Axios gives a fact sheet on guy leading the Democratic Sweepstakes field lined up to run for President next year…..
Democrat Joe Biden formerly served as Delaware’s senator from 1973-2009 before being elected President Obama’s VP. Due to his name recognition and moderate politics, some argue Biden — 2020’s current frontrunner —could be best positioned to make inroads with blue-collar swing voters who broke for President Trump in 2016.
Key facts about Joe Biden:
- Age: 76
- Born: Scranton, Pa.
- Undergraduate: University of Delaware
- Date candidacy announced: April 25, 2019
- Previous roles: Vice president; U.S. senator from Delaware
Joe Biden’s stance on key issues:
- The cost of college: “Community college should be … free,” Biden said at the Electrical Workers Conference in April. In 2015, he said he supported free tuition at state universities.
- Health care: He supports an optional Medicare buy-in. Biden’s plan would create a government option for enrollees in the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
- “The Affordable Care Act was a big step … we need to build on it. What we can’t do is blow it up,” he said.
- Marijuana legalization: He has a history of being anti-marijuana, calling it a “gateway drug.” While vice president, Biden said he supports decriminalization rather than legalization.
- Minimum wage: In 2015, Biden called for a $12 federal minimum wage, gradually increasing to $15 by 2020.
- Infrastructure: He has suggested a general use of private and public funds to invest in federal infrastructure, saying the U.S. needs “a massive commitment to rebuild our infrastructure.”
- Green New Deal: Biden is seeking middle ground on climate policy. The “backbone” of his plan will involve remaining in the Paris climate agreement, and preserving emissions and vehicle mileage rules that President Trump’s agencies are unwinding.
Key criticisms of Joe Biden:
- Allegations of inappropriate touching: 7 woman have come forward to publicly address what they describe as uncomfortable encounters or instances of inappropriate touching.
- Biden issued a video statement in response to the allegations, saying he understands “social norms are changing” and “the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset.”
- Justice Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court confirmation: The confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh last year, amid allegations of sexual assault, thrust Biden into a national debate over how he handled Thomas’ confirmation in 1991. Thomas was also accused of sexual harassment by his former employee, Anita Hill. Biden, who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, voted against Thomas, but was criticized for failing to defuse attacks against Hill.
- The war on drugs and crime bills: In January, Biden expressed regret for supporting tough-on-crime bills during his time in Congress, including a measure that established strict sentencing standards for crack and powder cocaine offenses, which experts say have led to an era of mass incarceration that disproportionately affected black Americans.
- Integration: He attempted to pass anti-busing legislation for school integration in the 1970s, a stance that has garnered renewed criticism.
- Former immigration stance: During the Democratic primaries for the 2008 presidential election, Biden made it clear that he supported building a fencealong the southern border to stop “illegals” from bringing drugs to the U.S. He also called for punishing American employers who hired undocumented migrants.
image…Observer