Election Ed Lesson Three — Candidate History and Election Platforms

Written by Rachele Terranova, Graphics by Nadia Nugent

Candidate Histories

Many college students are voting for the first time this year, and with that comes the responsibility of being politically informed. The Democratic and Republican candidates for the 2020 election are Joe Biden and Donald Trump respectively. Last week covered political party platforms, this week will be going further in depth about Biden and Trump.

Joe Biden

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is the Democratic candidate from Scranton, Pennsylvania. He moved to Delaware as a child and studied at University of Delaware and Syracuse University College of Law. After being elected in 1972, he served six-terms as senator in Delaware starting at age 29 before continuing his career as the 47th Vice President for two terms to President Barack Obama. This will be his third time running for president after his previous attempts in 1988 and 2008— he will be 77 come Election Day which would make him the oldest President if he wins.

Biden lost his daughter Naomi and his first wife Neilia, in a car accident, leaving him a single father of sons Hunter and Beau. Later he married his current wife Jill Biden with whom he has a daughter named Ashley. His son Beau has since passed from cancer.

In his time in the Senate Biden was chair of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 1981 to 1987 followed by chairing the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2001 to 2003. In his first attempt to run for president in 1987, he was out of the race before a primary vote took place due to a scandal involving plagiarized material in his speech where he quoted British Labor party leader Neil Kinnock but did not cite that he did so. Biden was also lead on a bipartisan crime, The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which has also been dubbed the “Biden Crime Bill”. Critics of the bill note that it is disproportionately affecting minority groups and communities of color when it comes to mass incarceration.

Donald Trump

Donald John Trump is the Republican candidate from New York City. After attending Fordham University and University of Pittsburgh’s Wharton School of Finance he graduated with a B.S. in Economics. His political experience is limited to his presidential term, as the rest of his professional career has been rooted in real estate and business other than one brief bid for presidency in 1999 for the Reform Party. He was the first president who has never been an elected official, achieved military ranking, or held a top government post. He is currently 74, but when he was elected he was the oldest first term president to be inaugurated at 70 years old.

Trump and his first wife Ivana share children Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. With his second wife Marla Maples he had a daughter Tiffany before marrying the current First Lady Melania with whom he has his youngest son Barron.

He began his career in real estate with his father, later building several properties such as Trump Tower in New York City. He then published a book, “Trump: The Art of the Deal,” and became executive producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants. Despite his successes he has also had several properties file for bankruptcy. Outside of his own TV show “The Apprentice” and its spinoff “Donald J. Trump Presents The Ultimate Merger,” he made several other appearence as himself in tites like “Sex aand the City,” ”Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “ Zoolander,” and quite a few more.

In September of 2019 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the start of the impeachment inquiry against Trump. Impeachment hearings began in November and House Democrats put forth two articles of impeachment — for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House Judiciary Committee approved the two articles in a party line vote on December 13 sending it to the floor of the House for a vote. On December 18, 2019 Donald Trump became only the third US President to have the House of Representatives vote to impeach, charging him with high crimes and misdemeanors. In February however, the Senate voted to acquit him on the abuse of power charge in a 52-48 not guilty vote and on the obstruction of Congress charge he was voted again 53-47 with the ultimate ruling of not guilty.

Where They Stand Now

Covid Response

Biden

Biden sides with science. He supports the need for a mandatory mask mandate and he has a comprehensive plan to make sure everyone has access to free testing and emergency funds/supplies where needed. He also plans for food relief for those in need. Biden has a plan to meet the enhanced needs of both online and in person learning and the connection to resources that make it possible to get back to class.

Trump

Trump initially said Democrats are politicizing the pandemic and that it would go away. He has pushed for schools to reopen in order to assist the country in getting back to the pre-COVID status quo. He is against fearing the pandemic. Trump has been known to publicly speak on treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and injecting disinfectant.

Climate

Biden

He wants to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord to assist in reducing global carbon emissions. Biden plans to take action against fossil fuel companies who are polluting the environment and knowingly concealing information. He plans to assist workers in these fields transition to sustainable economy jobs and ensure the US is staying true to becoming 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050. He has not made a claim against coal fracking and Kamala said in her debate that he does not plan to ban it.

Trump

He rescinded many of Obama’s climate regulations — he withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord and pushed for pipelines such as the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL. He has reversed almost one hundred laws on environmental protection and protection of clean air and water. Additionally, opened protected areas for drilling for oil and gas. He is in full support of coal fracking.

Immigraiton

Biden

He was against the termination of DACA and wants to protect Dreamers in the program. He does not plan to tear down the border wall but would bar additional construction and instead invest in improving the ports of entry and entrance screening. Biden also wants to end the separation of families at detention centers at the border. He promises to rescind the travel bans made against immigrants of color and supports the pathway to citizenship.

Trump

In June the court ruled against Trump’s plan to end the DACA program which protects children from deportation if they were brought here illegally as children. Trump has built 265 miles of his goal to make a 450 mile border wall by the end of the year separating the U.S. from Mexico. His administration has a “zero-tolerance” policy for illegal border crossers leaving thousands of children being forced to be separated from their families and held without necessary care in border facilities. He also signed an executive order banning immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries.

Social and Racial Injustice

Biden

He has said his administration including his Cabinet and running mate would be pinnacles for inclusion and diversity. He has several proposals to break down systemic inequities against BIPOC Americans through affordable housing, clean resources, and increased access to higher education. He continues to outwardly denounce the way minorities are treated in this country and understands the need to build a system accessible to all.

Trump

He has few BIPOC Americans as part of his administration, whether it be White House Staff, his advisers or even his interns. He has stated he is not racist though he has spoken using terms such as “China Virus” in reference to COVID-19. Trump and his administration have removed any protection for transgender students, eliminated the Departments of Education and Justice’s civil rights offices, and lessened access to racial disparity guidance in schools.

Criminal Justice Reform

Biden

He stands for reform of policing, including investing in programs that can create jobs for officers with more specific qualifications and training. He does not believe in activists’ demands to defund the police. Biden does support reforming qualified immunity which is where officers are legally protected from lawsuits by victims. He wants to eradicate solitary confinement as well as the death penalty.

Trump

His spokeswoman has stated he does not plan to end or reform qualified immunity. He supports “touch-on-crime” policies and “law and order” tactics that affect minorities disproportionately. Trump would like to renew death row executions at federal level. He reinstated contracts with private prisons and the Department of Justice. In 2018, he signed into law the First Step Act, which is a bipartisan “measure reducing mandatory-minimum sentences, expanding drug treatment programs for prisoners and allowing some prisoners to finish their sentences early with good behavior”.

Title IX / Campus Sexual Assault, Reproductive Rights

Biden

Has his “Plan to End Violence against Women”, in which he plans to increase rights for survivors, implements preventative educaiton, and to return to Title IX guidelines from his Vice Presidency. He states “a Biden Administration will help educate and empower young people with the knowledge and tools they need to prevent sexual violence and dating violence,” which includes harassment via the internet. Wants to codify Roe v. Wade, reducing the high maternal mortality rate affecting BIPOC communities at higher rates. He also has expressed his support for a woman’s right to choose and have access to birth control/prevention measures.

Trump

Once again repealed Obama-era progress in Title IX guidelines. This weakens a university’s ability to reduce sexual assaults on campus. He narrowed the definition of sexual assault and increased the protections for those accused of sexually-based crimes. He nominated 150+ anti-choice judges, and believes people who recieve abortions deserve a form of punishment. He advocates for religious beliefs as a reason to deny healthcare and is staunchly pro-life.

Healthcare (see more under Top Priorities for the Future)

Biden

He believes in healthcare for all. He intends to protect the Affordable Care Act and wants to build on it to offer public options.

Trump

He wants to replace the ACA, though he has yet to release the new plan. He has cut programs that aid minority communities and their access to healthcare, and increased limiting factors for coverage.

Jobs, Taxes, Wages

Biden

He has made a plan to create new clean energy jobs and reverse some tax cuts made by Trump for high-income citizens. Supports raising the minimum wage nationally from $7.25 to $15. He believes the current measures are increasing inequality among Americans.

Trump

He proposes a payroll tax cut. He also wants to continue to cut taxes in a way that benefits corporations, not the American people. In terms of financial aid in the pandemic, he put forth the one-time stimulus.

School Safety / Gun Violence

Biden

He intends to reinstate the assault weapon ban, including high capacity magazines and the importation of assault weapons. He plans to end the sale of firearms and ammunition online. He wants to hold gun manufacturers accountable by getting rid of liability protections. He hopes to protect current and future domestic violence victims by prohibiting all assault, battery, and stalking offenders from buying firearms through the ‘boyfriend loophole’ and ‘stalking loophole’. He intends to require all gun sales have background checks without loopholes. Additionally, plans to buy back banned firearms from communities they are in.

Trump

He did not support background checks for attendance at gun shows or on websites, and was also against extending the purchase waiting period. He stated that he wants to eradicate gun-free zones in places such as schools and military bases. His campaign accepted tens of millions of dollars of funding from the National Rifle Association. He has not spoken against the militarization of schools and bringing guns into schools for teachers as a means for protection.

Higher Education / Affordability

Biden

He wants to make sure all students can have access to secondary education, including a plan for free tuition for qualifying low-income families. He plans to double the maximum value of Pell grants and introduce income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness for public service employees. He supports increasing higher education funding.

Trump

He tried to cut millions in student financial support and plans to freeze Pell Grant maximum for the next decade. While he calls for reductions in federal research spending, he supports some funding increases for higher education.

Foreign Policy

Biden

He plans to end long-term wars by bringing home troops currently stationed in Afghanistan, and to reenter the Iran Nuclear deal. He intends to end the Muslim travel ban put forth by Trump. He wants to hold a Summit for global Democracy to reignite purpose within allies.

Trump

He is withdrawing from leadership in international alliances with the UN and NATO, but continuing to send troops to Afghanistan. He is also removing U.S. from nuclear non-proliferation treaties with Iran and Russia

Top Priorities for the Future

Joe Biden

First, Biden wants to address the Coronavirus pandemic by increasing testing and the capacity to give health care to more Americans. He hopes to reopen the economy in a safer manner both physically and financially. He has spoken at length about wanting to protect the Affordable Care Act as well as diversify the choices in health care by making a public option to Medicare.

In terms of the economy, he is prioritizing support for small businesses and workers hit especially hard by the pandemic through “FDR-style investments” as well as rebuilding the middle class.

Before the pandemic, upon election on day one he would like to use executive orders to cut carbon emissions.

Donald Trump

Trump is prioritizing opening the economy/country to its fullest capacity as soon as possible in light of the economic repercussions felt by COVID-19. He also plans to cut taxes again for the wealthy as well as major corporations (essentially the 1%). Cutting Medicare and Social Security are also elements of his economic priorities.

For health care, he stands by wanting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, increasing costs of healthcare, and creating tighter restrictions for who can get health care based on age and pre-existing conditions.