Joe Biden
Running for: US President
In 2021 Joe Biden was the oldest American ever to be sworn in as president, at age 78. From day one of his presidency there was speculation he would step down for a younger Democrat rather than seek reelection. After Democrats outperformed expectations in the midterms, however, Biden supporters gained momentum. In April 2023 Biden announced he would run for reelection as president. He won New Hampshire's Democratic primary despite his name not appearing on the ballot after supporters organized a write-in campaign. President Biden announced he was dropping out of the race in July 2024.
Position on Issues
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
- "Ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Federal law prevents hunters from hunting migratory game birds with more than three shells in their shotgun. That means our federal law does more to protect ducks than children. It's wrong. Joe Biden will enact legislation to once again ban assault weapons. This time, the bans will be designed based on lessons learned from the 1994 bans. For example, the ban on assault weapons will be designed to prevent manufacturers from circumventing the law by making minor changes that don't limit the weapon's lethality. While working to pass this legislation, Biden will also use his executive authority to ban the importation of assault weapons.
- "Regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act. Currently, the National Firearms Act requires individuals possessing machine-guns, silencers, and short-barreled rifles to undergo a background check and register those weapons with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Due to these requirements, such weapons are rarely used in crimes. As president, Biden will pursue legislation to regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act.
- "Buy back the assault weapons and high-capacity magazines already in our communities. Biden will also institute a program to buy back weapons of war currently on our streets. This will give individuals who now possess assault weapons or high-capacity magazines two options: sell the weapons to the government, or register them under the National Firearms Act."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support abolishing any federal agencies or departments?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and redistributing its duties?
Against| Read My Position
When asked about term limits Biden said, "it’s not a problem if you just vote ‘em out of office!"
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by requiring budget cuts to match any new federal spending?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by capping price increases by large businesses?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support a law that would allow U.S. officials to turn away migrants seeking asylum when the number of border crossings exceeds a certain number?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by decreasing tariffs on imports from foreign countries?
For| Read My Position
An Executive Order signed by Biden in 2021 set a goal of making "half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles."
Against| Read My Position
In 2023 the Biden administration proposed a rule that would stop schools from "categorically ban[ning] transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity just because of who they are."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support an expanded child tax credit that sends monthly payments to middle and low income families?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support extending the Trump-backed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) past 2025?
Against| Read My Position
In a 2012 Vice Presidential debate, Biden said, "I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that -- women they can't control their body. It's a decision between them and their doctor. In my view and the Supreme Court, I'm not going to interfere with that."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"As president, Biden will work to codify Roe v. Wade, and his Justice Department will do everything in its power to stop the rash of state laws that so blatantly violate the constitutional right to an abortion, such as so-called TRAP laws, parental notification requirements, mandatory waiting periods, and ultrasound requirements."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support increasing military aid to Taiwan?
Other| Read My Position
Biden paused leases to drill on public land in 2021, but that was challenged in court. The Biden administration has since opened up some leases as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The Administration has also proposed new leasing rates that face criticism from the oil industry.
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should military aid to Israel include a requirement that Israel take certain actions to reduce civilian casualties?
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Decriminalize the use of cannabis and automatically expunge all prior cannabis use convictions. Biden believes no one should be in jail because of cannabis use. As president, he will decriminalize cannabis use and automatically expunge prior convictions. And, he will support the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes, leave decisions regarding legalization for recreational use up to the states, and reschedule cannabis as a schedule II drug so researchers can study its positive and negative impacts."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Social Security is one of our nation's great public policy successes, in large part due to the fact that participation in the program is shared across almost all workers. Efforts to privatize the program - such as an approach suggested under the Bush Administration - will undermine the program's solvency, while putting at risk individuals' income in retirement. Similarly, proposals to make the program 'means-tested' - so that only low-income retirees workers receive benefits - jeopardizes the program's universal nature and key role as the bedrock of American retirement. Ultimately, the success of Social Security is largely due to the fact that almost all Americans can rely on the program to make their retirement more secure."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
Biden's plan for health insurance reform includes a public option alongside private insurance."If your insurance company isn't doing right by you, you should have another, better choice. Whether you're covered through your employer, buying your insurance on your own, or going without coverage altogether, the Biden Plan will give you the choice to purchase a public health insurance option like Medicare. As in Medicare, the Biden public option will reduce costs for patients by negotiating lower prices from hospitals and other health care providers. It also will better coordinate among all of a patient's doctors to improve the efficacy and quality of their care, and cover primary care without any co-payments. And it will bring relief to small businesses struggling to afford coverage for their employees."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"If your insurance company isn't doing right by you, you should have another, better choice. Whether you're covered through your employer, buying your insurance on your own, or going without coverage altogether, the Biden Plan will give you the choice to purchase a public health insurance option like Medicare. As in Medicare, the Biden public option will reduce costs for patients by negotiating lower prices from hospitals and other health care providers. It also will better coordinate among all of a patient's doctors to improve the efficacy and quality of their care, and cover primary care without any co-payments. And it will bring relief to small businesses struggling to afford coverage for their employees."
For| Read My Position
"Our commitment to Ukraine’s independence is unwavering and enduring. That’s why the United States and other G7 nations issued a joint declaration in Lithuania last month pledging to help Ukraine maintain armed forces capable of deterring Russian aggression in years to come, a declaration which over 25 nations have now joined. Together with our partners in Europe, we are supporting Ukraine in their fight for freedom now and we will help them over the long term."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support increasing federal enforcement of organized retail crime?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support presidential action to bar asylum-seekers from staying in the United States before their court date?
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Social Security is one of our nation's great public policy successes, in large part due to the fact that participation in the program is shared across almost all workers. Efforts to privatize the program - such as an approach suggested under the Bush Administration - will undermine the program's solvency, while putting at risk individuals' income in retirement. Similarly, proposals to make the program 'means-tested' - so that only low-income retirees workers receive benefits - jeopardizes the program's universal nature and key role as the bedrock of American retirement. Ultimately, the success of Social Security is largely due to the fact that almost all Americans can rely on the program to make their retirement more secure."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"The Biden Plan will put the program on a path to long-term solvency by asking Americans with especially high wages to pay the same taxes on those earnings that middle-class families pay."
Other| Read My Position
Other, 2007
At a 2007 Democratic primary debate at Dartmouth College, Biden answered the following questions:
Q: "Would you raise the cap for Social Security tax above the current level of the first $97,500 worth of income?"
Biden: "The answer is yes. The truth is, you're either going to cut benefits or you're going to go ahead and raise taxes above the first $97,000."
Q: "Would you also, considering now life expectancy is 78, consider gradually raising the retirement age?"
Biden: "Well, we did that once, I supported that. That's what got it solvent to 2041. By simply raising the cap, you can solve the problem."
For| Read My Position
In 2022 Biden proposed a new wealth tax that would require households worth over $100 million to pay a 20% tax on their income and unrealized capital gains.
For| Read My Position
"The President will continue to be a strong advocate for the Jones Act and its mandate that only U.S.-flag vessels carry cargo between U.S. ports, which supports American production and America’s workers. With the signing of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, the Jones Act has also been affirmed as an opportunity to invest in America’s workers as we build offshore renewable energy, in line with the President’s goals to build our clean energy future here in America."
For| Read My Position
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by supporting further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes?
Other| Read My Position
When asked by Rolling Stone about implementing a carbon tax in 2013, Biden said, "You should be attacking the carbon emissions, period, and whether it's cap-and-trade or carbon tax or whatever, that's the realm in which we should be playing. ... The truth is, right now, ... we know [a carbon tax] will go nowhere. Look, one of the things we are doing, and the president is asking me to kind of get ahead of here, is that we have a real chance, both in this hemisphere and with China, to enter into joint ventures on renewable energy and on cleaner-burning natural gas."
