Biden unveils $700bn 'buy American' proposal to revive US industry
In an election year shaped by overlapping national crises, Joe Biden on Thursday laid out an optimistic economic vision, presenting a moment of turmoil as a “tremendous opportunity” to revive American industry, address systemic inequality, and prepare the US for threats posed by future pandemics and climate change.
At a metalworks near his home town of Scranton in Pennsylvania, Biden delivered the first in a series of speeches detailing his economic agenda and framed around a new slogan: “Build Back Better”. In a speech full of populist appeal, Biden declared manufacturing “part of the engine of American prosperity – now” and accused Donald Trump of protecting wealthy “cronies and pals” instead of working-class families.
“Throughout this crisis, Donald Trump has been almost singularly focused on the stock market, the Dow, the Nasdaq – not you, not your families,” the former vice-president said. “If I am fortunate enough to be elected president, I’ll be laser-focused on working families.”
Biden directly challenged Trump over his stewardship of the economy, which the president’s campaign see as his greatest – perhaps only – advantage. Though Biden dominates national and battleground state polling, voters consistently say they have more confidence in Trump’s handling of economic concerns.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/09/joe-biden-buy-american-proposal-economic-platform
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As Biden neared the end of his speech, he invoked state history, addressing debate surrounding the removal of Confederate flags and monuments, which Trump has resisted in an attempt to cast himself as a protector of “our heritage”.
“Do you think Trump has any idea that 360,000 Pennsylvanians fought on the side of the Union to defeat that flag – including more black soldiers than any other state?” Biden said. “Do you think he has any clue that 33,000 Pennsylvanians died in the civil war fighting against everything that flag stood for.
“I see a different America than Trump.”