Joe Biden MyOcracy topics and responses

Criminal Justice

Use of treatment centers for violators of criminal laws targeting drug-use

• 2010-10-05: 1990 crime bill: tougher penalties for drug offenders
• 2007-06-28: Divert drug offenders out of prison system
• 2007-03-28: Rename Drug Abuse institute as Diseases of Addiction
• 1999-11-10: Voted NO on increasing penalties for drug offenses

  Increase the number of police officers working in high-crime communities

• 2007-03-23: Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program
• 2007-01-23: Increase funding for COPS ON THE BEAT program
• 1999-05-20: Voted YES on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program

Civil Rights

Support marriage rights between same-sex individuals

• 2013-05-09: I supported gay marriage and got criticized for saying so
• 2012-05-07: I'm absolutely comfortable with same-sex marriage
• 2010-10-05: Inalienable rights cannot be denied by any majority
• 2007-06-03: Nobody asks if you`re gay in a foxhole
• 2006-12-31: by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance
• 2006-06-07: Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage

  Support for gun control measures

• 2013-05-09: Public supports gun control; Congress has not caught up
• 2013-01-16: Moral obligation to diminish senseless gun violence
• 2007-04-26: Keep assault weapons ban; close gun show loophole
• 2005-07-29: Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers
• 2004-03-02: Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence
• 1999-05-20: Voted YES on background checks at gun shows
• 1999-05-11: Voted NO on loosening license & background checks at gun shows

  Abortion rights: Women should choose

• 2008-03-14: Voted NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP
• 2008-03-13: Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion
• 2006-07-25: Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions
• 2004-03-25: Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime
• 2000-06-20: Voted NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions

  Ban abortions except in limited cases

• 2007-04-29: No public funding for abortion; it imposes a view

  Prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation

• 2002-06-11: Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes
• 2000-06-20: Voted YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation
• 1996-09-10: Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation

  Support marriage rights between a man and a woman only

• 1996-09-10: Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage

Economic Issues

Taxes for wealthier tax payers: More

• 2011-11-05: Surtax on earnings over $1 million seems fair to us
• 2010-04-20: Economic inequity worsened by tax cuts for the wealthy
• 2008-03-13: Voted YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million
• 2008-03-13: Voted NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset
• 2008-02-13: Voted NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M
• 2007-07-23: Take away $85B in annual tax cuts for 1% of top earners
• 2007-03-23: Voted NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax
• 2007-03-21: Voted NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million
• 2006-12-31: by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation
• 2006-08-03: Voted NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts
• 2006-06-08: Voted NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`
• 2006-02-02: Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends
• 2005-11-18: Voted NO on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends
• 2003-05-23: Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years
• 1998-04-02: Voted NO on requiring super-majority for raising taxes

  Increase taxes for all tax payers

• 2003-12-31: by NTU, indicating a Big Spender on tax votes

  Reduce taxes for middle class tax payers

• 2012-10-11: Millionaires pay more; middle class pays less

Education Issues

Increase per pupil funding

• 2007-07-23: Voting for No Child Left Behind was a mistake
• 2003-12-31: by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes
• 2001-04-04: Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction

  Increase college financing options for students who pursue majors in high-need careers

• 2012-02-24: $500M for businesses partnerships at community colleges
• 2007-09-13: $3000 tax credit for college for anyone earning under $150K

  Support school vouchers

• 2000-03-02: Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts
• 1998-06-24: Voted YES on education savings accounts

  Increase instructional time in school

• 2007-12-13: Hire more teachers and pay them for smaller classes
• 2007-10-30: For longer school day & school year, & 16-year minimum

  Reduce federal government involvement with public education

• 2005-10-26: Voted YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies

  Oppose school vouchers

• 1997-09-30: Voted NO on school vouchers in DC

Environmental Issues

Support cap-and-trade programs to address industrial emissions

• 2013-05-09: Pushed cap-and-trade early; but $90B tax credits passed
• 2007-01-16: Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
• 2005-06-16: Voted YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%)
• 2005-02-10: Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances

  Oppose domestic continental drilling to tap new oil sources

• 2007-11-07: Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness
• 2005-11-03: Voted YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR
• 2005-03-16: Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
• 2000-04-06: Voted NO on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling

  Regulate average miles-per-gallon production for consumer vehicles

• 2006-07-19: Sponsored bill raising CAFE by a 4% per year until 2018
• 2002-03-13: Voted NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months
• 1999-09-15: Voted NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards

  Use tax incentives to promote efficient energy production and conservation

• 2004-03-19: Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy

  Oppose off-shore drilling to tap new oil sources

• 2007-06-21: Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies

  Eliminate tax incentives and/or subsidies to the fossil fuel industry

• 2007-04-26: Make every automobile sold be a flex-fuel automobile

  Increase tax incentives for solar energy development and use

• 1999-06-16: Voted NO on defunding renewable and solar energy

  Consumer tax credits for the purchase of hybrid or electric vehicles

• 2007-03-29: Fund nanomaterial research project for car batteries

Healthcare Issues

Establish government-assisted non-profit organizations from which all taxpayers would obtain health insurance

• 2003-12-31: by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record
• 1996-04-18: Voted YES on blocking medical savings acounts

  Lower eligibility age for Medicare to increase coverage of older taxpayers

• 2008-07-15: Voted YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 2006-02-02: Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D

  Require all taxpayers to obtain full-coverage health insurance

• 2007-09-13: Start paying for universal coverage with $100B in redundancy

  Increase amount of children covered by Medicaid reimbursements for health costs

• 2007-11-01: Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility

Immigration

Provide amnesty for undocumented individuals

• 2008-03-13: Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared sanctuary cities
• 2007-11-11: Supported Bush plan: both border fence & path to citizenship
• 2007-06-28: Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform
• 2007-06-03: It`s impractical to deport 14 million illegal immigrants
• 2006-05-18: Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship

  Increase the number of work visas granted to foreign workers each year

• 2007-05-22: Voted YES on eliminating the Y nonimmigrant guestworker program
• 2006-05-25: Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program
• 1998-07-23: Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work

  Oppose amnesty for undocumented individuals

• 2007-12-04: H1-B visas only for jobs Americans can`t do
• 2007-11-15: Oppose granting driver`s licenses to illegal immigrants

  Allow in-state tuition at public universities and colleges for undocumented students

• 2006-05-18: Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security
• 1997-06-24: Voted NO on limit welfare for immigrants

  Increase border security between U.S. and Mexico

• 2006-09-29: Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border