Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who has long served as the standard bearer for the progressive movement, successfully pushed Joe Biden (D) — the Democrat Party’s presumptive nominee — further to the left over the course of their battle for the party’s nomination.
Biden originally poised himself as a moderate, defending Obamacare and his past support for the Hyde Amendment. But, over the course of year-long campaign, the former vice president has embraced a variety of the Vermont senator’s radical positions — a phenomenon Sanders noted at the final Democrat debate last month.
“Now, what’s interesting is that Biden has adopted some of — this is what always happens,” Sanders said. “Suddenly, today, Joe Biden is a free-spending socialist.”
Still, Sanders questioned Biden’s authenticity.
“Yesterday, Biden, basically, is saying, yeah, I voted for that bankruptcy bill, bad idea, I’m going to adopt Elizabeth Warren’s position, that’s a good bill, okay? Today, he says, oh, I think we should make public colleges and universities tuition-free, up to a certain level,” Sanders said.
“Yes, we have brought Biden — well, we’ll see how real it is,” he continued. “But I think people have got to make the choice about whether they want the real thing, something that I’ve been fighting for for years, or somebody who just changed his views in the last two days.”
As it stands now, the Democrat Party’s presumptive nominee, on paper, maintains many of the same “radical” positions Sanders frequently touted over the course of his campaign, which he suspended on Wednesday.
On raising taxes: Biden has vowed to reverse the GOP tax cuts, telling one potential voter, “Guess what, if you elect me your taxes are gonna be raised not cut.” He also told voters in Iowa last year, “I’m gonna eliminate most of all of them.”
On immigration: Biden has stated that there will be no deportations in the United States during his first 100 days in office.
“In the first 100 days of my administration, no one, no one will be deported at all,” Biden said during last month’s Democrat debate. “From that point on, the only deportations that will take place is convictions of felonies in the United States of America.”
On free college: The former vice president has touted a plan to provide two tuition-free years of community college and reduce student loan debt.
On the Second Amendment: Robert “Beto” O’Rourke, Biden’s radical former challenger who gleefully told voters, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15,” will lead Biden’s gun control push.
“I want to make something clear. I’m going to guarantee this is not the last you’ve seen of this guy,” Biden said during a campaign stop in Dallas, Texas.
“You’re going to take care of the gun problem with me. You’re going to be the one to lead this effort. I’m counting on you,” he added.
On abortion: Biden flip flopped on the Hyde Amendment days after his campaign affirmed his support of it, stating that “times have changed.”
On the Green New Deal: While the presidential hopeful did not go as far as Sanders in promoting a $16 trillion climate change proposal, Biden believes the Green New Deal serves as “critical framework” for any climate change proposals, and told supporters that “we’re all dead” if we “don’t stop using fossil fuels.”
On government-run health care: Biden has defended Obamacare and stated on numerous occasions that he wants to build on it, while also touting a “public option.”
On government health care for illegal immigrants: Biden was one of ten candidates on CNN’s debate stage last summer who indicated that their government plan would provide coverage for illegal immigrants.
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