Biden campaign vs. Biden administration: on Government Reform
Merrick Garland:
Faithful administration of FOIA essential to our democracy
Garland began his remarks by emphasizing that "[t]he principles of open government and democratic accountability are at the heart of who we are as public servants and as Americans." He further stated that "[w]ithout accountability,
democracy is impossible. And democratic accountability requires the kind of transparency that the FOIA makes possible. That's why faithful administration of the FOIA is essential [to] American democracy."
Source: 2021 Biden Administration: FOIA Awards
Mar 16, 2021
Joe Biden:
Protect the fundamental right to vote, "For the People"
[On H.R.1, "For The People Act"]: In the wake of an unprecedented assault on our democracy, a never before seen effort to ignore, undermine, and undo the will of the people, and a newly aggressive attack on voting rights taking place right now all
across the country, this landmark legislation is urgently needed to protect the fundamental right to vote and the integrity of our elections, and to repair and strengthen American democracy.H.R. 1 contains a number of provisions to protect the
fundamental right to vote:- H.R. 1 would reform redistricting to curtail the gerrymandering that distorts our democracy, and would modernize our elections and make them more secure.
- H.R. 1 would also reform our campaign finance system to amplify
the voices of the public, not the powerful, and establish stronger ethics rules for all three branches of government.
[See details of H.R.1/S.1]
Source: Statement of 2021 Biden Administration Policy on H.R. 842
Mar 1, 2021
Merrick Garland:
The rule of law is the foundation of our democracy
Garland: The rule of law is not just some lawyer's turn of phrase. It is the very foundation of our democracy. The essence of the rule of law is that like cases are treated alike, that there not be one rule for Democrats and another for
Republicans; one rule for friends, another for foes; one rule for the powerful, another for the powerless; one rule for the rich and another for the poor; or different rules depending upon one's race or ethnicity.
Source: Democracy Now on 2021 Biden Administration
Jan 8, 2021
Susan Rice:
2020 Election: Our democracy has held
In her op-ed, Rice said that after Biden's victory and the rejection of the Trump campaign's lawsuits, "our democracy has held." "Perhaps only when the stars are optimally aligned -- when voters turn out in huge numbers, when the
outcome is not close, when state and local officials and the courts adhere to the rule of law, when foreign interference is thwarted, when the media behaves responsibly and when people remain peaceful -- can our democracy endure its greatest tests."
Source: The Hill e-zine on 2021 Biden Administration
Dec 22, 2020
Susan Rice:
Make Domestic Policy Council like National Security Council
The idea is for Rice to reshape the Domestic Policy Council, or DPC, so it operates more like the more prestigious National Security Council, which she oversaw during the Obama administration. Biden is banking on Rice's
blunt style and her experience coordinating policy across a sprawling bureaucracy. "If she's not in a meeting, she will bust through the door," a senior transition official said. "And everybody knows that, including Joe Biden."
Source: NBC News on 2021 Biden administration
Dec 21, 2020
Page last updated: Jan 17, 2022