From Taiwan to America: Immigrant Perspectives on U.S. Democracy’s Future

Watching the political landscape of the United States ahead of its election from the sideline as a Taiwanese immigrant offers a unique vantage point. The Democratic Party has lost the mid-term election due to its voter turnout, only 67% of who voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential Election has voted in the 2022 mid-term election. Now with the conflict in Gaza continuing to sizzling, more and more young voters are protesting on the social media threaten to opt-out in the upcoming election.

The current political climate, particularly under President Joe Biden, cannot simply be put in a vacuum. The intricacy of the decades long U.S. foreign policies has played a vital role in shaping today’s challenges.

We should acknowledge that President Biden, a less than ideal candidate for many, was elected against a backdrop of unprecedented times. After the United States became the first developed country to elect a populist as president, the 2020 election result was rooted in a society desire for stability and returning to a sense of normalcy amidst global upheaval.

Change within a democratic society is often if not always long and requires patience, understanding, and active involvement. Given the current perception of economical disappointments and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, it is understandable why many young people are considering not voting.

However the roots of the United States’ stand on Gaza conflict cannot be pinned down to just one administration. After World War II the US foreign policy marked the beginning of the era of America’s rise as a global superpower, actively shaping geopolitical landscapes through the idea of realpolitik. These actions while often justified under the banner of democracy and freedom, have also planted seeds of discord and unintended consequences that growing in today’s international relations.

Biden’s administration and the Democratic Party need to engage and unite young people more effectively. Most criticisms against President Biden have been about his age which many seem to be unfit for the job while others don’t believe he represents the country. Utilizing digital platforms to engage is not about making TikTok content with trendy format, rather genuine transparency and accountability. Perhaps Biden’s campaign and the Democratic Party should leverage social media to amplify young voice from within and communicates the perspective when it comes to policymaking.

Looking at the election in Taiwan earlier this year, we see a glimmer of what is possible beyond the typical two-party showdown that we are used to in the American politics. Taiwan has seen the rise of a new political force — Taiwan People’s Party is gaining traction, especially among young people who feel they haven’t been heard by the traditional parties. Gaining 26.46% in its debut of the presidential election, this evolution is a testament to the power of inclusivity and adaptability in politics.

Let us remember that change within such a deeply entrenched system takes time, patience, and committed effort. Like painstaking process of rehab, it is only through participating and confronting the difficult topics that we can hope to heal and progress as a nation. It is every citizen’s responsibility to engage in the hard work of democracy. The future of American policy, much like its past, will be shaped by the willingness of its people to engage, debate, and more importantly, to act.