What You Need to Know: Biden and Harris

The following is written by Maggie Valentine, president of the PLNU College Democrats. Content was edited for length, taste, grammar and clarity. Readers are encouraged to do their own in-depth research on all political information listed and not rely solely on the summary provided by Valentine.

The Democratic Party — What they stand for and who to vote for in the 2020 presidential election:

The Democratic party is fighting for a better and brighter future for all Americans. We believe healthcare is a human right, the economy should work for everyone, address systemic inequalities, protect the rights of our LGBTQ+ siblings and protect women’s right to choose. We are guided by the principle that all are created equal, regardless of race, gender, sexuality or nationality, and through grassroots organizing, we are working to elect new leaders who represent ALL Americans, not just those with privilege.

Here are some of the policy positions of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris:

Environmental Policy

• Biden’s climate plan, which is a part of his “Build Back Better” initiative, is expansive. While Biden is not a supporter of the Green New Deal (GND), the majority of this environmental policy comes as a result of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force and draws on aspects of the GND. Biden’s plan includes launching a national effort aimed at creating jobs and building a sustainable infrastructure to ensure a clean energy future. To do this, Biden will make a $2 trillion investment and set the U.S. on a course to meet the ambitious goals to combat climate change that current science demands. View his full environmental policy here. 

Immigration

• Biden recognizes the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, and as such, will pursue policies that safeguard national security while also modernizing the immigration process to make the system more equitable and just. In the first 100 days, Biden will reverse all the Trump administration’s harmful immigration policies and reinstate policies that protect DACA recipients and immigrant children, so they won’t be separated from their parents. View the full immigration policy here. 

Housing and homelessness

• The lack of affordable housing is a crisis for many working- and middle-class families. As president, Biden will end red lining as a way to deny people home loans, enact legislation to pass a homeowner and renter bill of rights and reinstate fair lending practices. He will also support investment to ensure quality affordable units. View the full housing policy here. 

Racial Equity

• Biden’s racial equity plan has many facets, but the largest area of this plan is addressing racial equity through the economy. In order to “Build Back Better,” Biden supports the mobilization of resources to advance racial equity through actions like reforming Opportunity Zones, equitable housing practices and supporting private investment. Read more about his plan for racial equity here.

These are only a few of the many policy positions the Biden campaign released. You can view all the policies and platforms on Joe Biden’s website, joebiden.com.

Written by: Maggie Valentine