After COVID, what should be the Biden admin's first priority?

[GeneralMacArthur]

So obviously, just as with the Obama administration, the first priority of the Biden administration is going to be cleaning up the utter disaster left to him by his disgraced failure of a Republican predecessor.  Fixing COVID-19, rebuilding our alliances, purging the executive branch of Trump hacks, rebuilding our state department, the EPA and CPFB and other agencies Trump destroyed, investigating and following-up on the abuses of power and treasonous foreign entanglements and intelligence leaks of the previous administration, etc.

But after that, it's time for Biden to sit down with the Republicans and try his best to get something done.  Now it's possible that Mitch will simply refuse to play ball with anything, in which case Biden has to go to the American people and make the case that Democrats are in the right.  It's also possible that Mitch may agree to work with Biden but only on areas where Republicans can have their way or where there is lots of common ground.

So when you're picking here, don't just pick what you want to get fixed -- because Biden can't wave a magic wand and accomplish all your policy dreams in the first 100 days.  Pick what you think the administration should go after.  Some of these will be heavier lifts than others.  Some of these will be easier to negotiate with Republicans than others.  Some of these will be easier to sell to the American people if Republicans refuse to cooperate.

[GeneralMacArthur]

Come on folks, this is a pretty important question.

[Hammy]

I'll lump covid in with healthcare (you can't tackle a pandemic without healthcare reform) so I voted the option after that should be election reform/voter rights.

[Dr. Arch]

I'll lump covid in with healthcare (you can't tackle a pandemic without healthcare reform) so I voted the option after that should be election reform/voter rights.

[Earthling]

* Policing + criminal justice reform.

Reaching out to minority voters (mostly Black) by showing you take this issue serious.

Biden will look at what can be achieved. And Health Care Reform is going to be difficult when the Senate stays Republican.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

We are gonna have to live with Covid, there is no cure for viruses, that's why AIDS, TB, Herpes are viruses that aren't curable.  They will develop a vaccine, but just like TB and AIDs and Herpes, you can take antibiotics to get rid of symptoms.  We will have Covid from this point firward

[Earthling]

Priorities:

1. Policing + criminal justice reform   
2. Voting rights + election reform (HR1)       
3. Infrastructure   
4. Trade / "Made in America"       
5. Green jobs   
6. Health care       
7. Immigration reform
8. Judiciary reform       

The first two, to show you take the minority vote serious.
The next three for jobs and the economy.
The last three are unlikely to produce anything. Immigration reform, maybe. But unlikely.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Did anyone listen to Fauci, he said 2022 is the yr for reopenings not 2021

Users are so anxious that we are gonna solve the flu and we have had the common cold around since 1918, we developed penicillin which can't cure a virus but only bacteria infections

[Rep Jessica]

1. Rebuilding the unions
2. Raising the minimum wage
3. Increasing SSI, SSD and the safetynet in general
4. Rent control and policies that help get the homeless into apartments and homes.

You know things that freaking matter.

[GeneralMacArthur]

1. Rebuilding the unions
2. Raising the minimum wage
3. Increasing SSI, SSD and the safetynet in general
4. Rent control and policies that help get the homeless into apartments and homes.

You know things that freaking matter.

All the things I listed matter a whole hell of a lot.  But raising the minimum wage could be an easy early win since Republicans are mostly on board.  $15 did just get 61% in Florida, after all.

[Ljube]

If Biden shuts the economy down, he is never going to recover from it.
I hope he is smart enough to not listen to scientists, now that he has won.

[Alcibiades]

Democrats have to find a way to run on healthcare in 2022.

[Inmate Trump]

Getting rid of the electoral college.

[Middle-aged Europe]

There's no climate change option (yeah, "green jobs", but that's also about the economy).

[Meclazine for Israel]

Healthcare and immigration reform.

[DPKdebator]

I'd like to see Biden do something on healthcare. It's an issue I strongly disagree with the GOP on, and while neither party would implement my ideal setup the Democrats are better on the issue. A French-style healthcare system would be a good system to model healthcare reform on- everyone has to use a basic government plan, but private companies can provide additional coverage. With this system we can provide more affordable healthcare to the working class (it's a ripoff in America) while not destroying the jobs of people who work in the private insurance sector.

[ugabug]

Voting rights and HR1. Not only is it the right thing to do, but getting it passed should also help get more reforms passed in the future. Then add that even in the best case scenario the democrats will only able to get a 50-50 tie in the Senate so i believe this will be more doable than most of the other reforms democrats want to pass since the messaging on it will favor them.

[CookieDamage]

1. Rebuilding the unions
2. Raising the minimum wage
3. Increasing SSI, SSD and the safetynet in general
4. Rent control and policies that help get the homeless into apartments and homes.

You know things that freaking matter.

The real Jessica emerges

[Figueira]

I would say climate change, but if there's a Republican Senate, the priority should be maximizing the administration's popularity in order to maximize Democratic performance in 2022. To that end, economic stuff probably makes the most sense.

[MATTROSE94]

Probably passing a form of the "Platinum Plan" and maybe some trade or infrastructure bills. Healthcare reform, immigration reform, and voting rights reform are all DOA in a Republican Senate.

[BigSerg]

"If Biden becomes president, they need to just obstruct, don't move an inch back"

[Fargobison]

If Biden shuts the economy down, he is never going to recover from it.
I hope he is smart enough to not listen to scientists, now that he has won.

There could very well be vaccines for vulnerable people and front line health care workers by the time he is sworn in. Biden could be looking at a very different dynamic regarding covid. It won't go away but perhaps those things would get hospital capacity under control.

I think Biden would be wise to start with some kind of economic plan..infastructure, stimulus, minimizing student loan debt...etc. That is an area where he is most likely to find bipartisan support.

[Beet]

Health care and the economy.

[The Dowager Mod]

Cleaning the stench of flop sweat and failure out of the White house would be a good start.

[rhg2052]

In an ideal world (though the realities of a Republican Senate are going to tank a lot of these issues):

1. COVID
2. Structural/anti-corruption reform to make all below issues possible (voting rights, judiciary, HR1, DC/PR)
3. Climate plan, which is also an infrastructure/jobs plan
4. Expand healthcare/public option/regulate the prescription drug industry
5. Criminal justice/policing reform - incl. legalizing marijuana
6. Immigration reform
7. Economic reform - raise minimum wage, expand social safety net