Daily Times

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was the 47th Vice President of the United States of America. He is the Democratic presidential nominee for the 2020 US election. He is running against the current US President, Donald Trump. While the acumen and wisdom of a President or the one running for this position are of utmost importance, the policies they envision to implement also reveals about their strategic direction. During his speeches and debates leading to the 2020 US Elections scheduled for November 3, 2020, Joe Biden has discussed several policy objectives. These pertain to Covid-19, climate, economy, healthcare, foreign policy, race and policing, guns, and the US Supreme Court.

According to Biden, he aims to set up a national contact-tracing program. Under this initiative, there will be ten testing centers in every state so that the maximum population can benefit from it. Moreover, he has also ensured free testing for all. A nationwide mask mandate is also in his policy to defeat Covid-19. Under this rule, people need to wear a mask when they are on federal property. Where Covid-19 has raised havoc in 2020, climate change has been affecting our environment for years. Biden assures that he will re-join the Paris climate agreement once he becomes the US President. This is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance. It was signed in 2016. President Trump, unfortunately, and in a shocking move, has called for the US to withdraw from this agreement.

Unfortunately, President Trump does not believe that racism is a problem within the US police forces. Biden looks at racism as a systemic problem. Biden has vowed to address this social predicament

Furthermore, Biden will create such initiatives that will facilitate the US to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. He recommends banning new contracts for oil and gas drilling on public lands. He plans to invest $2 trillion in green energy. This will certainly be a game-changer for the US. As far as the economy is concerned, Biden aims at raising taxes for high earners. This will help generate avenues to pay for investment in the public services sector. However, this tax increase will affect those who earn more than $400,000 a year. Furthermore, the current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Biden has called for raising it to $15 an hour.

While President Trump wants to cancel the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed under President Obama, which increased the federal government’s management of the private health insurance system, Biden’s goal is to protect the ACA. He has recommended reducing the eligibility age for Medicare. It is the nationwide policy providing medical benefits to the elderly (age group: 65 to 60). Biden has also proposed to give Americans the choice to register themselves in a public health insurance plan. This will be a similar plan akin to Medicare.

On the foreign policy front, President Trump has said that he will continue to challenge international alliances. He will also continue with the trade tariffs on China. Biden, on the other hand, visualizes more collaboration with US allies. He wants to undo the unilateral tariffs on China but wants to hold it accountable with an international coalition. How will this affect US-China relations is yet to be seen.

Recently, with the events unfolding between the US police and African-American citizens, President Trump and Joe Biden discussed them during their speeches. Unfortunately, President Trump does not believe that racism is a problem within the US police forces. Biden looks at racism as a systemic problem. Biden has vowed to address this social predicament. One of his goals is to resolve racial inequalities within the justice system. He has disallowed to defund the police. He views that all additional resources must be directed at planning, coordinating, and maintaining proper standards.

Associated with police, law, and justice is the use and ownership of guns. President Trump did order to conduct strict background checks on gun buyers, especially following the 2019 shootings. Biden, on the other hand, has suggested banning assault weapons and universal background checks. He plans to limit a gun buyer to purchase one gun per month. He also advises creating easier laws, processes, and procedures to track and sue negligent manufacturers and sellers.

Under the rule of President Trump, many of the national and foreign policies pursued by the US were either flawed or had evident loopholes in them. Joe Biden, with this previous political and administrative experience, has the potential to undo all that was wrong with the Trump Administration. The equations will fall into place once the next President enters the White House.

The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist