Vice president joe biden

Date of Questionnaire

January 15, 2020

In 1-3 sentences, what's one thing the candidate has accomplished that they are most proud of that has improved the lives of everyday people?

Working shoulder-to-shoulder with President Obama to secure the key votes needed to pass the Affordable Care Act was a big deal, 100 years in the making. We succeeded despite the Tea Party town halls, the Republican hysteria, and even a few uncertain Democratic colleagues. The MoveOn community knows, you were there – and we’re forever grateful for all you did to help push Obamacare over the finish line in 2010, and to protect it from repeal under Trump. With your help, Obamacare has unleashed the biggest, most progressive expansion of our health care system in generations, providing the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have access to affordable, quality health care; covering 20 million uninsured people; expanding Medicaid to millions of low-income adults; and protecting 100 million more with pre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes, or a disability, so they can no longer be denied coverage or charged higher premiums.

What will you do as a candidate and as president to strengthen our democracy and ensure it works for everyday people, not just the wealthy and well connected?

Trump’s corruption – abusing the presidency to enrich himself, weaponizing the Justice Department, welcoming special interests into the Oval Office – is degrading the public trust that’s foundational to a functioning democracy. We’re in a battle for the soul of this nation. We must restore faith in government and protect the voting systems and core voting rights that Trump has eroded. I’ll start by reforming our laws to make sure no president can ever again abuse the office for personal gain. I’ve always pushed for the public financing of federal elections; as president, I’ll fight to pass a constitutional amendment to eliminate all private money from the system. I’ll create a new Commission on Federal Ethics to enforce anti-corruption and ethics laws. I’ll prevent future White Houses from improperly interfering in federal investigations and prosecutions. And I’ll expand lobbying disclosure laws, bar lobbying by foreign governments, and require all federal candidates to release tax returns dating back 10 years before they first declared their candidacy for federal office. I’ll also boost funding to states to protect voting systems, and make clear that any entity that interferes in our elections will meet the full force of the law. I’ll restore the Voting Rights Act, enact automatic and same-day voter registration, and incentivize states to automatically restore voting rights for people convicted of felonies who’ve served their time. And I’ll make sure that we challenge every one of the new Jim Crow laws now suppressing the vote in so many states nationwide.

In your first 100 days, what will be your legislative priorities and how do those priorities speak to the needs of the people?

There’s no reason America can’t lead the world in the 21st Century – we just need sound strategy, informed policies, thoughtful engagement abroad, and strong leadership at home. As soon as I’m elected, I’ll get to work rebuilding the middle class so everyone comes along. My top priorities will boost working families, address urgent challenges, and restore the soul of our nation. I’ll send Congress legislation building on Obamacare with a public option, and pass comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for nearly 11 million people. I’ll push to enact the PRO Act, cracking down on employers who try to block unions; and triple funding for Title I schools. I’ll work to pass the Equality Act, protecting sexual orientation and gender identity under civil rights law, and – if it hasn’t passed by the time I take office – the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, including its critical gun safety measures. I’ll move to restore the Voting Rights Act, and fight for a constitutional amendment to rid federal elections of private funding. And, I’ll put us on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050, investing $1.7 trillion to make us the world’s clean energy leader and rebuild our infrastructure, creating 10 million jobs. All these proposals require working with Congress – something I have more experience doing than any candidate. From the Recovery Act to the 1994 assault weapons ban to key Voting Rights Act extensions, I’ve led big legislative fights and won progressive victories.

What is one thing the candidate has done or plans to do as president to stand up for communities who are under attack by the Trump administration?

We’re in a battle for the soul of this nation. In both deeds and actions, Trump has fanned the flames of white supremacy and embraced a political strategy of racism and division. We have to stand together against that hate. We have to do together what this president cannot. That means standing up against the abuse of power – standing up for working families, and for everyone else whom Trump has tried to marginalize, harm, and exclude. I’m running for president to rebuild the middle class so that this time, everyone comes along – no matter their race, gender, zip code, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. As president, I’ll triple funding for Title I schools to close the gap between rich and poor districts. I’ll end redlining and discriminatory practices in housing markets. I’ll make sure that our immigration system lives up to our values as a nation of immigrants, and provides a pathway to citizenship for the nearly 11 million people who contribute so much to our society, but have been left living in the shadows. I’ll enact the Equality Act, so that in the United States of America, it’ll no longer be possible to marry the person you love on one day and then get fired for it the next. I’ll make sure that my Justice Department prioritizes the prosecution of hate crimes. And I’ll restore moral leadership to the White House, making clear that hate has no safe harbor in this country.

Please share a 2 to 3 paragraph pitch for why MoveOn members should support the campaign.

This election is bigger than a nomination battle and bigger than our party – the character of our country is on the ballot. The future will come down to two things: Can we defeat Donald Trump? And can we deliver a Democratic House and Senate to fix the mess that Trump will leave behind? We need a candidate who can not only take the presidency, but lift up Democrats all down the ballot, and deliver tangible results for working families. I know I can do those things. I have broad support from both our party’s diverse base and important swing voters, and polls show me consistently beating Trump in key swing state. I’ve spent a lifetime fighting for other Democrats: In 2018, I campaigned in 24 states, for over 65 candidates, and together, we flipped the House. And I have decades of experience taking big, progressive policies and turning them into results for working families. Now, my bold policies build on the unprecedented progress of the Obama-Biden administration: I’ll protect and build on Obamacare with a public option, ban assault weapons and strengthen background checks, move to net zero emissions by 2050, and unite nations around the world to up the ante in the fight against climate change. I’ve been fighting and winning for Democratic values my whole life, and I know how to make bold progress for families across the country today.

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