Joe Biden Views on 2020 Issues: A Voter’s Guide - POLITICO

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His resume is virtually unmatched and the Obama years introduced him to a new a generation, but is he ready to fight through recriminations over his role in passing policies the party’s base now loathes?

Joe Biden's positions on

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Criminal Justice

Joe Biden's views on Capital Punishment / Death PenaltyAbolish it

19 candidates have similar views

Candidates who have called for abolishing capital punishment altogether say inmates sentenced to death should have their sentences commuted to life without parole.

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Joe Biden's views on Cash Bail ReformEnd it

10 candidates have similar views

Candidates who advocate ending the cash bail system argue it disproportionately hits low-income Americans.

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Joe Biden's views on Cocaine Sentencing DisparitiesScrap the disparity

Five candidates have similar views

Sen. Cory Booker has introduced a bill meant to serve as a companion to the 2018 criminal justice legislation, called the Next Step Act. Booker’s bill would eliminate the crack cocaine sentencing disparity by reducing it from 18:1 to 1:1.

Sen. Bernie Sanders called for the same in 2015, prompting his Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton to embrace the same reform.

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Joe Biden's views on Mandatory Minimum Sentences ReformEliminate them

11 candidates have similar views

Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke say mandatory minimum sentences should be abolished for nonviolent drug offenses and reduced across the board. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders as well as businessman Tom Steyer have gone further, calling for the elimination of all mandatory minimum requirements.

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Joe Biden's views on Private PrisonsEliminate them

11 candidates have similar views

Many Democrats have called for ending or not renewing the federal government's contracts with private prison companies. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has released a detailed proposal on her plan to abolish private prisons, saying she would leverage federal public safety funding to extend the ban to the state and local levels.

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Economy

Joe Biden's views on Minimum WageRaise the federal minimum wage to $15/hour

20 candidates have similar views

There's broad support among Democratic presidential candidates for doubling the hourly minimum from $7.25 to $15, and then allowing it to rise automatically with inflation, as proposed by House Democrats in the Raise the Wage Act. Even centrists like Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and former Vice President Joe Biden favor this. In 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton favored going only to $12 (though she expressed strong support for states that raised it to $15).

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Joe Biden's views on Paid LeaveIndicates support for paid family and sick leave

One candidate has similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden says on his campaign website that Americans should be able to take paid time off to take care for a newborn or sick family member. But, Biden has not provided specific details on how he would guarantee those protections if elected president.

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Joe Biden's views on ReparationsStudy reparations

14 candidates have similar views

Democrats who support studying reparations fall in line with a plan from Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who has proposed forming a commission to define reparations and suggest the form any compensation should take. Most presidential candidates have supported her legislation and said they would sign the bill if elected president.

Sen. Cory Booker has introduced similar legislation in the Senate. Sens. Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have all co-sponsored the bill.

Former Vice President Joe Biden hasn't endorsed either bill, but his communications director, Kate Bedingfield, told VICE this year that he thinks the U.S. should "gather the data necessary to have an informed conversation about reparations."

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Education

Joe Biden's views on Charter SchoolsAgainst for-profit charter schools

Two candidates have similar views

After serving in an administration that promoted charter schools, former Vice President Joe Biden walks a fine line on the topic. He has said he’s opposed to for-profit charter schools, saying "it siphons off money for our public schools, which are already in enough trouble."

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg has said charter school expansion “in general is something that we need to really draw back on until we've corrected what needs to be corrected in terms of underfunded public education." His plan calls for banning for-profit charter schools and ensuring "equal accountability for public charter schools."

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Joe Biden's views on Cost of CollegeTwo years should be free

Five candidates have similar views

The Obama administration wanted to make two years of community college or technical school free, arguing the U.S. should extend public schooling through grade 14.

The pitch has been picked up by many, including former Vice President Joe Biden, who says the cost of making community college free could be covered by closing a single tax loophole.

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Joe Biden's views on Student DebtExpand or fix existing debt-relief programs

16 candidates have similar views

Most Democratic candidates have called for either expanding or fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, an existing federal benefit that’s supposed to cancel the debt of borrowers who work in public-service jobs for 10 years. But few borrowers have actually had their loans forgiven under the program, which has been plagued by bureaucratic hiccups and complicated eligibility requirements.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has called for making sure the program is “fixed, simplified, and actually helps teachers.” Other candidates have signed on to legislation by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that would expand the program and provide more generous benefits to public-service workers.

Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke has advocated for forgiving the student loan debt for teachers. Teachers who have worked for more than five years in a public school would receive total loan forgiveness, while others would have their student loan payments suspended while teaching in public schools, have 20 percent of their principal per year of service and total loan forgiveness after five years of service. For others in public service, O'Rourke would forgive 10 percent of a borrower's outstanding debt at the end of each year they work in a public interest job tax-free.

Nearly all of the candidates have also called for lowering existing student-loan borrowers’ monthly payments by reducing the interest rate on federal loans.

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Joe Biden's views on Teacher PayBoost teacher pay

Eight candidates have similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden would nearly triple Title I funding and require districts to use the funds to give educators "competitive salaries" and make other "critical investments" before using the money for other purposes. Sen. Elizabeth Warren's plan would quadruple Title I funding and incentivize states to increase pay for teachers, paraprofessionals and other support professionals.

Sen. Bernie Sanders would work with states to set a minimum starting salary for teachers of $60,000. He also says billionaires would pay their "fair share of taxes so that our teachers are not living in poverty."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she would create a new “Progress Partnerships” program that would provide a federal match to states to increase teacher salaries if states agree to several steps. The steps include creating an “equitable” school infrastructure funding mechanism and convening a commission to review the state’s existing funding formula. Separately, her campaign has said she plans to raise teacher pay as part of her first 100 days in office and that effort would not be contingent on participation in the partnership.

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Elections

Joe Biden's views on Campaign FinanceUnlimited spending should not be allowed in politics

16 candidates have similar views

The Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, which opened the door for unlimited spending in elections, should be overturned.

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Energy, Environment & Climate Change

Joe Biden's views on Nuclear PowerSupport developing new nuclear technologies as part of an effort to fight climate change

No candidates have similar views

Utilities and scientists are developing nuclear power reactors that are much smaller than the massive facilities that have been used in past decades. A typical nuclear reactor at a power plant may produce 1,000 megawatts of power, enough to power about 1 million homes. But the new reactors, called Small Modular Reactors that the Energy Department's national labs are helping to develop, would produce perhaps 50 to 100 megawatts.

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Joe Biden's views on Oil and gas drillingEnd new oil and gas leases on federal land and end offshore drilling

Seven candidates have similar views

Federal land offer a rare opportunity to significantly shift energy development without relying on Congress, but that production also is a major cash cow for the government. Fossil fuels from lands under the federal government's control accounted for about one-quarter of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions between 2005 and 2014, and revenues from federal oil and gas output topped $8 billion in 2018, according to the Interior Department.

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Joe Biden's views on Reducing carbon emissionsTax carbon emissions

Four candidates have similar views

Economists typically view a carbon tax as the most efficient way to get businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, but environmental activists say that would be insufficient to secure the reductions needed in a relatively short period of time. Most carbon tax proposals floated by Democrats this year envision returning much of the proceeds through regular dividend payments to offset higher energy costs.

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Food & Agriculture

Joe Biden's views on Farm EconomyStrengthen enforcement, but stop short of trust-busting

Eight candidates have similar views

Most 2020 Democrats have not gone so far as to call for splitting up large agribusinesses, instead advocating for stronger antitrust enforcement as a way to create a more fair and competitive market for farmers and consumers. Candidates taking this stance argue federal regulators have too narrowly interpreted antitrust laws when reviewing mergers and acquisitions, largely focusing on the effects on consumer prices rather than the broader economy — such as the number of competitors or a company’s control over supply chains.

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s platform for rural America is light on specifics, stating that he wants to protect small and medium-sized farmers by bolstering enforcement of the country’s three core laws: The Sherman Antitrust Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act and the Packers and Stockyards Act.

Mike Bloomberg’s agriculture platform would require the Justice Department to review recent mergers, including Dow-DuPont and Bayer-Monsanto, so that the effects on both consumers and small farmers is taken into account. The billionaire businessman also said he would reinstate the Agriculture Department’s antitrust enforcement arm, known as the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, as an independent agency and boost its funding, after the Trump administration shifted it under USDA’s marketing programs.

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Joe Biden's views on Farming and Climate ChangePay farmers to adopt climate-friendly practices

Nine candidates have similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden proposed taking American agriculture to net-zero emissions by “dramatically” expanding a voluntary USDA conservation program that pays farmers, under five-year contracts, to adopt certain practices — though he didn’t specify how much this would cost or set a target date. He also said the program should be part of new carbon markets by allowing corporations, individuals and foundations to contribute funding to offset their emissions.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, as part of her platform to boost the rural economy, called for a “full out effort” to decarbonize agriculture. She would pour $15 billion each year into the same voluntary USDA conservation program that Biden touched on in his proposal. Warren said her investments in rural America, including the agriculture industry, could be offset by making the ultra-wealthy and large corporations pay more in taxes.

A number of other Democrats rolled out climate platforms for agriculture without price tags. This includes Sen. Bernie Sanders, who wants to provide grants, technical assistance and debt relief to support farmers’ transition to more sustainable practices, as well as former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

Bloomberg has proposed expanding existing USDA conservation programs by an unspecified amount to improve soil health and sequester more carbon from the atmosphere, as well as aligning the federal crop insurance program with environmental incentives.

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Joe Biden's views on Rights for Farm Owners and WorkersExpand farm worker protections, but no specific plans for USDA civil rights

Three candidates have similar views

Sen. Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg and Tom Steyer said farm workers should have the right to unionize, and the candidates also endorse legislation granting benefits like overtime pay and a minimum wage for workers on small farms, livestock production and hand-harvest operations.

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Gun Control

Joe Biden's views on Assault WeaponsSupport a voluntary buyback program

Eight candidates have similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden helped author the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in the 1994 crime bill when he was serving as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Biden calls for "bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines," and told CNN he "would institute a national buyback program” for assault weapons. Biden said he would not confiscate previously owned firearms.

Gov. Steve Bullock told POLITICO he supports renewing the federal assault weapons ban and that "the federal government can support communities that choose to conduct voluntary buybacks" of such firearms. Bullock added: "While federal agencies can support local efforts, I do not believe a direct federal buyback program should replace these kinds of community-based efforts."

Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg "supports a new federal ban on assault-style weapons, as well as a voluntary buyback program for existing assault-style weapons," a campaign spokesperson told POLITICO.

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julin Castro, as mayor of San Antonio in 2012, supported renewing the federal assault weapons ban following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Castro said during a CNN town hall that he supports "things like gun buybacks," adding: "I know that they have had mixed success, but I believe that in some circumstances that's a good policy, and that we can recover some weapons that shouldn't be out there on the street."

Rep. Tim Ryan said during a CNN town hall that he did "support an assault weapons ban," and a campaign spokesperson told POLITICO that Ryan "is in favor of voluntary buyback programs for assault weapons" that would allow the federal government to purchase those firearms back from gun owners.

Sen. Bernie Sanders supports banning “the sale and distribution of assault weapons," and calls for the federal government "to implement a buyback program to get these weapons off the streets." Sanders' campaign has not specified whether the buybacks would be voluntary or mandatory. Sanders also supports a ban on “high-capacity ammunition magazines.” He is a co-sponsor of a Senate bill to ban assault weapons, and voted in support of the proposed Assault Weapons Ban of 2013.

Billionaire activist Thomas Steyer calls for a ban on "assault weapons, device modifications [and] high capacity ammunition magazines," and supports "voluntary buyback programs of all firearms, including handguns."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a co-sponsor of a Senate bill to ban assault weapons, and also co-sponsored the proposed Assault Weapons Ban of 2013. She calls for establishing a buyback program "to allow those who wish to do so to return their weapon for safe disposal," and believes that "individuals who fail to register or return their assault weapon should face penalties."

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang calls for the implementation of “a federal buyback program for anyone who wants to voluntarily give up their firearm.” Yang stops short of a blanket assault-weapons ban, instead proposing a three-tiered licensing system for gun ownership. Under that system, owners of semi-automatic rifles (second-tier weapons) must be at least 21 years old and pass an advanced firearm safety class. They also must hold a first-tier license (required for basic hunting rifles and handguns) for at least one year. First-tier licensees must pass a federal background check, pass a "basic hunting/firearm safety class" and provide a receipt for an "appropriately-sized gun locker, or trigger lock per registered gun." Owners of advanced and automatic weaponry (third-tier weapons) must abide by the restrictions and definitions outlined in the National Firearms Act of 1934, submit their fingerprints and DNA to the FBI, submit to a gun locker inspection and undergo yearly refresher firearm training. Yang also calls for a ban on "high-capacity magazines."

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Joe Biden's views on Background ChecksIn favor of universal background checks

26 candidates have similar views

Sen. Michael Bennet told CBS News the Senate should pass the gun control legislation the House approved in February, which mandates federal criminal background checks on all gun sales.

Former Vice President Joe Biden headed the gun task force that led the Obama administration to push for legislation requiring universal background checks in 2013. Biden has tweeted that "it’s clear we need to ... close the loophole that allows individuals to buy guns online or at gun shows without a background check."

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg has called for creating a background check system to ensure that "no one can purchase a gun without passing a completed background check."

Sen. Cory Booker calls for “universal background checks” to close the “gun show loophole” and the “Charleston loophole.”

Gov. Steve Bullock announced his support for "universal background checks and cracking down on straw purchases of guns" in an op-ed in The Great Falls Tribune.

Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg calls for “universal background checks.”

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julin Castro said during a CNN town hall that "we need to make background checks universal."

Mayor Bill de Blasio suggested he supported universal background checks in an interview with POLITICO.

Former Rep. John Delaney calls for “universal background checks on gun sales, including closing the loophole for private sellers.”

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has called on Congress to pass legislation instituting "universal background checks" and "closing the gun show loophole." She was a co-sponsor of the background checks bill the House approved in February.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called for “universal background checks,” as well as closing “gun sale loopholes.”

Sen. Kamala Harris calls for “universal background checks,” as well as prohibiting those convicted of a federal hate crime from buying guns.

Former Gov. John Hickenlooper called for "a national system of universal background checks to address the state-by-state patchwork and loopholes." He also proposed closing the "Charleston loophole" by expanding the gun background check waiting period to 10 days.

Gov. Jay Inslee has sought to further strengthen background checks in Washington since the state's voters passed an initiative in 2014 requiring background checks for all gun sales and transfers.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar calls for “universal background checks by closing the gun show loophole.”

Mayor Wayne Messam told the Independent Journal Review he "would push for universal background checks" as president "for the purpose of just ensuring any individuals who should not have a gun, not have one."

Rep. Seth Moulton was a co-sponsor of the background checks bill the House approved in February and has called for the Senate to take up the measure.

Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke called for "universal background checks without exceptions" in an op-ed in The Houston Chronicle.

Rep. Tim Ryan was a co-sponsor of the background checks bill the House approved in February and has called for the Senate to take up the measure.

Former Gov. Deval Patrick signed a comprehensive gun reform bill into law in Massachusetts in 2014. The legislation expanded background check requirements to include private firearm sales.

Sen. Bernie Sanders calls for “expand[ing] background checks," closing the “gun show loophole" and making all gun purchases “subject to the same background check standards.”

Former Rep. Joseph Sestak calls for closing the “gun show loophole” and "creating a more effective national background check system, including by enabling states to add felons, domestic abusers, and other violent criminals to the background check database."

Billionaire activist Thomas Steyer has called for a national referendum to institute universal background checks via popular vote.

Rep. Eric Swalwell called for implementing “background checks for all firearm and ammunition purchases, regardless of whether the seller is federally licensed, a gun show vendor, or a private seller;” called for requiring “all background checks to include a search of the National Data Exchange’s 400 million records;” and called for instituting a “system that automatically notifies state law enforcement when someone who is prohibited from purchasing a firearm attempts to do so and is flagged during a background check.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said during a CNN town hall that "we need universal background checks."

Author Marianne Williamson calls for “required universal background checks, including at gun shows.”

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang calls for requiring all gun owners to "pass a federal background check, eliminating the gun show loophole."

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Joe Biden's views on Weapon RegistryIn favor of a national firearm registry

Three candidates have similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden calls for legislation "to give states and local governments grants to require individuals to obtain a license prior to purchasing a gun." Biden also calls for legislation "to regulate possession of existing assault weapons." Under his plan, owners of assault weapons or high-capacity magazines would either register them or sell them to the government as part of a buyback program.

Rep. Eric Swalwell called for creating a “federal licensing program for gun owners, requiring them to satisfactorily complete a training program with both written and practical exams, the same way most states do with cars and hunters.”

But unlike most other White House contenders, Swalwell also called for creating a “national firearm registry that is linked to individual firearms, and requir[ing] that all purchases, transfers, and donations of firearms be mandatorily registered.”

Like Sen. Cory Booker, Swalwell favored microstamping technology, calling for mandating “evidence-based ballistics identification techniques, such as microstamping, for all rifles and handguns manufactured or in commerce in the United States.”

Billionaire activist Thomas Steyer supports "national licensing for all gun ownership, similar to a driver’s license," and calls for "a national registry of all assault weapons."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls for Congress to establish a "straightforward federal licensing system for the purchase of any type of firearm or ammunition." She also calls for individuals in possession of assault weapons to register those firearms or return them to the government as part of a buyback program.

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Health Care

Joe Biden's views on AbortionSome limits

Three candidates have similar views

Some Democrats have specified certain limits regarding abortions later in pregnancy. That's in line with the Roe v. Wade decision, which says states can regulate abortions after viability but should allow them if the life or health of the woman is at risk.

During a Fox News town hall, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said "there are limits there in the third trimester that are very important — about — except for the health of the woman.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden's position on abortion has essentially spanned the entire spectrum — in the 1980s, Biden, who is Roman Catholic, supported a constitutional amendment that would have let states reverse the Roe decision, and he was previously quoted saying the decision "went too far" (although he's since changed his position). While in the Senate, he voted on to ban a certain late-term abortion procedure as recently as 2003. And a video from 2006 recently emerged in which he said: "I'm a little bit of an odd man out in my party." He has not directly disavowed casting those votes.

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Joe Biden's views on ACA / Coverage ExpansionBuild on the ACA's foundation

10 candidates have similar views

Few Democrats argue the Affordable Care Act is working perfectly, but some candidates say it's healthy enough to keep building on.

Some candidates, like former Vice President Joe Biden, said health reforms should be made slowly and in small steps, starting by improving on the ACA and then by potentially adding a public option. They say that’s preferable to making another massive health reform push just a decade after passing the ACA. Most people already have access to quality health care, they argue, and the focus should be on serving the minority who are still uninsured.

Others embrace Medicare for All as a dream goal, but contend that Democrats must be more pragmatic and get to universal coverage through a series of small improvements such as lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 55.

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Joe Biden's views on Drug CostsLinking to overseas prices

One candidate has similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden, former Rep. John Delaney and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who all support Medicare price negotiations, also support linking drug prices to the typically cheaper rates paid by other developed countries. They differ, however, in how they would approach this idea, known as international reference pricing.

Biden would establish an independent board within HHS to set prices based on those paid overseas. The prices set by that board would be required for Medicare and Biden’s proposed public option plan, and they would be available to Obamacare plans. Delaney instead would levy a 100 percent excise tax on drugmakers based on the difference between the average price of a drug sold in the U.S. its price in other developed countries. Bloomberg would cap the drug prices negotiated by the government at 120 percent of the average paid in other developed countries.

Biden, in addition to supporting imports of cheaper drugs from other countries, would also try to limit prices through a tax penalty on drugmakers for hikes above the general inflation rate in Medicare and his public option plan.

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Joe Biden's views on Medicare For AllOpposes Medicare for All, but would expand coverage

16 candidates have similar views

Many candidates in the large Democratic field have come out against Medicare for All, criticizing its expected cost (pegged at more than $30 trillion over a decade by outside groups) and the disruption to patients and the health care system resulting from forcing everyone into a single government-run plan.

Many in this camp say they favor an alternative approach allowing people to keep their private insurance while making a government plan available to anyone who prefers it. Pete Buttigeig, for example, has promoted this path while going after Medicare for All as divisive and unrealistic, saying candidates that support single-payer aren't showing “enough regard for the American people to make their own decisions."

The competition from a public option, Buttigeig and others argue, would also drive down the cost of private insurance.

Others argue for more incremental changes and prioritizing help for those currently facing the highest health costs, including older Americans not yet eligible for Medicare and middle-income people earning too much to receive federal subsidies for Obamacare plans. In December, Andrew Yang released a plan that fell to the right of the rest of the top tier of candidates, calling for a set of policies to bring down health care costs and expand services without a major overhaul.

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Immigration

Joe Biden's views on DACACitizenship for Dreamers

20 candidates have similar views

Democrats resoundingly back a path to citizenship for Dreamers brought to the U.S. as children. The path also would be open to those covered by the DACA program.

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Joe Biden's views on Illegal EntryLeave the statute in place

Six candidates have similar views

These candidates would opt to keep criminal immigration penalties on the books.

Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, in a heated exchange with Castro during the first Democratic primary debate in June, maintained his opposition to repealing Section 1325 and said he is advocating for "a comprehensive rewrite of our immigration laws."

O'Rourke also charged that Castro was "looking at just one small part of this," adding: "I don't think it's asking too much for people to follow our laws when they come to this country."

Sen. Michael Bennet and Gov. John Hickenlooper did not raise their hands when asked at the first Democratic debate whether they believe crossing the border illegally should be a civil offense rather than a crime. But the Washington Post reported Hickenlooper said he would repeal criminal penalties for people crossing the border illegally in pursuit of asylum.

Former Rep. John Delaney and Rep. Tim Ryan told the Post they do not support eliminating criminal penalties for illegal border crossings, and Gov. Steve Bullock told the Post he does not support eliminating criminal penalties "for people apprehended crossing the border and who do not seek to claim asylum."

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Infrastructure

Joe Biden's views on TransportationPay for infrastructure through changing taxes on corporations, the wealthy

Six candidates have similar views

Virtually all of the candidates who have expressed an opinion about the need to focus on infrastructure either have not outlined a funding solution, or focus on changing taxes on corporations.

Of those who have put forward at least some way to pay for boosted spending on roads, rail lines, airports and more, the ones who at least take a stab at a funding solution mostly align with the current congressional Democratic leadership, which has proposed funding come from rolling back the 2017 GOP tax code changes, or otherwise tweaking the tax code to wring more money out of wealthy corporations -- an approach that Republicans have already flatly rejected.

Amy Klobuchar was first out of the gate with an infrastructure proposal she put forward as a centerpiece of her campaign, calling for a $1 trillion investment ($650 billion of which would come from federal funds) in everything from traditional transportation infrastructure to green practices and clean water. Read more about her plan here.

In November, Joe Biden rolled out a revamped infrastructure plan with a focus reminiscent of many of former President Barack Obama's priorities: transit, high-speed rail, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, socioeconomic equity, job creation and a focus on reducing transportation's impact on the climate. Specifically, Biden calls for a $1.3 trillion investment over 10 years, with $50 billion in the first year going toward repairing roads and bridges, and another $10 billion over 10 years to building transit in high-poverty areas. He proposes paying for it by rolling back some of the 2017 GOP tax cuts, taxing the “super-wealthy and corporations,” ending fossil fuel subsidies and other changes.

Elizabeth Warren hasn't expressly called for a large boost in infrastructure investments, but she has said she wants to expand public transit and reduce the climate impact of various modes of transportation. She's also called for making all new vehicles electric by 2030 and requiring electric vehicle charging stations at every highway rest stop. She has said she's open to discussing raising the gasoline tax, which currently fuels most federal transportation programs, but worries it "falls hardest on working people … what I really want to see is, I want to see an ultra-millionaire's tax," she told CNN's Jake Tapper.

Pete Buttigieg came out late in the game with an infrastructure plan-- but while he lagged behind some other candidates, his plan was among the most detailed. Buttigieg's plan calls for doubling a Transpotation Department discretionary grant program to $2 billion per year, and proposes to prioritize the current backlog of needed road and bridge repairs, pledging to cut both in half by 2030. He also calls for "injecting" $165 billion into the Highway Trust Fund, which uses a tax on gasoline to pay for most federal infrastructure spending, while requiring DOT to propose a way to shift away from the gas tax to a fee based on how many miles someone traveled. Like some other candidates, he proposes to pay for this spending by overhauling the capital gains tax, repealing GOP tax cuts, and raising the estate tax.

Michael Bloomberg rolled out a proposal to spend $1.2 trillion over a decade on repairing existing roads and bridges, as well as a significant focus on expanding transit and walking and biking infrastructure. He also pledged to complete one high-speed rail corridor by 2025, with another to follow by 2030. This plan, along with other priorities, would be paid for through $5 trillion worth of adjustments to the tax code, including a wealth tax, changes to capital gains and the estate tax, raising corporate tax rates and more.

Beto O'Rourke's plan to invest in infrastructure comes as a piece of a 10-year, $1.5 trillion attempt to respond to climate change, much of which appears focused on research. Beyond that the specifics get nebulous, other than a line saying he wants some of it to go to grants that "cut commutes, crashes and carbon pollution," including increased access to transit options. Read more about his plan here.

John Hickenlooper has said he wants a $1 trillion infrastructure investment with a focus on clean energy and rural broadband.

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Marijuana & Cannabis Legalization

Joe Biden's views on Legalizing MarijuanaLet the states decide

Five candidates have similar views

The federal government has generally taken a hands-off approach to enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that have authorized medical or recreational markets. But that informal policy could be reversed by any administration at any moment. That's why some Democrats -- including former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe Biden -- have endorsed allowing state-legal markets to operate without fear of punishment from the federal government.

Bloomberg has a long track record of supporting tough enforcement of marijuana-related crimes, and once referred to legalization as "perhaps the stupidest thing anybody has ever done." But since beginning his run for president, Bloomberg's views have softened. His campaign told POLITICO that he supports allowing states that have legalized marijuana to continue without federal interference and wants to eliminate criminal penalties for marijuana possession. In addition, the billionaire businessman's blueprint for overhauling the criminal justice system calls for spending $22.5 billion over ten years to cut the prison population in half.

Biden also has a lengthy record of championing tough criminal penalties for drug crimes during his decades-long Senate career. Perhaps most significantly, he backed the 1994 crime bill, which led to a massive increase in the number of Americans behind bars. But Biden's stance has evolved significantly. He now supports allowing states to pursue their own marijuana policies without fear of federal punishment and eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana crimes.

Biden's even flirted with backing full legalization. "I think it is at the point where it has to be, basically, legalized," he said on the campaign trail just before the New Hampshire primary, in response to a question from a legalization advocate. But Biden also indicated that he wouldn't support moving forward with legalization unless there was support from medical experts. In addition, the former vice president's campaign told POLITICO that his stance had not changed.

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Joe Biden's views on Marijuana ConvictionsScrapping past pot convictions

16 candidates have similar views

Almost all candidates are backing proposals to eliminate past convictions for marijuana crimes. That has become an increasing focus of policymakers across the country as more and more states authorize medical and recreational marijuana markets. Most notably, the adult-use legalization bill passed by Illinois lawmakers earlier this year included a provision that’s expected to result in the automatic expungement of criminal convictions for nearly 800,000 people.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and Michael Bennet, and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, are all co-sponsors of bills – including the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act and the Marijuana Justice Act – that would scrap past federal marijuana convictions. Most other candidates – including South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Vice President Joe Biden, tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro – have also called for expunging past marijuana convictions.

But many candidates are also backing provisions aimed at addressing perceived harms from the “War on Drugs” over the past half century that have disproportionately affected minority communities, particularly African Americans and Latinos.

The blueprint put forth by Sanders, for example, calls for creating an independent clemency board, separate from the Department of Justice, to consider reducing criminal penalties. The Vermont senator also proposes devoting $50 billion in new federal marijuana tax revenues toward grant programs aimed at helping people who have been harmed by criminal enforcement, including a $10 billion program to assist fledgling pot farmers.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a former prosecutor, is also touting an independent clemency board as a key way to overhaul the criminal justice system. In addition, she’s calling for giving judges more flexibility in determining sentences and bolstering funding for the public defender system.

Buttigieg’s ”Securing Justice” plan sets a goal of reducing the number of people in state and federal prisons by 50 percent. Among the ways he hopes to accomplish that is by doubling funding for grants to states that are committed to overhauling their laws.

Castro’s criminal justice plan calls for abolishing for-profit prisons and the death penalty. He also wants to create a “First Chance Advisory Council” of former prisoners to make recommendations for improving prison conditions and reducing the number of Americans behind bars.

Biden’s proposal contains similar elements to other candidates. He wants to eliminate the death penalty and proposes $20 billion in grants for states implementing policies that emphasize prevention over imprisonment.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg also expressed his support for expunging past pot convictions during his second debate appearance. "You should expunge the records of those that got caught up in this before," he said, while cautioning against moving too fast on marijuana legalization due to the lack of science.

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Military

Joe Biden's views on Defense SpendingBoost the defense budget

Seven candidates have similar views

Other Democratic contenders align with the more moderate — or even hawkish — wing of the Democratic party and support larger defense budgets, especially in key areas they consider high priorities.

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Joe Biden's views on Overseas DeploymentsKeep the troops deployed

Seven candidates have similar views

Other candidates have urged restraint, warning that allies in nations such as Afghanistan and Iraq still need American military support. Withdrawing all U.S. troops, they assert, could be a grave mistake and only make the situation worse.

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Taxes

Joe Biden's views on Capital Gains TaxesIncrease the capital gains tax rate

12 candidates have similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg would do the same for for those with more than $1 million in income.

Sen. Bernie Sanders favors ending the capital gains break for those with household income above $250,000.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has proposed taxing capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income and requiring those with capital gains to pay annually, not just when they sell their assets.

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper; former Rep. John Delaney; Sens. Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar and Michael Bennet; tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Rep. Seth Moulton would tax capital gains at the same rate as ordinary income.

HUD secretary Julian Castro would boost the tax rate, which now tops out at 20 percent, to 40 percent for people who earn $400,000 or more a year, and requiring people with $40 million or more in assets to pay taxes on investment income every year, whether they sell those assets or not.

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Joe Biden's views on Corporate Income TaxesRaise corporate taxes, but keep rates lower than before 2017

Six candidates have similar views

Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Seth Moulton want to raise the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent from its current 21 percent.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, and Sen. Michael Bennet favor raising the rate to 28 percent. Biden also wants to impose a 15% minimum tax on corporations with at least $100 million in net profits, so they can't avoid paying taxes altogether.

Former Rep. John Delaney has suggested boosting the rate to around 27 percent.

Former Rep. Joe Sestak advocates "rolling back at least half" of the corporate tax cut.

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Joe Biden's views on Wealth TaxesIncrease existing taxes on upper-income Americans

Three candidates have similar views

In addition to a special wealth tax, Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed hiking estate taxes, up to 77 percent for estates valued above $1 billion and capping itemized deductions at 28 percent for households making over $250,000.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg would return the top income tax rate to 39.6 percent and end a tax break that provides a deep discount on the value of inherited wealth.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar has proposed raising taxes on capital gains and dividends for people in the two highest income tax brackets. She would also require people earning more than $1 million to pay at least a 30 percent minimum tax rate.

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg has proposed raising the top individual tax rate to 49.9 percent.

Former Vice President Joe Biden would increase the tax rate on Americans in the top earnings bracket to 39.6 percent. He would also put a 28% cap on the value of tax breaks for wealthy taxpayers.

Former Rep. Joe Sestak advocates raising the estate tax rate to 45 percent and lowering the exemption to $3.5 million for the 400 wealthiest families in the country.

Sen. Cory Booker would repeal the 2017 tax cut for the "wealthiest families" (which he hasn't defined) and return the estate tax to its 2009 levels, with a 45 percent rate and a $3.5 million exemption, and higher rates for "extremely large estates" (which he hasn't defined).

Sen. Michael Bennet wants to eliminate the current "step-up" basis for valuing inheritances, which would boost taxes on trust funds. He would also seek to restore the estate tax to 2009 levels and restore the top tax rate to 39.6 percent.

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Technology

Joe Biden's views on Rural BroadbandDedicate open-ended federal funding to support rural broadband

Three candidates have similar views

A number of Democrats are floating pots of money to help rural America, with few apparent restrictions on where the money may go. Several favor allowing local governments to build networks but making subsidies available to a variety of recipients including private-sector player, an approach that resembles a beefed-up version of past federal broadband stimulus efforts.

Numbers do vary significantly. Former Vice President Joe Biden has proposed investing $20 billion in rural broadband, while South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg is rallying in favor of an $80 billion “Internet for All” plan that would, among other things, help local communities build broadband in places the private sector isn’t serving (while also talking up investment in satellite and wireless efforts). Billionaire Tom Steyer has proposed marshaling $135 billion in Agriculture Department grants and loans to supplement private investment in broadband and fiber.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) this October rolled out plans for an $80 billion boost aimed at connecting all households by the end of her first term. Her infrastructure plan would favor government, tribal and nonprofit efforts but does not rule out subsidizing private ISPs. One standout feature: Harris says that in addition to the one-time stimulus, she would continue to invest $2 billion in subsidy funding per year to keep rural areas connected.

These contenders also envision using their broadband plans to specific policy ends instead of just offering a blanket commitment to greater internet availability. Harris and Steyer, for instance, say that they would condition the receipt of federal subsidies on making affordable internet options available to low-income households. Buttigieg has detailed specifics he would like, such as closing the so-called “homework gap” and help provide Wi-Fi on school buses. Most candidates are also united in pushing for more accurate broadband mapping data.

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Joe Biden's views on Social MediaWe should consider holding companies legally liable for user posts

Seven candidates have similar views

Some Democratic candidates have floated revoking or dialing back a prized legal shield that protects platforms from lawsuits over user-generated posts as a way to hold companies accountable for noxious material online.

Social media platforms and other digital services are broadly afforded those protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that also shields companies from legal action over good faith efforts to take down harmful material.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is the only candidate so far to call for those protections to be stricken down entirely. Section 230 should be "revoked" immediately for Facebook and other tech companies, Biden told The New York Times in January.

But a number of other candidates have suggested stripping or limiting that immunity, while declining to provide specific plans for doing so, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Michael Bennet, ex-tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Asked about Section 230, Sanders told Vox that "tech giants and online platforms should not be shielded from responsibility when they knowingly allow content on their platforms that promotes and facilitates violence." Klobuchar and Bennet both said in vague terms last year that the protections should be revisited.

Bloomberg told The Mercury News that he supported revising Section 230, but declined to provide specifics. “Society shouldn’t give up the protections that we have from the press’s responsibility just because it helps them make more money.”

Yang, in November, unveiled a digital regulation plan that pulled together a broad mix of the candidate's proposals both old and new. Among the new ones: amending Section 230 to hold big tech companies accountable that are now "using tools to act as publishers without any of the responsibility." Gabbard's campaign, meanwhile, told POLITICO that she's readying legislation holding that platforms “should not have special protections if they allow false, defamatory, libelous articles or advertisements."

But only former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who has since dropped out of the campaign, offered up a concrete proposal to amend the law. In August, he unveiled a plan that would strip the legal shield from large social media platforms if they failed to take steps to combat “hateful activities,” such as targeted threats to minorities, on their sites.

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Joe Biden's views on Tech Competition & AntitrustWe need more investigations first

Nine candidates have similar views

A majority of the 2020 Democratic candidates have shied from outright calling to break up Facebook and other tech companies, with some urging instead for federal regulators to investigate whether such action should be taken. Such a probe could determine that a company has engaged in anti-competitive conduct and violated antitrust laws, which could prompt federal regulators to force it to spin off a certain business segment.

“I would want to have it investigated,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, during an interview at SXSW. Sen. Cory Booker, who also sits on the panel, told POLITICO Pro when asked about splitting up tech companies, "We need to have a country that goes back to having antitrust investigations."

Former New York City Mayor Michael blasted calls by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to split up the tech giants, telling The Mercury News, “Breaking things up just to be nasty is not an answer.” He added, “You’ve got to have a good reason and how it would work, and I don’t hear that from anybody, the senator or anybody else.”

But Bloomberg said he was open to more limited antitrust action against them, suggesting past acquisitions by some major firms should not have been signed off on by federal regulators. “It’s probably true that we shouldn’t have let Facebook buy the last big acquisition they made,” he said.

A number of candidates have also acknowledged that breaking up the companies could be the endpoint of an antitrust probe. Sen. Kamala Harris told CNN she wants to "seriously take a look" at breaking up Facebook, which she called "essentially a utility that has gone unregulated."

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Trade

Joe Biden's views on ChinaDon't worry so much about China

No candidates have similar views

Some critics have been less supportive overall of aggressively taking on China, warning that the fallout from tariffs is too great a burden for U.S. farmers, manufacturers and others to bear.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has drawn criticism for a message that downplays China's threat and instead expresses confidence in America's workers and technology. He has since grown more hawkish, lashing out at China during the September debate for stealing U.S. intellectual property, violating WTO rules and dumping steel.

“We're in a position where, if we don't set the rules, we, in fact, are going to find ourselves with China setting the rules,” Biden said. “And that's why you need to organize the world to take on China, to stop the corrupt practices that are underway.”

Trump has announced a “phase one” deal with China that cancelled some impending tariffs on Chinese goods and reduced duties on another $120 billion in exchange for promises from Beijing to buy more U.S. goods and services and implement a number of reforms. But Trump also kept a 25 percent duty on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods in place.

The Democratic field hasn’t weighed in on those developments.

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Joe Biden's views on NAFTA / USMCASupport the revised USMCA

11 candidates have similar views

A number of candidates, including former Vice President Joe Biden, have offered support for the revised deal, which both chambers of Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

"Biden does not believe that USMCA is an ideal deal, but supports it given the improvements that the labor and progressive movements won to improve it,” a Biden campaign spokesperson told POLITICO.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) also backed the deal, saying it "is much better than the one originally proposed."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg have both said they support the revised pact even though they feel it could go further to help American workers.

"I believe we accept that relief," Warren said at the January debate hosted by CNN and the Des Moines Register. "We try to help the people who need help, and we get up the next day and fight for a better trade deal."

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Joe Biden's views on TariffsDon’t use tariffs to pressure countries

Six candidates have similar views

The majority of Democrats have broadly slammed Trump's use of tariffs. Candidates such as Sens. Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand have criticized the president's move to impose tariffs on China and U.S. allies, arguing they hurt American consumers, workers and companies. Former Vice President Joe Biden and other candidates have argued that farmers and manufacturers are feeling the brunt of Trump's trade wars.

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Joe Biden's views on TPP 2.0Support joining CPTPP

Five candidates have similar views

Former Vice President Joe Biden has been among the more supportive candidates of some version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, though he vowed to renegotiate aspects and said he would make sure labor and environmental groups are closely involved in those talks.

Biden, who was a vociferous supporter of the initial deal when he was part of the Obama administration, emphasized the need during a July candidate debate of having some sort of Asia-Pacific agreement.

“Either China’s going to write the rules of the road for the 21st century on trade, or we are,” he said.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock has said he is open to the idea of rejoining the CPTPP if it were revised to further strengthen labor and environmental standards. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang has also been supportive of rejoining the deal in conjunction with other policies, like a border-adjustment tax, which he says would help distribute the pact’s benefits more evenly.

“We need to increase our influence and alliances across the Pacific, so I believe we need to either enter the TPP, or negotiate a similar deal to combat the rising influence of China in the region,” Yang told the Council on Foreign Relations in August.

Former Rep. John Delaney has also emerged as an outspoken supporter of the deal, saying that not joining it was a “missed opportunity.”

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Candidate 2020 Views BennetBidenBloombergBookerBullockButtigiegCastrode BlasioDelaneyGabbardGillibrandHarrisHickenlooperInsleeKlobucharMessamMoultonO’RourkePatrickRyanSandersSestakSteyerSwalwellWarrenWilliamsonYang 2020 Issues

Criminal Justice

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Development and design by Andrew Briz and Lily Mihalik. Iconography by Todd Lindeman. Reporting: POLITICO Staff. Did we miss something? Contact the editors Sudeep Reddy, Louis Nelson and Scott Bland or tell us here.

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