Supports securing the border but investing more resources into asylum judges to widen legal paths for immigration as well as seasonal work.
Signed executive order to stop the building of the border wall. As VP, he increased deportations.
Supports building a border wall along with increased detention centers which ultimately separates families.
Economy
Invest in affordable housing, end foreign wars to bring energy and consumer prices down, end chronic disease epidemic, ensure affordable childcare, get hedge funds out of healthcare and housing markets, prevent lockdowns that threaten small businesses, and safeguard social security.
Roll back Trump tax cuts on wealthy and corporations
Tax cuts, but mainly benefited wealthy and corporations
Corporate Corruption
Nonpartisan audit of corporate influence in every regulatory agency, supporter of government transparency and telling Americans the truth.
Ties to corporate donors, but promises reforms
Cut regulations on corporations, links to corporate interests
Health Care
Committed to ending the chronic disease epidemic that has made us the sickest country in the rich world and brought our life expectancy below global average. Supports caps for hospital and drug prices and getting hedge funds out of hospitals and health care. Has not addressed concepts like universal healthcare coverage that dominate mainstream healthcare policy debates, instead advocating for more consumer choice, transparency, and free-market approaches to constrain the healthcare, pharmaceutical and environmental industries. Suggests the government should negotiate better deals, allow drug imports, and reform patent laws that block competition.
Wants to build on the ACA to move the US healthcare system in a more universal, accessible and affordable direction through government subsidies, regulation and the optional public option for coverage run through Medicare alongside private insurance. Supports allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, letting consumers import drugs from other countries, and limiting price increases. Protect pre-existing condition coverage guaranteed by ACA. Against single-payer or "Medicare for All" system.
Wants to repeal the ACA but has no alternative plan, opposes the "Medicare for All", single-payer healthcare proposals, wants to lower prescription drug costs, including allowing importation from other countries. Supports requiring coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, but tried to overturn the ACA provisions that guarantee this.
Criminal Justice Reform
Supports addressing systemic poverty as root of crime and investment of funds saved by ending regime-change wars back into revitalizing our forgotten neighborhoods and investing in jobs and education to restore economic opportunity as an alternative to crime. Believes restoration of economic opportunity will reduce crime and that when crime does occur, it must be prosecuted. Argues that civil liberties have gone too far hampering law enforcement, but that for citizens to avoid the trap of criminality, we must uphold the government's side of the social contract by investing tax money back into the American Dream.
Championed 1994 crime bill that critics argue led to era of mass incarceration, But as president proposed transformational changes to address systemic racism in policing, Supports banning chokeholds, no-knock warrants, racial profiling, Aims to restrict transferring military weapons to police, Would decriminalize cannabis, expunge records for marijuana-related offenses, Supports eliminating mandatory minimum sentences and use of private prisons, Focuses more on crime prevention with police reforms and social justice spending.
Supported bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, the First Step Act, signed into law in 2018, Act expanded early-release programs, modified sentencing laws to be less severe, However, also campaigned as tough-on-crime and pro law enforcement, Said stop-and-frisk policies work and should be expanded, Supports use of force by law enforcement & spoke against movements to "defund police", Wants harsh sentences for crimes like assaults on police or destruction of monuments.
The Second Amendment
Constitutional absolutist. Staunch advocate for Second Amendment gun rights protections. Argues that there has been no meaningful relaxation of gun regulation in the last twenty years to explain our soaring mass shootings and rates of gun homicides. Committed to investigating root causes of this crisis and addressing them. Recognizes that many interpret recent years' lockdowns and censorship as further proof of the need for gun rights to maintain the balance of power between sovereign citizens and a potentially abusive government. Supports some free-market measures like insurance safety incentives and voluntary buybacks but no mandatory measures.
Supports a wide variety of gun control reforms including assault weapons ban, Calls for universal background checks on all gun sales, Would restrict number of guns that could be purchased at one time, Wants to renew federal assault weapons ban, outlaw high-capacity magazines, Supports limiting legal immunity for gun manufacturers, Would institute government buybacks for assault weapons & high-capacity magazines, Supports increasing age requirement for gun purchases to 21.
Opposes most gun control measures that would restrict gun access and ownership rights, Vocal supporter of Second Amendment gun rights, Opposed ban on assault weapons & high capacity magazines, Calls for arming teachers to improve school safety & increased security infrastructure, Supports improving background checks but opposed universal background check legislation, signed bill to strengthen background check system but also rolled back some regulations.
Drugs
Vocally advocates for the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics and urges they be made available to veterans and all Americans considered good candidates for such treatment for depression, PTSD, and other mental health challenges. Criticizes the war on drugs as a failed policy that wasted resources and militarized the developing world for profit. Believes the war on drugs abridged civil liberties domestically while empowering the police state. Supports decriminalizing all drug possession for personal use coupled with funding for community-based addiction recovery centers accessible to all. Favors moving towards regulated legal drug markets to undermine cartels.
Long record supporting war on drugs but now calls that approach a “mistake”, Would decriminalize cannabis use and expunge prior convictions, Supports removing jail time for drug use alone, favoring treatment instead, Wants to improve treatment access and make it more affordable, Calls for eliminating sentencing disparities for crack vs. powder cocaine, Focuses especially on evidence-based opioid addiction treatment options, Would regulate the drug market via public health policies over criminal enforcement.
Supports the death penalty for certain drug dealers, Backs strong enforcement and strict policing to crack down on illegal drug trade, Favors increased federal funding for the war on drugs and enforcement programs, Wants to build a border wall to stop drugs like fentanyl from entering illegally, Proposed cuts in fiscal year budgets to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency but lacked comprehensive plan.
Psychedelic Medicine
Advocates ending war on drugs policies and decriminalizing drug use, Views on psychedelics unclear, but his position on drug decriminalization suggests he may be open to considering therapeutic uses, Likely supports further research if it upholds medical ethics and patient rights, Stance may also depend on environmental impact regulations around synthetic psychedelics.
Haven't released official position on psychedelics. Historic "tough on crime" view, but now admits war on drugs was a “mistake”, Openness to decriminalize cannabis may suggest considering psychedelic reforms, As Senator, supported research into using MDMA for PTSD treatment in veterans, Health department under his administration may advance psychedelics research.
Haven't released official position on psychedelics. Waged a general "war on drugs" centered around enforcement, unlikely to allow legal exceptions for psychoactive substances, Administration did not pursue psychedelics therapy research advancement, leaned against cannabis legalization while in office.
Crypto Currency and CBDC
Advocates for the importance of transactional freedom as a requirement for all constitutional freedoms. Supports crypto-currency and strongly opposes CBDC, warning against empowering the government to shut off access to citizens' bank accounts as a tool of control. Will pursue fair SEC regulations to enable free-markets and innovation within crypto-currency markets.
Administration is pursuing more regulations around cryptocurrencies. SEC under Biden has intensified crypto exchange regulations and enforcements. Supports CBDC.
Pro crypto-currency and strongly against CBDC. Administration did not pursue major cryptocurrency regulations
Abortion
Body autonomy absolutist, pro-choice while ensuring parenting is affordable to all and adoption is a supported option.
Strongly pro-choice, would codify Roe v. Wade
Appointed anti-abortion judges, defunded Planned Parenthood
Israel and Palestine Conflict
Supports Israel defending itself, bringing Hamas to justice, and humane treatment of civilians. Believes current crisis is due to lack of US leadership in bringing all major world leaders to the table.
Supports two-state solution, against immediate recognition of Palestinian state
Very pro-Israel, moved US embassy to Jerusalem
Environment
Lifelong environmentalist, clean water and air for all, toxins out of the food supply, end subsidies for fossil fuels.
Would rejoin Paris agreement, reinstate Obama-era environmental rules
Pulled out of Paris climate agreement, rolled back environmental regulations
Home Ownership
Proposes government-secured 3% mortgages for home-buyers, hedge funds out of the single family home market, investment in housing construction.
Proposes tax credit to help first-time home buyers
Lowered mortgage insurance premiums to help homebuyers
Education
Make student and trade school loans subject to bankruptcy, expand access to GI Bill to cover Americorps, Public college tuition-free. Supporter of school choice and charter schools.
Against federally funded vouchers, pro-public schools, raise teacher pay
Supports school choice through charters and vouchers
War in Ukraine
Opposed US and UK scuttling of the Ukraine peace deal and subsequent arming of Ukraine. Doesn't believe Ukraine can beat Russia militarily and supports return to the peace plan and reallocation of these billions of dollars to domestic priorities.
Firmly opposes Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He continues to promise military, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine while imposing sanctions and export controls aimed at crippling Russia's economy. Labels Russia's actions as an unprovoked war.
| Opposes US sending military and financial assistance to Ukraine, urges negotiations between Russia and Ukraine for a potential settlement. Supports Putin's rights to send troops into Ukraine to address alleged threats from Ukraine and NATO.
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