President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris discussed a full range of topics with reporters after an earlier meeting with a group of corporate and union leaders.
These included passing the House Heroes Act, the need to access the Administration Vaccine Distribution Plan, a National COVID 19 strategy, what to do for Thanksgiving, and a trade deal with Pacific Nations.
Vice President-Elect Harris spoke first. She reported that she and President-Elect Biden had met with business and union leaders in vital and essential industries (auto, technology for example.) The industries and unions represented at this meeting were from GM, Target, Microsoft, UAW. SEIU, UFCW, ASME, and the AFL-CIO.
Harris reminded the audience that, thanks to the pandemic:
- Black and Latinos are three times more likely to get the Coronavirus.
- Native Americans are four times more likely to become hospitalized with COVID 19.
- Black Americans, thanks to the pandemic, are unemployed twice as much.
Harris told the viewers that Biden and her focused on “building the country back better, getting the virus under control, saving lives, beating the pandemic, reopening the economy responsibly, and creating many good-paying union jobs including saving industries like restaurants and in the hospitality industry.”
She concluded that “It won’t be easy but we are getting ready and prepared.”
After being introduced by Harris, Biden conveyed that all the business and union leaders at the earlier meeting reinforced that they all want to come together and “advance areas of common ground.”
Saying that “we all need to get the economy on track by getting the pandemic under control” and “things will get worse before better,” Biden said all the attendees agreed on “rallying the country around a national strategy including
- Mask wearing
- Distributing the vaccines
- National plan to combat the virus.”
They also apparently agreed that Immediate relief was needed in the areas of
- “Health care.
- Childcare
- Sick leave
- Family leave
- State and local government aid
- Helping police, teachers, and firefighters
- Revitalizing infrastructure
- Expanding telehealth and rural broadband.
- Rebuilding crumbling schools.
- Investing in community colleges.”
Biden then called on Congress to pass the House version of the Heroes act which cleared that chamber six months ago.
Saying “we have an opportunity to come out of this stronger,” Biden discussed how, by working together, his plans would:
- “Create 18 million jobs.
- Harness the Electric Car market.
- Invest in clean energy research and good union jobs.
- Promote Buying American and make sure our future is made here in America.
- Reward work, not wealth.
- Treat workers with dignity and respect.”
Biden reminded the audience that when he and Obama came to power in 2009, they did not care what states, businesses, and people needed help and it did not matter if they came from red or blue states or cities.
During a question-and-answer session with reporters, Biden:
- Said Trump’s obstruction of discussing Vaccine distribution plans during the transition may cause “more people may die if we don’t coordinate. It is important that the planning be done now before 1/20.” Please click here to see what Dr. Anthony Fauci said about the lack of the transition process if you do not believe Biden.
- Said he supports $10,000 worth of student loan forgiveness as provided for in the Heroes Act.
- Repeated Trumps behavior not to concede and start the transition process is “”
- Said, “people with the greatest need” should get the vaccine first.
- Praised Republican Governors of North Dakota, Ohio, and Utah who took steps to combat COVID 19.
- Condemned Dr. Scott Atlas for his tweet on telling people in Michigan to resist COVID preventive measures, saying “what the hell is the matter with these guys?”
- Strongly urged that no more than 10 people at Thanksgiving gathering and you have to be masked.
- Said “we’re at war with the virus. It is an international health crisis” and there is “nothing macho about not wearing a mask.”
- Called for passing “the Heroes Act NOW, not tomorrow. This is about keeping Americans afloat and getting through the pandemic.”
- Said he would discuss joining a Pacific Nations trade agreement after he is inaugurated.
This country is in an economic and public health crisis.
Somebody needs to tell Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, and the other Republicans to come together with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and the other Democrats and pass measures that will get the American People and Industry through this pandemic.
The members of the former Party of Lincoln need to put the country first.
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