our generation out to vote."
Apr 25, 2023
In response to U.S. President Joe Biden's Tuesday announcement that he is seeking reelection in 2024, four youth-led advocacy groups urged the incumbent to push for progressive priorities during the remainder of his first term and campaign on policies that motivate young voters to cast ballots for him.
In a letter addressed to Biden, March for Our Lives, Gen Z for Change, Sunrise Movement, and United We Dream Action wrote: "If we're going to excite one of the leading voting blocs for Democrats, we need you to deliver the bold ideas that our generation cannot live without—stop the climate crisis, fight for the rights and dignity of immigrants, impose real gun control—and run on a bold platform that will get our generation out to vote."
"As the organizers of millions of young people across the country, we know that in order to secure wins against fascism in the 2024 presidential election, Millennials and Gen Z will have to turn out to vote in full force," the groups argued, sounding the alarm about the dire consequences likely to ensue if the increasingly authoritarian Republican Party takes control of the White House.
"Young people are not just a necessary part of a winning Democratic coalition, but the keystone precondition for Democratic victory... When Democrats energize and mobilize our generations, they win elections. When they don't, they lose."
"Following the results of 2018, 2020, 2022, and most recently the Wisconsin Supreme Court election in 2023, it is clear that young people are not just a necessary part of a winning Democratic coalition, but the keystone precondition for Democratic victory," says the letter. "The equation is simple. When Democrats energize and mobilize our generations, they win elections. When they don't, they lose."
"Going into 2024, our youth coalition is deeply committed to defeating fascist, right-wing extremism and the eventual Republican presidential nominee," the letter continues. "Young people are clear that the runaway extremism of abortion bans, threats to trans students, criminalization of immigrants, and the all-out assault on our climate are existential threats to our generation and generations to come."
However, when the Biden administration makes "bad decisions"—such as approving the Willow oil drilling venture and other fossil fuel projects, entertaining the revival of migrant family detentions, or otherwise "settling for the status quo"—it becomes "harder for us to get young people to the polls," the groups lamented. "That's why we need you to listen and co-govern with us if we're going to be able to mobilize the young voters we need to win."
The organizations implored Biden "to lead with our generation's values and policies at the forefront of your campaign and your next year in office," contending that his 2020 platform was essential to defeating former President Donald Trump—who is seeking the Republican nomination for 2024 despite facing various legal issues—and that progressive policymaking, particularly last summer, inspired the young voters who ultimately minimized the Democratic Party's losses in the 2022 midterms.
In the spring of 2022, "young voters were largely disillusioned with politics and were not excited to vote," states the letter. "That changed once you passed a historic climate bill, passed overdue gun safety legislation, and sought to cancel student loan debt—resulting in the second-highest youth midterm turnout in the past 30 years. Now, more than ever, we cannot abandon this two-part strategy—run on bold ideas young people can rally behind and have significant legislative victories to back them up."
"We urge you to not leave our generation behind as you build your new campaign. Do not take our generation for granted."
"Going into the 2024 presidential election, it is clear that our opponents are getting even more ruthless and extreme," the groups warned. "Across the country we've seen abortion bans, transgender bathroom bans, [and] book bans in schools imposed by Republican extremists. We've seen Republican electeds say they will do nothing to stop gun violence, expel those who disagree with them from office, and attempt to ban educational opportunities and threaten the livelihood of immigrants in our communities. They must be stopped."
"We urge you to not leave our generation behind as you build your new campaign," says the letter. "Do not take our generation for granted."
"We are a generation that grew up through crisis—from watching storms decimate our communities to practicing school shooter drills to living through a global pandemic," the letter adds. "Throughout all of these crises, young people have shown up to demand the transformational change the country needs. We are fighters for a better world. That will not change in 2024."
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