Election 2020: Where Trump and Biden Position Themselves on Key Issues
Each candidate’s stance, policy by policy.
by AINSLEY HOLMAN ★ OCTOBER 1, 2020
Citizens of the United States find themselves in an interesting, and rather unprecedented, time in political and socioeconomic history. This election, painted against the stark background of a devastating global pandemic, heightened racial tensions, rising unemployment, and increased concerns regarding climate change, divides our nation in a way that has never been seen before. Therefore, it is crucial to understand where each of the candidates, President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, stand on specific issues that will drastically affect the condition, and future, of our nation. From criminal justice reform to health care, here is where each candidate aligns themselves on five key aspects of our political climate.
Credit: NBC News
COVID-19:
The novel coronavirus has been a strong point of contention on both sides of the aisle during this election season. With a vaccine far on the horizon, it is essential to know how each candidate plans to handle the virus as we await its cure.
Donald Trump:
Based on what we've seen in the past seven months, Trump has not handled the coronavirus situation well, to say the least. Trump believes that testing is a "double-edged sword," and says that it should "slow down." Additionally, he states there is no need for a universal mask mandate, leaving it up to state and local governments to put various protocols in place. It’s important to note Trump’s prioritization of keeping the economy going during the pandemic, which has caused a lot of pushback.
Joe Biden:
Biden's plan to address the pandemic proposes offering free COVID-19 testing to all Americans. Furthermore, he seeks to hire over 100,000 people to assist in national contact-tracing. The plan also includes step-by-step solutions to open schools and businesses safely. Lastly, and most importantly, Biden states that he will instill a universal mask mandate if he is elected this November.
Criminal justice reform:
A robust and comprehensive reform of the United States' criminal justice system is long overdue. According to the Charles Koch Institute, more than 1.5 million individuals are incarcerated in American prisons, an increase of 370% since 1978. This is concerning, as the crime rate has starkly decreased in the last ten years, causing Americans to question our current criminal justice and police systems.
Donald Trump:
The self-declared "president of law and order" has a questionable track record regarding reform within the criminal justice system. In December 2018, Trump signed the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act (also known as the First Step Act), which reformed federal prisons and sentencing laws to reduce recidivism, decrease the national inmate population, and maintain public safety. However, Trump supports "stop-and-frisk" policing and encourages cops to "rough up" suspects, leading to a lot of discontent among the American people, especially after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Joe Biden:
Biden has come forward as a strong advocate for funding social work and mental health responders, an essential step in reforming the current criminal justice system. He is also pushing to eliminate private prisons (a point of contention due to his running mate's history with criminal justice), the death penalty, and cash bail. Biden is also pushing for the decriminalization of marijuana on a federal level. The former vice president has additionally called for $300 million in funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services program, which is responsible for "advancing the practice of community policing by the nation's state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources."
Climate change:
The state of our planet is in deep trouble. With temperatures and sea levels rising across the globe, the United States must take a strong stance against climate change and global warming and fight to promote mitigation and adaptation.
Donald Trump:
During his presidency, Trump pulled the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, a landmark deal to strengthen the global effort against climate change progression. According to Trump's EPA chief, climate change is not a "top priority" of the administration. Furthermore, the incumbent nominee has opened protected lands and waters to drilling, rescinded 100 environmental protections and regulations, and rejected higher air quality standards, all of which threaten our country and its citizens' wellbeing.
Joe Biden:
On his campaign site, Biden stated that he plans to eliminate carbon pollution from our electricity by 2035 and from our economy by 2050 by spending $2 trillion on various clean energy and carbon emission-reducing projects. He would also have the United States rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and create 5 million jobs in tech and manufacturing. While Biden stated he did not support the Green New Deal, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's infamous environmental action plan, it is a crucial aspect of his campaign's climate change framework.
Economy:
With virtually all corners being hit hard by COVID-19, the United States' economy is in a fragile state. According to the Department of Commerce, millions of hard-working Americans lost their jobs during the pandemic, with unemployment reaching Depression-era numbers. While consumer spending has rebounded, it is nowhere near pre-pandemic levels.
Donald Trump:
On March 27, Congress passed and Trump signed the most extensive emergency financial aid package in United States history. However, as the pandemic continues, as well as the associated economic strife, many Americans are calling for a continuation of COVID-relief financial benefits, which the Trump administration is refusing to fund. Furthermore, the current trade war with China is causing an immense amount of job loss in the United States. Trump's strong opposition to raising the federal minimum wage to $15 has been met with much contempt from the lower socioeconomic classes. Plus, there's the whole paying-only-$750-in-federal-taxes thing.
Joe Biden:
A notable highlight of Biden's proposed economic plan is raising the federal minimum wage, a move that gives him a lot of popularity with low-earning Americans. Biden is also pushing for 12 weeks paid family leave, supporting equal pay for women (it's been long enough), creating easier access to unions, and raising taxes for the 1% and big corporations.
Health care:
The issue of health care remains a hot-button topic during every election cycle. Many Americans are struggling to find and afford the medical attention they need, especially in the middle of a pandemic.
Donald Trump:
Trump supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as the lawsuit to overturn the entire system. Furthermore, Trump desires to restrict access to reproductive health services, such as Planned Parenthood. Additionally, he also made changes to immigration policy enabling the US to refuse entry of individuals who are likely to use Medicaid and other public programs, leaving many without health care. He has failed to lower prescription drug costs during a pandemic, despite claims made in the recent debate, and has no set "plan" for health care if re-elected.
Joe Biden:
Biden proposes expanding Medicare to everyone over 60 and premium-free health care for low-income families, as well as offering the option of private health care. He stated that if elected, he would work to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Furthermore, Biden supports reproductive rights and is pushing to restore and expand funding for various programs.
While each candidate's stance on the aforementioned issues is laid out pretty clearly on their campaign pages, it is essential to research outside of their PR-fueled bubble before casting your vote. What does their track record look like? What have they voted on previously? Which corporations and organizations are supporting their campaign? And most importantly, who do you want representing your country on the national stage for the next four years? Hopefully, these points bring you to a conclusion that helps you cast an educated vote this November.
To register to vote, go to iwillvote.com.