Joe Biden in Democratic Primary Debate
On Corporations:
Double the capital gains tax
Take a look at the tax code right now. We have to start rewarding work, not just wealth. I would raise the capital gains tax to the highest rate of 39.5%. I would double it, because guess what? Why in God's name should someone who's clipping coupons in
the stock market pay a lower tax rate than someone like a schoolteacher and a firefighter. We need to make it clear that we are going to raise taxes on the wealthy. We're going to reduce tax burdens on those who are not.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Russia wants to break up NATO; work with Turkey to keep it
Q: The American Intelligence community says that Russia is trying to capitalize on the power vacuums around the world [left by America's exit from Syria and from alliances]. What would you do as President to check Vladimir Putin's power on the world
stage?Joe Biden: I think I may be, doesn't make me any better or worse, but may be the only person who spent extensive time alone with Putin, as well as with Erdogan. And Erdogan understands that. You talk about should he stay in or out of NATO?
He understands that he's out of NATO, he's in real trouble. But the fact of the matter is we have been one willing in this administration because we have an erratic, crazy President who knows not a damn thing about foreign policy, and operates out of
fear for his own reelection. Think what's happened. The fact of the matter is you have Russia influencing and trying to break up NATO. What does the president do? He says, "I believe Vladimir Putin. I don't believe our intelligence community."
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Government Reform:
Don't pack the Supreme Court
Q: What about adding new Supreme Court seats to create a liberal majority and protect things like abortion rights?BIDEN: Reproductive rights are a constitutional right. In fact every woman should have that right. I would not pack the Court.
What I would do is make sure that the people that I recommended for the Court, from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Elena Kagan support the right of privacy on which the entire notion of a woman's right to choose is based.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Gun Control:
I beat the NRA twice: AR-15s & high-capacity magazines
I'm the only one on this stage who has taken on the NRA and beat them twice. We were able to get assault weapons off the streets for 10 years. The way to deal with AR-15s and assault weapons is to do what we did with machine guns. You must register
that weapon. I'm the only one that moved to make sure that we could not have a magazine that had more than 10 rounds in it. Go after the gun manufacturers and take back the exemption they have of not being able to be sued.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Homeland Security:
ISIS will come here if they take over Iraq and Syria
[Trump] questions whether or not he'll keep the sacred commitment of Article 5 for the NATO members. If he is reelected, I promise you, there will be no NATO. Our security will be vastly underrated--we will be in real trouble.And with regard to
regime change in Syria [Trump withdrew US forces from the Kurdish areas of Syria last week], that has not been the policy. It has been to make sure that the regime did not wipe out hundreds and thousands of innocent people between there and the
Iraqi border.
And lastly, what is happening in Afghanistan all the way over to Syria, we have ISIS, it's going to come here.
They are going to, in fact, damage the United States of America. That's why we got involved in the first place, and not ceded the whole area to Assad and to the Russians.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Principles & Values:
With age comes wisdom; and for me, experience on Day One
Q [to SANDERS]: You're 78 years old and you just had a heart attack. How do you reassure Democratic voters that you're up to the stress of the presidency?Sen. Bernie SANDERS: Let me invite you all to a major rally we're having in Queens, New York.
We're going to be mounting a vigorous campaign all over this country. That is how I think I can reassure the American people.
Q [to BIDEN]: If you're elected you will turn 80 during your first term. Former President Jimmy Carter said he
undertaken the duties of the presidency at 80. Why are you so sure you can?
BIDEN: Because I've watched it, I know what the job is. One of the reasons I'm running is because of my age and my experience. With it, comes wisdom.
We need someone to take office this time around who on day one can stand on the world stage, command the respect of world leaders from Putin to our allies, and know exactly what has to be done to get this country back on track.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Principles & Values:
I'm the only Dem candidate who's gotten big things done
I'm the only one on this stage that's gotten anything really big done. From the Violence Against Women Act, to making sure that we passed the Affordable Care Act, to be in a position where we in fact took almost a 90 billion dollar act that kept us
from going into a depression, putting us in a position where I was able to end the issue of gun sales, in terms of assault weapons. We all have good ideas. Who's going to be able to get it done?
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Principles & Values:
Better positioned than any country to own 21st century
One of the things that's the reason why I'm running, we have to restore the soul of this country. We have to unite the country because folks, it's time we stop walking around with our heads down. We are better positioned than any
country in the world to own the 21st century. So for God's sake, get up, get up, and remember, this is the United States of America. There's nothing, nothing we're unable to do when we decide we're going to do it. Nothing at all, period.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
On Principles & Values:
Congress had no choice but to move on impeachment
I said from the beginning that if Trump continued to stonewall what Congress is entitled to know about his background, what he did, all the accusations in the Mueller report, they would have no choice but to begin an impeachment proceeding, which
gives them more power to seek more information. The fact is that this President has gone so far as to say he will not cooperate in any way at all. They have no choice but to move.
Source: October Democratic Primary debate on impeaching Trump
Oct 15, 2019
On War & Peace:
Troop withdrawal from Syria was shameful
I would not have withdrawn the troops [from the Kurdish areas of northern Syria, under threat from a Turkish invasion]. It has been the most shameful thing that any president has done in terms of foreign policy. I would be making it real clear to
Assad that he's going to have a problem because Turkey is the real problem here. I would be having a real lockdown conversation with Erdogan and letting him know that he's going to pay a heavy price for what he has done.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Oct 15, 2019
Page last updated: Feb 09, 2020