Joe Biden
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Joe Biden can reach across the aisle
Biden has the ability to implement bipartisan legislation, which is more likely to pass than sweeping bills.
2020 US Election
Joe Biden
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Context
The Trump administration is often seen as a symbol of a divided country. While many believe the successor to Trump needs radical policies in order to fix the tailspin America finds itself in, others argue the answer is to elect a Democrat who can cooperate with the Republican party.
The Argument
Trump has strengthened divisions in America. Yet, the average American is sick of the politics and in-fighting, and wants this division to end. The issues hinge on a burgeoning culture war between the Right and Left.[1] To fix this, the country needs a politician who will bring about the sense of unity that used to be a part of politics.
Biden has a strong track record of being able to 'reach across the aisle' to implement bipartisan legislation that will be able to reunite America. He has consistently pledged that should he win the office of President, he will offer a return to the bipartisanship of the Obama era, which actually got things done.[2] This taps into a nostalgia that many Democratic voters have. He has even expressed openness to a Republican running mate.[3]
Counter arguments
Biden believes that if a Democratic President begins working towards bipartisanship, Republicans will have an 'epiphany' and follow suit.[4] However, the reality is that the Republican party have showed themselves to be stubborn and uncompromising, and have no incentive to work with Democrats.
While early in Joe's career partisanship was common, this is no longer the case - party politics have changed. Additionally, Biden's early 'compromise' involved cooperating with segregationists.[5] The bipartisanship of the Obama era was not a success. After Democrats lost the House and had a progressively decreasing proportion of the Senate, in reality bipartisan initiatives largely failed.[6]
A future Democratic nominee needs to be able to hold fast to their policies and introduce large-scale change through policies like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, rather than working in a bipartisan fashion and only implementing watered down versions of policies for huge concessions to Republicans.
Proponents
Premises
[P1] America is locked in a culture war.
[P2] The answer to this is to elect a President who can unite both sides of the political spectrum.
[P3] Joe Biden is the best candidate to offer this bipartisanship.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P2] The U.S. needs a strong Democratic President that will push through urgently needed policy, not who aims to work together with unwilling Republicans.
References
- https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-bidens-bipartisan-rhetoric-that-infuriates-the-left-is-why-millions-of-us-like-him
- https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/06/29/joe-biden-bipartisanship-2020-president-227250
- https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/biden-says-he-s-open-republican-running-mate-n1108931
- https://www.vox.com/mischiefs-of-faction/2019/5/14/18623829/joe-biden-republican-epiphany-theory-bipartisanship-president-candidate
- https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-2020-biden-bipartisanship-20190619-story.html
- http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/03/if-gop-wouldnt-work-with-obama-2020-dems-have-little-hope.html