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What Democratic voters say they want, and what the president has offered so far

Democratic voters are concerned about health care costs, abortion and the economy.
President Joe Biden
Posted at 7:21 PM, May 06, 2024
and last updated 2024-05-06 19:21:43-04

When it comes to President Joe Biden's chances of returning to the White House next year, one issue seems to stand above all else — the economy.

"The economy is kind of getting out of hand," said Biden supporter George Douglas.

Democratic voters are also concerned about health care costs and abortion, according to Pew Research.

So what has President Biden done so far on the issues?

When it comes to the economy, or so-called "Bidenomics," the president signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided financial credits and incentives for clean energy initiatives and jobs.

Then there's the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, with the White House boasting of more than 37,000 new jobs in highway, bridge and street construction since the law was passed.

The president initially promised to address student loans by getting rid of nearly $400 billion in debt for low- and middle- income people, but his first efforts didn't make it past the Supreme Court.

Instead, the Biden administration opted to forgive loans for nearly 1 million public servants like teachers and nurses. The White House also found other ways to forgive the loans of hundreds of thousands of borrowers from defunct institutions.

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President Biden has also homed in on so-called "junk fees," with a proposal to cap credit card late fees to $8 and a new requirement for airlines to refund passengers for significant delays and cancellations.

When it comes to health care, the administration used the Inflation Reduction Act and agreements with pharmaceutical drugmakers to cap the cost of insulin at $35 for seniors on Medicare, and others with private insurance.

On climate change, the administration recently announced a plan to fund $7 billion in grants for solar energy projects for low- and middle-income communities.

"This new 'Solar for All' program means that 900,000 households, 900,000, will have solar on the rooftops for the first time, and soon," said President Biden.

So what could a second term bring?

The president's 2025 fiscal budget lays out a plan to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and provide a two-year $5,000 annual mortgage credit for first-time middle-class home buyers.

He's also focused on reproductive rights and the battle over abortion.

In April, the Biden administration tightened provisions around HIPAA privacy rules, to help protect the medical records of women seeking abortions from legal backlash.