The Strengths of Joe Biden

Values and Politics: Why I Am Voting For Joe Biden
Abstract Elements: Honesty, empathy, compassion, altruism, objectivity, consistency, patriotism, and loyalty.
Personal Values: I value honesty, empathy, compassion, altruism, and objectivity.
Joe Biden: A Profile
Joe Biden’s empathy and concern for the American public is reflected in the fact he has served in positions of political leadership for more than a half century (Glueck, 2019). Vice President Biden served in the senate for decades beforehand, and endured tremendous personal tragedies over the course of his life, including losing his first wife and infant daughter in a horrific car accent (Glueck, 2019). One of his sons died of brain cancer, and another son grappled with addiction (Glueck, 2019). This has fostered empathy in the candidate, as reflected in his stance on healthcare, including expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Biden has often cited his early personal experiences with health-related tragedies as the reason why he so strongly supported the ACA as president, and also why he supports a public option for individuals to buy into and to further increase access to care, known as Medicare For All (M4A) (Glueck, 2019).
It is noteworthy that Biden was not always as progressive as he is today. Back in the 1990s, he was known for advocating a so-called tough on crime approach to both criminals and illegal immigration (“Where Does Joe Biden Stand,” 2020). Part of the fact he is running as a more liberal candidate may be the fact he is seeking to distinguish himself against a very conservative president. On the other hand, people’s values to evolve. Although consistency is often cited as a significant, positive value for politicians to uphold, intelligence and a willingness to change in response to new information is also important. Biden’s new position reflects the disproportionately negative impact the justice system has often had upon Black communities, and his new embrace of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and attempts to limit police brutality.
Compassion and empathy is also reflected in Biden’s position in regards to other historically discriminated-against and marginalized groups, such as illegal immigrants. Immigrants at the border have been treated with punishing policies by the Trump Administration, including separating parents from their children. Biden has also promised to offer student loan forgiveness, universal preschool, and to expand access to lower cost college education (“Where Does Joe Biden Stand,” 2020). He has pledged to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement to reduce greenhouse gases that most other major industrialized nations have joined, but which President Trump withdrew from (“Where Does Joe Biden Stand,” 2020). He has vowed to end the death penalty, cash bail (which disproportionately impacts the poor), and private prisons (which have often had serious civil rights violations on their premises) (“Joe Biden,” 2020).
All of these positions highlight a willingness to me to listen to others and to be receptive to the needs of others. Empathy and compassion are evident the former Vice President’s attitudes to students, illegal immigrants, the uninsured, and the vulnerable poor and elderly. As more and more people lose their health insurance in the wake of economic shifts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for expanded healthcare becomes more acute than ever.
These are consistent with my values as well as my needs. Biden’s willingness to sometimes admit to harsh truths, such as the need to curtail greenhouse emissions as a way to limit the risks of global warming, are also consistent with my value of intellectual objectivity in the face of facts. Biden’s cooperation with the international community shows he is willing to put people’s long-term interests first and foremost, rather than immediate economic benefits to corporations.
References
Glueck, K. (2020). Joe Biden. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/elections/joe-biden.html
Joe Biden: Former Vice President. (2020). Politico. Retrieved from: https://www.politico.com/2020-election/candidates-views-on-the-issues/joe-biden/
Where does Joe Biden stand on key issues? (2020). BBC News. Retrieved from:
https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-53575474