if i was president what would i change essay

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Narrative Essay: If I Were President

Have you ever thought about what you’d do if you were ever elected president of the United States of America? The 2016 elections were the subject of much debate over who would make the best president. There are many people who don’t feel like the right person was elected and have speculated extensively on whether he’s up for the job. Of course, there are plenty of people who are glad he was given the job over the other candidate. Do you think you could do a better job?

If I were president, I would take the emphasis off of racial ethnicity and class and place it back where the Constitution began, which is that everyone was created equal. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like, we are all people and all deserve the same rights. At the same time, America is a welcoming country and people should be taking the proper steps to become a legal resident of the country. If this were the case, there would be fewer people who have trouble with minorities because they wouldn’t be using resources that belong to American citizens when they were not legally entitled to them.

If I were president, children wouldn’t go hungry. Those with enough would be compelled to share and those who were lacking would get the help they need. The amount of food that is thrown away in America is appalling when so many people are going without a meal. Grocery stores could give their surplus or less than perfect looking produce to food banks. Restaurants could donate end of the day leftovers to food kitchens or homeless shelters. Never again would a child have to feel the pains of being hungry.

If I were president, education wouldn’t be so controversial. Parents would support teachers and teachers would support parents. Neither would be against the other and each would be focused solely on the education of the child and ensuring that he or she has a bright future. Funding would be pulled from politicians paychecks to help pay for the needs of every school. Teachers would be properly trained to work with students of all kinds and would be paid accordingly. After all, the future of the world depends on today’s children so shouldn’t our money be going to that over anything else?

If I were president, the environment would become a top concern. People would be motivated to recycle and reuse things so that landfills could be kept from taking over their communities. Research dollars would be allocated toward developing environmentally friendly fuel sources and people and companies would be compensated for choosing solar panels and other things that are better for the environment. Protecting our world is important for future generations and educating the public about what they can do to help would be a top priority.

If I were president, kindness would prevail and people would treat those around them with love, respect and basic courtesy. There wouldn’t be any resources wasted on petty arguments and fights between neighbors or family members. I know I might be wearing rose colored glasses, but if people truly treated others as they want to be treated, the world would be a better place for everyone.

Not everyone can become the president, but if those that do were better at doing what the people need and trying not to be ruled by money, every citizen of the country would benefit in a big way. If we all come together and do what’s best for the nation instead of one population or individual, the United States would be an even better place to live.

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The learning network | what would you do if you were president.

What Would You Do if You Were President?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

• See all Student Opinion »

For an Op-Ed piece , 12 Americans who don’t work in politics or the media were asked what they would do if they were president. What would you do? What issues do you think are most pressing?

In the ArtsBeat blog post “If I Were President …,” Jesse Kornbluth asks two professors, three writers, an entrepreneur, a medical doctor, a prioress, a youth advocate, a painter, an astrophysicist and an inventor share what they would do if elected to the Oval Office. Excerpts from their statements include these:

MICHAEL J. SANDEL: I would invest in an infrastructure for civic renewal — not just roads and bridges, but schools, transit, playgrounds, parks, community centers, health clinics, libraries and national service. SHARON OLDS: I’d grant the very rich the boon of helping them help others, as a form of gratitude for their good fortune. ANDREW WEIL: I’d tell the nation that I was powerless to control the war machine, Wall Street, big oil and the other interests that run the country, and I would urge Americans to form a new political party not beholden to them. DANNY MEYER: I’d appoint a blue-ribbon committee of 14 accomplished citizens — one each representing these nonpolitical walks of American life: arts, science, sports, big business, entrepreneurs, tech, medicine, law, education, environment, defense, religion, farming and philanthropy — and charge them with imagining innovative industries that put Americans to work and add value to our world. JAMES Q. WILSON: With my staff, I would decide what my administration was for. Once I had clarified that, I would write several speeches on how to cope with a stagnant economy, how to deal with countries (such as Iran and Syria) that harass their own populations, and how the United States is committed to the survival of Israel. These speeches would not attack the other party or previous presidents but would describe the views I supported. JENNIFER EGAN: I’d decide (privately) from the outset that mine would be a one-term presidency. Freed from the stranglehold of ensuring my own political longevity, I would focus entirely on achieving what I think most Americans want: a stable and productive economy; an environmentally viable planet; a humane, efficient government capable of educating its young and protecting its vulnerable members. SISTER MARY DAVID WALGENBACH: I would require members of Congress to participate in a weeklong workshop on dialogue, negotiation and compromise before the next session. All sessions would begin with 10 minutes of silence. GEOFFREY CANADA: I would have a “grown-up” talk with the American people, emphasizing that we are facing a crisis and solving it will require a spirit of shared sacrifice. Those of us who have benefited mightily from this country and made billions, as well as those who make the minimum wage, must all sacrifice. PATRICIA RYAN MADSON: I would invite all of the members of Congress to join me in an improvisation retreat. We would spend the time practicing saying “yes” to each other and really listening to one another’s offers. STEPHEN HANNOCK: Immediately after August break, every member of the House and Senate would be required to move for two weeks, with family, to a town or small city in a country outside North America. (Those serving more than one term may only visit an English speaking country once and not on the first trip.) JAMES DYSON: The United States still spends more than any other nation on research and development. But others are moving up, not least China. America needs to inspire a new generation of risk takers. And it starts in school. NEIL deGRASSE TYSON: When you’re scientifically literate, the world looks different. Science provides a particular way of questioning what you see and hear. When empowered by this state of mind, objective realities matter. These are the truths on which good governance should be based and which exist outside of particular belief systems.

Students: Tell us what you think of these ideas. Which are most helpful? What would you do differently if you were president? How would you try to solve the problems facing the United States?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

If I were President, I wouldn’t even know where to begin on boosting our economy. But the main problem is job availability so I guess I should start with that. Many US citizens are out of work or getting their hours cut back because they cannot be afforded. Well here’s what I’ll do: I would create and environmentally friendly power plant that would offer 150 jobs in every state.

I thank the ideas are graet and I also thank that the most hellpful is for fixing up the schools and hellpin kids in need. I know if i was president i would help the kids in need. I would also try to help you out by lisining and understanding your problems.

If i was presisdent i would lower gas prices. Then i would try to stop all the violence.I would try to help all the sick children and poor people make the world a better place.

I would try to make the gas prices less than what they are now because some of the adult that have children need to get to work everyday. Also i would invest to make more schools, playgrounds, daycares, and alot of other stuff too. The one thing i would do is meat with other countrys that is having a hard time with their life and i would try to help them in any way i can.

I would lower gas prices so everyone could afford it. I also would try and make the economy better. i would try to house every homless person on the streets in the united states.

if i were president i would change alot of things around , such as school hours . School hours are really long now days . Yes , students should get all the education they can get but at the same time they should be able to take a break . That’s just one example of what i would do if i was president , there is so much more .

Not worry about re-election and focus on core problems. Pass laws creating non partisan redistricting commitees to make elctions competitive and get congressmen willing to work in congress. Then focus on the problem the president is actually able to deal with. In a word entitlements. The president is responsible for the government so get it in order. One way or another take responsibility and fix the budget. Otherwise key programs of the government will go bankrupt within the decade. Once we have money to use then you have the ability to fix then other problems.

If I were president, first off I would change the yearly wages that Congress gets by decreasing them, and putting them aside for the schools. So that kids like me can learn more and be able to have a good art program. I would also, take away the border patrol and make it so that would be where the military trains. So, that way the trainees can have many hands on experiences and we can save some money. I would also start a fund with the other part of Congress’ wages and make it a back up fund for our country. I would then, slowly start jobs up again, and go in on a deal with Hanes or something and start a production line here in the US and then after that picks up I would continue to increase the amount of jobs available. Those are a few things I would do if I were president.

I believe that all of the above comments are good ideas, each proving a wonderful point. The presedential office a difficult position that, when one isn’t in, it is hard to see what being president is like. The President must make difficult discions that affect more than him/her or his/her family. The pressure to be president would make the job difficult, and though a person may have many great ideas, they may not follow through. If I were President, I would stop lending money to other countries. We have our own debt to worry about, we don’t need theirs. I would also figure a way to make more homeless shelters for those in need. I would try to form a plan to get the soldiers out of war slowly to keep from a revolt against the United States. I would try to lower gas prices, but if i couldn’t i would explain to the citizens why i couldn’t. I would lower taxes for the poor and raise them for the rich, and finally i would take away the budget cuts of the schools and find the money from another source

If i were president, i would cut wasteful spending(that means decreasing the members of congresses salary) and put more emphasis on the importance of education. I’d also wouldnt worry with giving money to other countries we have our own debt to worry with. Tax the rich and make the US a more enviromentally friendly nation, and planting more trees to help clean the air that we so desperately need.

If I was president I do what ever I want to and tell those thats backing me to step aside. I would create more jobs find away to fund higher education less and let students work part time over the summer and pay for their own education. I have free training and bring back workshops in high schools so if students want to start a business after they graduate high school and skip college at least they can make money and then go on to college if they please. Find away to not destroy the earth build less buildings and fix up the old ones. Find ways to fix up other living areas without digging into the earth but make it sleepable. Stop building jails and build ways to keep people from going to jail. Find a way to bring peace love joy and freedom. I will make a way to reform jury duty make it a volunteer choice.

If I were president I would first make more jobs available. Many people don’t have jobs and they need to support their family. If I set up jobs to help the earth such as planting more plants. This would provide jobs and help create clean air. Another thing I would like to change are the school hours. School days are long, tiring and take a lot of focus. If they were shorter students would have more energy. Also everyday I walk past homeless people. This saddens me. I would want to make homeless shelters open to help all the homeless, sick or not. I would fix the monetary system, the way Andrew Jackson did. I would stop all of the wars, and use the resources to help all of the people lead happy, constructive lives.

If I were elected president of the United states of America I would do my personal best with all my power as president to try to end this war that has plauged the U.S military and their families for many years. Since I myself am in a military family I feel that the sooner we end this war and bring our soldiers home the better of our country would be. The situation in Lybia right now has more of an impact than others might tell you. Since a majority of oil is made in the Middle East and sent by boat leaving first the Red Sea, going around the continent Africa and arriving to other countries and the U.S, well think for a second. Where is Lybia located in relation to the Red Sea? Right next to it. So with the amount of oil that actually leaves Lybia so little the price goes up, and we really aren’t in any position to pay the fines and prices for oil with as bad as the economy is. Those are a couple of the many issues I would cover during my term as President of the Untied States.

If I were president, I would first off listen to THE PEOPLE. Having health care would be an option and those who make more money than others would not need to pay higher taxes for the ones who don’t. I believe the ones who make more money put much effort in what they do and should use the money for their own purposes. Also, I wouldn’t keep raising taxes, instead I would decrese them. Decreasing taxes would give the citizens the relief to spend more of their money which would give businesses a great boost! Instead of the businesses downsizing they would hire more people and more people with jobs would mean more taxes being paid and, bigger amounts of taxes being paid from the businesses. I also, would not visit countries and apologize for what the Americans have done to make peace. We are a strong nation and will do what we need to, to keep us high up with other countries looking up to us and NOT down.

if i were president i make there be better health care and more jobs and better environments for the kids in the projects so they wont be killers or on drugs,and assure animal health care and find them better homes so they wont be abused as well as children

if i was the president i would change alot of things and that you wouldn’t have to be in school for so long an that you wouldnt have to go to school.

I would make a law saying there be less homework and less time in school and more time playing outside.

Legalize gay marriage and keep taxes at a fair level for all citizens.

make everythang free

If I was president, I would first try to turn economic power from corporations and the financial sector to actually go towards the public sector and people who need it. I would design a healthcare system that is based on people staying healthy, not getting ill. I would also try to clean up our environment by investing in alternative fuels that are beneficial and don’t release toxins or pollutants. Finally I would make it so that only a small portion of the federal budget is put towards military power, it should go towards helping countries get back on their feet, investing in educational causes and good health care as well as using diplomacy as a way to convey our opinions. not military might.

If I was the president I would help a poor people,orphan,adult,sick people,people don’t have a work.i was building more schools,transit,play grounds,parks,community centers,healt clinics,libraries,national service…… I helping school ,kids,and sick people that need to help.I would try to help the people in our county by listen about their problems.

if you can change or make a law , what would it be, why?

Listen to the people represented, take responsibility, be a guiding leader, be willing and able to do what is ask of others, always ask and answer, “what have we (Congress) done for our country today?”, sacrifice internally before asking or expecting the people to, respect every voice, communicate fully and transparently (respecting national security and privacy), get the people involved, motivated, and inspired with bettering their country, and make sure to thank all of those who make this country a great place to live!

I will kill ppl and be a ninjaaaaa!!!!!

What's Next

How to Write an If I Were President Essay

Noelle carver.

Pretending you are the president is a satisfying imaginative exercise. Thinking of all the rights you would wrong, justices you would bring and people you would save is exciting. While a president does have a lot of business-like work to take care of, like taking required trips and holding meetings and press conferences, she does have time to concentrate on fixing some of her nation's - and the world's - biggest problems. Studying the U.S. presidents in 4th or 5th grade, you may compose an "If I Were President" essay to share how you would run the country if you were elected.

List a few problems or concerns you have about your country or state. For example, if you are experiencing flood damage in your home state, come up with a few ways that you would handle the struggle if you were president.

Outline your essay with a graphic organizer. Draw a large rectangle at the top of a piece of paper and label it "Introduction." Underneath the rectangle, draw three boxes. Connect the boxes with lines to the top rectangle. Label these boxes "Main Idea 1," "Main Idea 2" and "Main Idea 3." Draw three bigger boxes below those and attach them with short lines. Title these boxes "Supporting Details 1, 2 and 3." Underneath the detail boxes, draw another rectangle, like the one at the top and label this one "Conclusion."

Fill in the graphic organizer Introduction box. Start your introductory paragraph with a “grabber” sentence that will get your reader's attention. For instance, write "It's hard enough in 4th grade to get people to like and respect me - imagine if I were president!" Include in the introduction the areas you will cover in your essay, such as how you would stop wars in other countries, help save animals on the endangered species list and improve schools for students like yourself.

Fill the body paragraphs with problems and ideas for solutions. Choose specific, original goals and problem-solving methods. For example, achieving world peace is a traditional presidential goal, but not specific enough. Write more specific problems and exact solutions. For instance, write “If I were president, I would make every Thursday ‘help your neighbor’ day. Everyone would do at least one good duty on that day, such as offering to buy a sick neighbor groceries, staying after school to tutor a child struggling in math or donating to a charity."

Fill in the Conclusion box your essay with a summary of your goals. Write about the larger concept of what you would want to accomplish as president. For example, if your essay focuses mostly on bringing peace to countries in war, discuss how, as president, you would bring the public's attention to issues around the globe by airing a TV special in which you addressed the most urgent conflicts around the world.

• 1 Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): Essay Writing - Expository; 2011
• 2 Apples 4 the Teacher; Holidays: President's Day Activities;

About the Author

Noelle Carver has been a freelance writer since 2009, with work published in "SSYK" and "The Wolf," two U.K. literary journals. Carver holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature from American University and a Master of Fine Arts in writing from The New School. She lives in New York City.

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If I Were President

Student model print.

Austin, the second-grade writer of this expository paragraph, introduces his subject—how to be a good president—in an interesting way.

If I were president, I’d be responsible. I’d look alert and run the United States like it should be run. I’d be honest. Then the people would trust me. I would be a good president because I have faith in the people of the United States.

Teacher Support:

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• 110.4.b.9.D
• LAFS.2.RI.1.1
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• LAFS.2.RI.2.4
• 110.4.b.11.A
• 110.4.b.11.B
• 110.4.b.12.B
• LAFS.2.W.1.2

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What would you do if you were president for a day?

As the election of a lifetime approaches, virgil abloh, ashnikko, drakeo, shea couleé, and more discuss what’s at stake, what they’d do in the white house, and the state of the american dream.

On November 3, Americans will get themselves to the polls and send either Joe Biden or Donald Trump to the White House. Millions have already exercised their right via mail in record numbers. On Dazed this week, we’ve heard from teenagers across the states – both disillusioned and galvanised, but ready for a fight – who stand for a generation that’s turning out in their droves , spurred on by issues from climate change to Black Lives Matter and reproductive rights. We’re also heard from the most marginalised, the incarcerated who won’t get their say, and the state of affairs in the election linchpin states.

Figures from across culture, fashion, politics, activism, and enclaves of the internet today on Dazed tell us what they would do if they were president for a day. What issues are impacting their choice at the ballot box? What, do they believe, is the state of the American dream in a world marred by pandemic, racial inequality, and political polarisation? Brooke Candy speaks on sex work decriminalisation and Shea Couleé would sort reparations, while Aminé would arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor. La’Shaunae would make “WeDontBelieveYou” by Seshollowaterboyz the national anthem, and Jordan Firstman would drug the country and see how that goes, naturally. Can we have a presidential candidate reset?

Ashnikko:  If I was only president for that ONE DAY, and then it went straight back to the orange fascist again, I would eat all the spiciest foods I could think of, then take an absolutely disgusting explosive shit all over his desk. I would follow that up by abolishing the police and changing the public school US history curriculum to reflect the actual history, rather than that candy-coated, whitewashed bullshit that we’re taught.

BROOKE CANDY

Brooke Candy: I would nominate Bernie Sanders as VP and Oprah as speaker of the house. Then I’d unlock the country’s top secret classified information and share it with the public (specifically alien contact/Area 51); abolish the class system and redistribute all money in the federal reserve to BIPOC and disenfranchised communities; decriminalise sex work and all drugs; eradicate the education system and eliminate all student debt; and maybe, depending on my mood, dose the water supply with DMT to truly elevate this shit.

Drakeo: I would get a task force to find all the racist laws, like 182.5 and California Gang laws, then sign an executive order to rewrite them – like, overturn my people’s convictions, bring back Activis pints, make education free, provide free healthcare, close down men’s central Jail for real, give every family that is descendants of slaves a reparations stimulus, throw a party in the White House with exotic dancers.

Detox: If I were president for a day I would hit the restart button on the simulation! In all seriousness though, being of minimal political knowledge and experience (not so dissimilar to our current Commander in Cheese), I’d immediately appoint an array of diverse, experienced, thoughtful, and progressive-minded individuals. People whose mission would not be to appeal to the favour of the consistently oppressive powers that be, but to dismantle them. I would do everything in my power to support, protect, and uplift the disenfranchised communities of this nation so that they too could set their sights on The American Dream and have a fighting chance to attain their goals.

I would redistribute the funding of police on a national level and take away power from and make examples of the dirty and corrupt; Overturn drug charges; Make it impossible for men to have any say on what women can or can’t do with their own bodies; Set up funding for the arts in case another catastrophe like the one we’re witnessing now strikes again; And last but not least, I’d establish a connection with extraterrestrial life… and beg them for help!

And Mugler for everyone.

JORDAN FIRSTMAN

Hank willis thomas.

Hank Willis Thomas: It appears that one American’s dream is another American’s nightmare. In fact, I sometimes wake up wondering if I’m trapped in someone else’s dream. ‘America‘, after all, was someone else’s dream, nightmarishly built on someone else’s home, with other peoples’ people, and suspect ideas. So much of our time here is spent alone and asleep, daydreaming. Instead of waking dreams, I dream of waking up. Once I awaken, I won’t have any use for dreams. I will not be alone, I will be wide awake to all the things that make this life a gift.

HILLARY TAYMOUR, COLLINA STRADA

Hillary Taymour:  I would eliminate fracking, all plastic use, stop fossil fuel dependency, and elect Bernie (as president) with AOC as VP because I am not qualified to be president.

La’Shaunae: If I were president for a day, all my underground favourites would perform in my city. I’d make therapy completely free and more accessible, both online and offline; I’d free Tay-K and paint the White House black; My vice presidents would be the millionaires and America’s national anthem would be “WeDontBelieveYou” by Seshollowaterboyz.

QUIL LEMONS

Quil Lemons:  If I was president for a day... All the caucasians to the back. Immediately, immediately. Honestly, thank you. Looks better already.

SHEA COULEÉ

Shea Coulee:  If I were president for the day, I would literally spend it carving out like three trillion dollars in the budget to disperse to Black people for reparations. And I’d be like, ‘alright, I’m good, we got reparations – 400 years too late, but we got them. Thanks, bye!’

VIRGIL ABLOH

Virgil Abloh: My American dream is to see a pure eradication of all injustices effecting Black people, people of colour, and LGTBQ+ communities. 

If I were president what would you change

Adazia Bell is studying at Bowie State University, United Stated. Adazia has won the 2 nd prize in the essay competition and wrote for the topic: If I were president what would you change?

If I were president what would I change? First, I would start by setting up programs or smaller with little or no income based housing for the poor. Nobody deserves to be without a home in my personal opinion, and I hate to see anyone struggling. Then, I would make sure that everyone who is in need of a job will have one. I would change the entire system around. Our government does not make sure that the poor are taken care of at all. There are shelters, but they cannot stay there forever. They need help getting jobs and supporting themselves just as well as anyone else. It’s a shame to see our homeless people walk around not being fed and begging for food when the government can just help them out. I would make sure that college can be affordable for everyone that wants to further their career. Classes, tuition and dorms would not even cost half of what it’s priced at right now if I were president. I would try to make peace with other countries that we dislike because violence is never the way to go. I would most likely make abortion illegal because no one ever thinks about how a life is taken away just because they either did not want the unborn child or just aren’t ready. I would suggest other options after the child is born if someone could not handle that responsibility. There are plenty of people out here that suffer from miscarriages, complications, contributing to them not being able to have kids. Those are the ones who would die t get that opportunity to have a child or adopt a child. People need to start realizing the positive sides of pregnancy if you do not wish to care for the child. There could be so many people happy with having a child that they didn’t conceive from their own body, but because it’s life that they now can take care of as their own. The fewer abortions, happier families that would enjoy having that child. My next thing on my list to do is release everyone from prison who is falsely convicted or any other unfairly convictions. I would then make sure that the cost to bury our loved ones would be lowered. Most families do not have the money to bury their loved ones when an unexpected death happens. It’s a shame overall that you have to pay to be put underground when you’re no longer here. I would then make sure that all low income families and families that do not make that much from working and also struggling the pay all of their bills and keep food on the table, get free food for their households. I know how hard it is to struggle to pay your bills when you depend on the government or your job isn’t paying you enough. That’s why I feel as though those families at least deserve to get free food for their families.

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Africa’s Youngest President Takes Office, Promising ‘Systemic Change’

Senegal’s new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, took the oath of office in Tuesday’s ceremony. Close behind him sat the popular opposition leader who had clinched the win.

By Ruth Maclean

Reporting from Diamniadio, Senegal.

Still reeling from a whirlwind campaign, young people in Senegal threw jackets over their worn election T-shirts on Tuesday to attend the inauguration of an opposition politician who went from political prisoner to president in less than three weeks.

Their new leader, Bassirou Diomaye Faye — at 44, Africa’s youngest elected president — took the oath of office promising “systemic change,” and paying homage to the many people killed, injured, and imprisoned in the yearslong lead-up to the West African country’s election.

“I will always keep in mind the heavy sacrifices made so as to never disappoint you,” Mr. Faye said, addressing a vast auditorium in which African heads of state and dignitaries sat at the front. From the back, hundreds of supporters of Mr. Faye and his powerful backer, the opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, shouted for joy.

Hours later, Mr. Faye appointed Mr. Sonko prime minister in the new government, according to a post on the president’s official account on X.

It was the culmination of months of drama, after the former president, Macky Sall, canceled the election with just weeks to go, citing irregularities at the constitutional council — and then, under intense domestic and international pressure, agreed to hold it after all.

Mr. Sall’s handpicked candidate was resoundingly beaten by Mr. Faye, a tax inspector and political rookie who got more than 54 percent of the vote, despite having only 10 days of freedom in which to campaign . He had been jailed on charges of defamation and contempt of court, and was awaiting trial when Mr. Sall announced the adoption of an amnesty law and was released.

“You’re Senegal’s uncontested and dazzling choice,” said the president of the constitutional council, Mamadou Badio Camara, presiding over the inauguration.

But Mr. Faye was not the only politician that Senegal had effectively endorsed. Mr. Sonko, the man whose support helped get Mr. Faye elected, was sitting in the second row.

“Thank you, Sonko, thank you,” yelled his supporters at key moments in Tuesday’s ceremony.

Mr. Sonko, until now Senegal’s foremost opposition leader, was also in jail until three weeks ago, barred from running for president himself after convictions on charges of defamation and “corruption of youth” in relation to accusations brought by a young massage parlor employee .

When he was released, he immediately went on the campaign trail with Mr. Faye, telling his supporters that a vote for Mr. Faye was a vote for him.

Mr. Faye made no mention in his speech of Mr. Sonko, who cut a low profile in a black hat and tunic. But Mr. Sonko was a constant presence. He hobnobbed with the African presidents who waited for the ceremony to begin in an antechamber of a conference center in Diamniadio, a new city still under construction and a pet project of Mr. Sall.

Then, in the hangar-like room where Mr. Faye would take his oath, Mr. Sonko took his place in the second row, just behind the two first ladies — wives of the polygamous new president. And Mr. Sonko got the biggest cheers of the day, every time his face appeared on the large screens at the front of the auditorium.

Much cheering also rang out for the military president of Guinea, and the representatives of Mali and Burkina Faso, three West African countries whose governments were overthrown in coups in recent years and are now ruled by juntas. The rhetoric of those juntas — focused on sovereignty from France, the former colonial power perceived by many West Africans as continuing to meddle in their affairs — mirrors that of Mr. Sonko and Mr. Faye.

“The youth of Senegal is connecting with the youth of those countries, over these issues of sovereignty,” the president’s uncle, also named Diomaye Faye, said in an interview on Tuesday.

Mr. Faye and Mr. Sonko have pledged to drop or change the terms of the CFA, the regional currency backed by France, and renegotiate Senegal’s contracts with foreign-owned companies to extract newly discovered oil and gas.

In his speech, Mr. Faye stressed that Senegal would remain open to relations with other countries that are “respectful of our sovereignty, consistent with our people’s aspirations, and in a mutually winning partnership.”

After the swearing-in, a motorcade carried him to the presidential palace. Last week, Mr. Sall had welcomed him and Mr. Sonko, his former archrivals, in a stiff but determinedly friendly meeting — official photographs of which were later given to the media.

On Tuesday, Mr. Sall, a two-term president who had served for 12 years, welcomed Mr. Faye once more, who arrived this time with a presidential guard.

After sitting chatting for a while and handing over the important documents, Mr. Sall climbed into a Toyota, pulling out of the palace gates and leaving for good.

Ruth Maclean is the West Africa bureau chief for The Times, covering 25 countries including Nigeria, Congo, the countries in the Sahel region as well as Central Africa. More about Ruth Maclean

Elizabeth Warren election: Quincy City Council president files papers for US Senate run

QUINCY − City Council President Ian Cain filed paperwork the Federal Election Commission on Monday, April 1, clearing the way for a possible U.S. Senate run. The filing was a necessary step to gain ballot access in November, but according to a representative, Cain will not formally announce his decision until later this month.

"Getting on the ballot is an undertaking in Massachusetts, so we want to get things prepped and not lose any time," said campaign organizer Rebecca Schieber.

If he decides to run, the 41-year-old Republican would challenge two-term Democratic Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Cain was first elected Ward 3 City Councilor in 2016. This year, he became the city's first Black and gay Council President. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Boston College and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in 2013.

In his professional life, Cain is a co-founder of QUBIC Labs , a Quincy nonprofit that supports startups in the fields of finance and civic technologies. He is also President of the Highpoint Group.

In addition to his time on city council, Cain's political experience includes two internships for Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch, first in the State House and then in the House of Representatives.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription.  Here is our latest offer.

Trump and GOP leaders push to change Nebraska electoral votes to winner-take-all

Former President Donald Trump and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen are calling on the state’s Legislature to change the way Nebraska doles out its Electoral College votes, a move that would almost certainly benefit Trump in his 2024 presidential bid.

While most states dole out all their Electoral College votes to the statewide winner of the presidential vote, Nebraska and Maine give out one electoral vote to the candidate who wins each congressional district. 

Republicans have long sought to change the law, which has given Democratic presidential candidates a shot at winning one Electoral College vote — from the Omaha-based congressional district — in the otherwise red state. That’s happened twice, including in 2020, when Joe Biden won the district’s electoral vote over Trump , meaning Trump’s 58% support statewide got him four of the five Nebraska electoral votes.

Republicans are upping the pressure on the state’s nonpartisan, unicameral Legislature to make the change before this fall’s presidential election.

But despite the pressure from Republican heavy hitters, the push could fall short as the legislative session draws to a close, after the previously introduced bill languished unnoticed before the sudden rush of attention.

"We have a process" in the Nebraska legislature, Speaker John Arch said in a statement. "It includes bill introduction, a committee hearing on every bill and the prioritization of the session’s agenda by the committees and individual members of the Legislature. LB 764 was not prioritized and remains in committee. I’m not able to schedule a bill that is still in committee.”

Republican state Sen. Julie Slama filed the legislation as an amendment to an existing bill further along in the legislative process, in the hopes of forcing a faster vote on it . But even so, the path forward still remains murky, as it's unclear whether the bill in its new form can overcome a potential filibuster.

Hours after Republican activist Charlie Kirk put out a call for his supporters to contact Pillen, a Republican, to support the change, the governor responded with a statement of his own reiterating support for the bill and calling on lawmakers to pass it. Shortly after, Trump lent his backing to the efforts on social media. 

“Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska, a very smart and popular Governor, who has done some really great things, came out today with a very strong letter in support of returning Nebraska’s Electoral Votes to a Winner-Take-All System,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform . 

“Most Nebraskans have wanted to go back to this system for a very long time, because it’s what 48 other States do — It’s what the Founders intended, and it’s right for Nebraska. Thank you Governor for your bold leadership. Let’s hope the Senate does the right thing.”

Kirk said in a statement to NBC News that he has been focused on the issue “for some time.” 

“I realized two things researching for my show: There was already a bill drafted, and the legislature was still in session,” Kirk said. “So I decided to do something about it. Credit to Governor Pillen and President Trump for acting quickly.” 

The electoral math 

The debate is functionally over just one of the 538 Electoral College votes that decide the presidency. But the change could have far greater repercussions than it may initially seem.

Biden won 306 Electoral College votes in 2020 to Trump’s 232, but the electoral landscape has shifted significantly since then. Battleground state polling shows states like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin — states Trump lost in 2020 — are well within the Republican’s reach this fall. 

And if Trump is able to win back the key Sun Belt states he lost in 2020 — Arizona, Georgia and Nevada — then Nebraska’s split electoral vote becomes of paramount importance. 

In that scenario and with the current rules in Nebraska, Biden would win the presidency with 270 Electoral College votes to Trump’s 268. But if Nebraska awarded all its votes to the statewide winner, that would leave both candidates with 269 votes, an outcome that would send the presidential election to the House of Representatives. 

That’s one reason why Democrats are blasting the potential change, as they also argue the current system keeps Nebraska relevant in the presidential race, which they believe is good for the state. 

“The [Nebraska Republican Party] are eyeing #NE02 in this latest attempt to dilute our state’s influence nationwide. #NE02 has gone to Obama in 2008 and Biden in 2020. They know [Biden] can win in 2024. They can’t stand that a Blue Dot exists in the state. We will continue to protect it,” the state Democratic Party wrote Tuesday night on X , the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The party also launched a petition drive opposing the bill. 

Jim Messina, who served as then-President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign manager,  criticized the move by Nebraska Republicans in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and said that “changing the rules 200 days before the election is ridiculous.”

“This is what the modern Republican Party has become, they’re now changing the rules in the middle trying to benefit themselves,” Messina said. 

“There are real simulation problems when you look at the map, that one electoral vote really matters in the combination of other things. Then you need another state. The easiest pathway to victory has always been the Midwestern three states combined with Nebraska,” Messina continued. 

Procedural hurdles

But despite the pressure campaign from Republicans, it’s unclear whether the bill can actually become law, thanks to a combination of questions about its support, the procedure needed to take the bill from committee to the floor, and the fact the legislative session ends in just two weeks. 

“It’s just all about timing and management when it comes to getting bills successfully through the unicameral,” state Sen. Tom Brewer, a Republican who helms the legislative committee that’s considering the bill, told the Lincoln Journal-Star . “And it’s past the 11th hour with this. We just don’t have a way of making it fit.”

While the bill was introduced in January of last year, there had been no substantive movement on it since a committee hearing two months later, in March 2023. A legislative staffer who requested anonymity to speak candidly told NBC News that the bill did not receive any attention after last year’s hearing until Tuesday following Kirk’s program. 

The staffer noted that there is “no time” for the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee to act on the legislation.

The decision to try to add the legislation to a bill that's already moving on the floor could help circumvent that issue, but supporters still need to overcome opposition from Democrats and independents in the chamber.  

State Sen. Loren Lippincott, the Republican who wrote the bill, told the Journal-Star there currently isn’t enough support for the bill in the Legislature to overcome a filibuster regardless.

In a statement Wednesday, Lippincott added, "My staff and I are doing everything we can to seek options for getting this to the finish line. However, the harsh reality of a two-day timeframe is limiting."

Nebraska lawmakers have repeatedly tried to return the state to granting all its Electoral College votes to the statewide winner ever since the change was made in 1991 . While the Legislature successfully passed legislation to do just that in 1995 , Democratic Gov. Ben Nelson vetoed it. 

Efforts to pass the legislation again fell just one vote short in 2016.

Ben Kamisar is a deputy political editor in NBC's Political Unit. 

Bridget Bowman is a deputy editor for NBC's Political Unit.

Allan Smith is a political reporter for NBC News.

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Senegal's youngest president promises to create fair and prosperous nation – video

Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a leftwing pan-Africanist, has been sworn in as Senegal's youngest president, promising systemic change, greater sovereignty and calm after years of deadly turmoil. The 44-year-old, who has never held an elected office, swept to a first-round victory on a promise of radical change, just 10 days after being released from prison. Faye spoke before hundreds of officials at an exhibition centre in the new town of Diamniadio, near the capital, Dakar. The former tax inspector becomes Senegal's fifth president since independence from France in 1960

Bassirou Diomaye Faye sworn in as Senegal’s youngest president

Source: Reuters

Tue 2 Apr 2024 19.17 BST Last modified on Wed 3 Apr 2024 10.07 BST

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