Joe Biden (Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons) and Donald Trump (AP)
If you’ve been listening to the rhetoric coming from Donald Trump’s campaign, you’d be forgiven for assuming American cities were dystopian wastelands of rioting and violence. In recent weeks, Trump has taken to framing civil unrest as emblematic of Joe Biden’s America despite the fact that these protests are taking place under Trump’s national leadership. Many critics also argue that widespread unemployment, racial divisions, and poorly mismanaged pandemic response fueling protests can be directly attributed to Trump’s penchant for stoking racial divisions, encouraging authoritarian crackdowns, and his incompetent management of crises.
As Trump continues to incite fear of Democratic leadership and encourage conspiracy theories in his bid for re-election, he’s failed to articulate a clear vision for his second term. The glaring absence of a comprehensive Republican policy platform at the RNC was further confirmed by vague comments from Trump in recent interviews that if re-elected, he’ll pursue “more of the same.” Given that recent polling indicated only 13% of Americans are satisfied with the current direction of the country, this doesn’t seem like messaging that will win over already anxious voters.
What exactly does more of the same mean and how does that contrast with the vision for America Democrats unveiled in their DNC platform? After all, as the saying goes, show me your budget and I’ll tell you your priorities. How do the plans Biden has articulated and committed to enact during his presidency contrast with the actions Trump has already taken in his first term on the issues Americans care about?
Moments like these require unrelenting truthtelling. We take pride in being reader-funded. If you like our work, support our journalism.
A Snapshot Of The Top 5 Issues Concerning Americans: Biden vs. Trump
At Rantt, we’ve already done in-depth coverage of the huge differences between Biden and Trump on issues ranging from climate change to immigration. But to further contrast the platforms of Biden and Trump, we took a look at the top five issues Americans said they cared about the most in an August 2020 Reuters poll. Many of these issues represent shifting priorities as the economy has worsened and the pandemic has taken hold across much of the country. In cases where we were not able to identify an articulated policy stance by the Trump administration or the Biden campaign, we derived conclusions from current policies or public comments.
Issue
Biden
Trump
Coronavirus/
Pandemic Management
Scale-up and fund free COVID-19 testing across the country
Funding for medical supplies, overtime pay for essential workers
Establish more testing sites nationwide including a minimum of 10 mobile sites per state
Create national health corp to employ 100,000 contract tracers
National mask mandate
Initially downplayed the threat of COVID-19 and failed to scale up testing
Advocated reopening schools and lifting restrictions against advice from health experts
Threatened to cut off funding to the World Health Organization
Reportedly asked officials to “slow down” testing
Supported the use of hydroxychloroquine deemed by the FDA as an ineffective and potentially dangerous treatment for COVID-19
Funded Operation Warp Speed for potential deployment of a vaccine as early as October after rapid test trials
Government Accountability & Reform
Constitutional amendment to eliminate private dollars from federal elections
Legislation to provide voluntary matching public funds for federal candidates receiving small-dollar donations
Strengthening prohibitions to keep foreign money out of elections
Restricting SuperPACs, ban corporate contributions
End dark money groups, close federal contractor loophole
Require real time disclosure, increase transparency
Impeached for obstruction of Congress and abuse of power
Uses the DOJ to pursue his enemies and protect his friends
Eight of Trump’s associates have been indicted on criminal charges
Widespread vacancies, appointment of acting directors that circumvents legal appointment process, and congressional authority
Unprecedented number of appointees and former lobbyists with vested interest in deregulation
Economic Recovery & Reform
Focus on middle-class families
Increase taxes on those making over $400k a year and reduce it for those making less
Reinvigorate American manufacturing through innovation and small business
Invest in modernizing infrastructure like roads, bridges, schools, and internet with an emphasis on clean, renewable energy
Provide working parents with affordable childcare and education
Extend coronavirus unemployment benefits
Tax reform failed to deliver on promises to middle-class families with 60% of tax savings going to top 20% on income ladder
Lowered corporate tax rates by 40% and slashed corporate tax revenues by 31%
2 trillion dollars in coronavirus relief through the CARES act intended to help small businesses (PPP loan program contained up to 1 billion in fraudulent loans)
Ended some unemployment benefits in August, reinstated eviction moratorium, deferred payroll taxes which will impact funding of
Medicare, Social Security benefits
Racism & Racial Inequality
Close the racial wealth gap
Expand affordable housing with $15,000 refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers
Invest in constructing 1.5 million homes and public housing units
Invest in entrepreneurs of color with $30 billion to a new small business opportunity fund focus on racial equity
Reform “opportunity zones”
Relief from student debt and free public college for households making under $125,000/year
Supports efforts aimed at police and criminal justice reform, specifically programs to reduce incarceration rate, restoring voting rights, eliminating the death penalty, and ending for-profit prisons
Signed First Step Act, major criminal justice reform legislation but denies systemic racism exists
Travel bans critics say amount to systemic racism
Oppressive immigration policies that remove or severely restrict asylum in the US
Threats to veto renaming of military bases named after confederate leaders and slave owners
Widespread references to
Called BLM protesters “thugs” and “terrorists” and said “very fine people” were among neo-Nazi protestors at Charlottesville
Widespread use of racist terms referring to coronavirus
Deployed federal law enforcement to target BLM protesters
Ended enforcement of fair housing rules
Mandated halt of federal funding for all racial equity training
Has invested $98 million in hiring more police officers, restored the ability of law enforcement to buy military equipment
Repealed the individual mandate resulting in higher premiums in 2019 & 7 million more uninsured
Ended Obamacare cost-sharing reductions
Currently suing to invalidate Obamacare in its entirety
Allowed states to impose work requirements for Medicaid
Passed legislation allowing terminally ill patients to try unapproved drugs by bypassing the FDA
The Rantt Rundown
If, like the majority of Americans, you’re disheartened by the current state of politics and the progress of the country, Trump’s “more of the same” campaign messaging isn’t likely to generate much enthusiasm. However, Biden has painted a clear vision of how America can stage an economic recovery through resilience and expressed faith in our ability to rise to the challenge of this crisis. Biden, often touted as a centrist Democrat, has also embraced more progressive policies in his platform across a wide variety of issues from criminal justice reform to healthcare and education.
While everyone may not agree on Biden’s policies, there’s certainly a lot to sink your teeth into. Substantial twenty-five-page documents filled with specific, detailed policy proposals clearly map a way forward through legislation and bipartisan initiatives. The RNC on the other hand simply rereleased their 2016 platform prefaced with a one-page resolution that reads like a list of petty grievances instead of the vision of a party in power. The choice seems to be clear: substance and substantive change or more of the same chaos and corruption. You decide.
Kaz Weida is a freelance journalist, editor, and photographer. Her areas of expertise include education, gender equality, and all things foodie. You'll find her on Twitter @kazweida, getting into "good" trouble.
