Promise Me, Dad:, by Joe Biden: on Government Reform


Barack Obama: Don't expect government to solve all problems; just some

The first time Barack Obama and I ever talked, back when Obama was a newly elected senator; he wanted to be on the Foreign Relations Committee. I was the top Democrat on the committee, and senior enough that I could determine who got an open seat, so he asked to come see me.

It was clear that Senator Obama would be a great asset on the committee. He seemed to have a breadth and depth of intellect, a willingness to work hard, and a sense of America's role in the world--both the possibilities and limitations--that was similar to my own. Beyond that, his speech at John Kerry's Democratic National Convention the previous summer had really impressed me, as it had everyone that heard it: "People don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all."

Source: Promise Me, Dad,by Joe Biden, p. 57-8 Nov 14, 2017

Joe Biden: Reject Super-PACs: "We the People" became "We the Donors"

[Campaigning in 2015], to speak to the middle class, I felt we had to do one more thing: Biden for President was going to reject the super PAC system. It was tempting to play the game because we would be getting such a late start. And for the first time in all my years of campaigning, I knew there was big money out there for me. But I also knew people were sick of it all. "We the People" didn't ring so true anymore. I wrote as a United States senator was for public funding of elections. Now, foolhardy or not, I was going to try to upend the new money rush that was overwhelming our politics.
Source: Promise Me, Dad,by Joe Biden, p.229-30 Nov 14, 2017

  • The above quotations are from Promise Me, Dad
    A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose,
    by Joe Biden    .
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2020 Presidential contenders on Government Reform:
  Republicans:
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(IN)
Pres.Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Bill Weld(MA) 		Democrats:
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
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Page last updated: Apr 11, 2019