Promises

Climate Action

If elected in 2020, Biden plans on taking climate action steps. He promises the U.S. will achieve a 100% clean energy economy and reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050. Biden says he will fight for smart infrastructure investments to rebuild the nation and ensure that US buildings, water, transportation, and energy infrastructure can withstand the impacts of climate change. Biden promises to recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement on climate change.  As President, he promises to fulfill his obligation to workers and communities who powered our industrial revolution and subsequent decades of economic growth as America shifts to a more Green economy. He says he will also stand up to the abuse of power by polluters who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities like Flint, Michigan, Harlan, Kentucky, and the New Hampshire Seacoast. Finally, Biden says he will use America’s influence on the global political stage to rally the rest of the world to meet the threat of climate change.

Gun Control

Joe Biden will also hold gun manufacturers accountable for the harm committed by their weapons. Biden plans on banning the sale of high capacity automatic weapons.

Quality Education

Biden would like to transform our education system so that a child’s opportunity in life isn’t determined by their zip code, race or disability. He promises to invest in our schools so students can grow. Biden says he will help teachers and other educators pay off their student loans so that they can focus on students’ education. Biden promises he will triple funding for Title I, the federal program funding schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families, and require districts to use these funds to offer educators competitive salaries and make other critical investments prior to directing the funds to other purposes.

Quality Healthcare

Biden plans to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act by reducing healthcare costs and making the healthcare system easier to navigate. Specifically, he will give every American access to affordable health insurance, regardless of employment status. Biden will implement a new public health insurance option like Medicare. A publicly funded insurance system would increase coordination between hospitals and the government, meaning lower prices for everyone. It would also mean expanding coverage to low income Americans, regardless of state laws.

LGBTQ+ Rights

Biden promises He will reaffirm that the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Biden promises he will expand access to high-quality health care for LGBTQ+ individuals. Ensure fair treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in the criminal justice system, and finally, collect data necessary to fully support the LGBTQ+ community, and advance global LGBTQ+ rights and development.

Immigration Policy

Biden has promised to reverse all of Trump’s asylum policies. Biden would like to take away Trump’s “metering policy” as it forces many people to live on the streets, waiting to apply for asylum. Biden promises he will tackle the root causes of irregular migration. As vice president. Biden promises he is going to reform America’s border screening system.

Women’s rights

Biden promises he will work to codify Roe v. Wade, a monumental supreme court case in which it was decided that under the United States constitution, a woman has the liberty to choose whether or not to have an abortion without excessive interference from the government. Biden will support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment. A legislation which prevents government funds from going into paying for abortions. Biden he will reduce our unacceptably high maternal mortality rate, which disproportionately affects women of color. Biden would restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood, including through Medicaid and Title X and lower costs so that buying medicine and paying medical bills don’t bankrupt families.

Military Aid and Peacekeeping

Many Democrats have openly criticized Trump’s use of America’s fire power. When asked about when he would consider a situation suitable for use of force Joe Biden said, “The United States will always reserve the right to defend itself and its allies, by force, if necessary. But force must be used judiciously to protect a vital interest of the United States, only when the objective is clear and achievable, with the informed consent of the American people, and where required, the approval of Congress.” Biden promises he will never use US troops or covert efforts to promote a regime change effort.

COVID-19 Response

Biden promises he will have a decisive public health response that ensures the wide availability of free testing; the elimination of all cost barriers to preventive care and treatment for COVID-19. Biden promises he will have an economic response that starts with emergency paid leave for all those affected by the outbreak and gives all necessary help to workers, families, and small businesses that are hit hard by this crisis. Finally he promises to spend whatever it takes, without delay, to meet public health needs and deal with the mounting economic consequences.

Plan for Black Americas

Biden promises he will give 1.5 billion to assist small businesses, especially those owned by people of color. He will also end denial of services such as banking and insurance, and housing, to residents of specific neighborhoods or urban areas on the basis of race.  Biden promises to build better, more innovative schools in black communities, and expand the community school model.

Police Reform

Joe Biden supports the democratic congressional bill, Justice in Policing Act. The bill forces federal police to use body and dashboard cameras, ban chokeholds, eliminate unannounced police raids known as “no-knock warrants”, make it easier to hold police liable for civil rights violations and calls for federal funds to be withheld from local police forces who do not make similar reforms.

Party

Joe Biden is the leader of the Democratic Party, which is aligned on the left of the political spectrum. The Democratic Party believes in climate action, higher taxes, a strong social safety net, and a $15/hour minimum wage. The Democratic Party also supports abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights and a pathway to citizenship for refugees and asylum seekers. Joe Biden’s 2020 Platform can be found here.

Promises

Climate Action

Trump has promised to fully withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. He can only fully leave the Paris Climate Accord after the 2020 election. Trump has promised to end the Clean Power Plan, an effort by President Obama to reduce carbon emissions from power plants and encourage states to shift toward using renewable energy.

The Republican Party supports “the development of all forms of energy that are marketable in a free economy without subsidies” “We encourage the cost-effective development of renewable energy sources — wind, solar, biomass, biofuel, geothermal, and tidal energy — by private capital.”

Trump would also like to open new public land to oil and gas drilling sites, support new offshore drilling projects, and save the coal industry. In 2016, The Republican party said, “ [They] intend to finish [the] keystone pipeline and others.” In this same platform they have said, “Climate change is far from this nation’s most pressing national security issue.”

Gun Control

Trump says he is going to eliminate Gun Free Zones, and expand the national right to carry a gun to all 50 states. In 2016 the Republican party said, “We oppose…laws that would restrict magazine capacity or ban the sale of the most popular and common modern rifles.”

Republican Party Platform Platform, page 12-13: “We support firearm reciprocity legislation to recognize the right of law-abiding Americans to carry firearms to protect themselves and their families in all 50 states. We support constitutional carry statutes and salute the states that have passed them. We oppose ill-conceived laws that would restrict magazine capacity or ban the sale of the most popular and common modern rifle. We also oppose any effort to deprive individuals of their right to keep and bear arms without due process of law.”

Quality Education

Trump has said he wants to end common core education (a mainstream program in the US). The Common Core is a standardized multi state program that attempts to give an equal education to a range of schools. Trump would like to increase the amount of choice parents have in their child’s education. “We reject a one-size-fits-all approach to education and support a broad range of choices for parents and children at the state and local level.”

Quality Healthcare

Trump promises to decrease regulations on health insurance companies, lower insurance premiums and limit the federal government’s role in the health care sector in order to offer people more freedom in choosing their health care options (insurance packages). Trump plans to force hospitals to make their prices transparent, lower drug prices, and change the vaccination schedules for children so they receive smaller doses over a longer period[s] of time”. Trump promises that he is going to increase funding for mental health programs. In terms of Obamacare, the current system in use, he plans to scrap it, and start anew if re-elected. “Any honest agenda for improving healthcare must start with repeal of the dishonestly named Affordable Care Act of 2010: Obamacare.” Trump plans to return the responsibility of regulating insurance markets to the states. This will include knocking down regulatory walls and increasing competitive pricing to allow lower income families to enter the insurance market.

LGBTQ+ Rights

Trump has remained passive on issues of LGBTQ rights.

Immigration Policy

Trump has said he is going to: reduce both legal and illegal immigration and finish building a wall between Mexico and the southern border of the US to stop asylum seekers from entering the US from Mexico. He will also deport thousands of asylum seekers from the US and create an immigration system that is more “merit-based” instead of prioritizing people with “family ties” that result in chain immigration. He is doing this to protect the USA from possible foreign threats, especially singling out states with higher accounts of terrorism

Women’s Rights

The Republican party has said, “[There are] four major issues outlining women’s rights: abortion, pay equity, paid leave, and child care. The Republican Party has promised to, “assist, rather than penalize, women who face an unplanned pregnancy and to encourage women who face an unplanned pregnancy to choose life.” They support legislation that requires financial responsibility for the child to be split between the mother and father until the child reaches adulthood.

Republicans believe international conventions on key issues do not protect American sovereignty. Therefore, they do not support these particular conventions:  the United Nations Convention on Women’s Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Foreign Aid and Peacekeeping

“Foreign aid must serve America’s interests first. In today’s world of complex challenges, international assistance is a critical tool for advancing America’s security and economic interests by preventing conflict, building stability, opening markets for private investment, and responding to suffering and need with the compassion that is at the heart of our country’s values.” Trump promises to spend more on America’s Defense system, increase America’s number of active troops, and increase the budget of the US Air Force and the US Navy.

COVID-19 Response

President Trump has unveiled Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. These steps will help state and local officials when reopening their economies, getting people back to work, and continuing to protect American lives. To reopen, states must see:

• A downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) reported within a 14-day period
• A downward trajectory of Covid-like syndrome cases reported within a 14-day period
• A Downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period

OR

• A downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period (flat or increasing volume of tests)

AND

• A robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including emerging antibody testing

Once these standards have been met within the state, some businesses may begin to reopen, only if the business and the individuals within the business promote and practice good hygiene and social distancing.

Plan For Black America

Trump says he is going to make sure historic black colleges get more funding, He says they would avoid hits that other colleagues would face. Trump is creating “opportunity zones” that provide tax breaks in low income areas. Trump also aims to provide the lowest unemployment rate for black people in history.

Police Reform

Trump signed an executive order creating, among other things, a national police misconduct database and new guidelines for use of force and de-escalation.  He also proposes an increased role for social workers and mental health professionals in responding to a variety of issues. Trump has a focus on security and reducing crime.

Party

Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. The Republican Party is on the right side of the political spectrum. The Republican Party supports: lower taxes, a focus on national security, and maintaining the rights and freedoms of the individual. The 2016 Republican Party platform has been renewed for 2020.