Challenges and Opportunities for for a Stable and Able Leader-Joe Biden

Challenges and Opportunities for for a Stable and Able Leader-Joe Biden


After an interesting election campaign finally 78-year-old Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (commonly known as) Joe Biden succeeded Trump in US Presidential Elections. He is going to take oath on 20th of January 2020. Everybody is interested to know the reality of belief and behavior of a middle class person as a President of a super power like America. Joe Biden have seen many ups and downs in his life. Once upon a time he had withdrawn himself from Presidential race but returned to power gradually. He is considered as a cool man or man of Intellect. Let us discuss about brief biography of a new US President. 

His father, Joseph Biden Sr., worked cleaning furnaces and as a used car salesman. His mother was Catherine Eugenia "Jean" Finnegan. In his childhood he struggled with impedimenta.

Born on 20th November 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania he got education in St. Helena School, St. Paul's Elementary School, University of Delaware, Syracuse University Law School, Archmere Academy.

He fell in love with Neilia Hunter a student of Syracuse University who motivated him for further studies and finally they got married in 1966. The Biden couple were blessed with 3 children namely Joseph Beau (1969), Robert Hunter (1979) and Naomi Amy (1971).

He graduated from law school in 1968, and moved to Wilmington, Delaware, to begin practicing at a law firm and simultaneously became an active member of the Democratic Party, and in 1970 he was elected to the New Castle County Council. In 1972 he became senator at the young age of 29.

Christmas week of 1972 brought a disaster in his life when his family met with an accident while shopping for a Christmas tree and he lost his spouse and daughter. His both sons got serious injuries. Even he took an oath as senator from the hospital. He was broken even thought to suicide but time had different plan for him. He got married to Jill Biden in 1977 and has a daughter and Asley was born in 1981. Although the life of Biden was never smooth, he lost his 46-year-old son Beau in 2015, who was suffering from brain cancer.

From 1973 to 2009 he worked as senator and specialised in foreign relations specially arm limitations with Soviet Union, Peace and stability in Balkans, expanding NATO including some blocks of former Soviet Union, He opposed the first Gulf War too. Additionally, He was an outspoken proponent of tougher crime laws.

In 1987 he worked for his presidential ambition but dropped out after reports surfaced that he had plagiarized part of speech. After that he developed 2 life threatening diseases and had to go through brain and lungs surgery. But he overcame these issues successfully.

 In 2007 again his ambition for the presidential post arose but his candidature did not get momentum due to Charismatic image of Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton. However, Obama selected him as his deputy for 2 consecutive terms. Biden worked mainly behind the screen in Obama Govt. He was the main advisor of Obama in Iraq and Afghanistan issues. Biden played an influential role in handling the fiscal cliff crisis.

He was not interested in the presidential candidacy due to the death of his son. In January 2017 Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the nation's highest civilian honour and called him best ever vice president and a lion of American History. Despite being out of white house he was active. Number of times he criticised Donald Trump and once he said that Trump has no idea of Governance.

In 2019 he contested in the Presidential elections. Image of Donald Trump was not so good due to inadequate handling of Covid-19 Crisis and in a tough competition he was declared a winner. He will be supported by Kamla Harris as Vice President.

Joe Biden has rich experience as senator and Vice President but most of the time he has worked behind the screen as advisor. He will face a real test in handling the following issues.

1- Covid-19 Caused Damage – US was affected by the Covid-19. Lacs of people lost their lives. Although vaccines of Millions faced lay-off. Vaccines of Pfizer Moderna and German BioNTech have come with solutions but new strains have worried people again. There is an economic depression type problem in the country. Although some relief has been announced by Govt. but it is not sufficient to meet the public requirement.


At this point of time, limiting the economic damages and gradual recovery will be top priority of Biden Govt.


2- He have to handle the race crisis too where there is difference in civil society. 


3- Re-establishing the American commitment in Fighting Climate Change Problem-Decision of Donald Trump to withdraw from climate change agreement had brought down the American Prestige significantly.


4- World does not see the US as a simple country, rather it accepts it as a superpower. Super power means they expect a responsible role in human rights, establishing peace and help in growth in technological and economic terms. Being blessed with economic resources and capability, the US should not undermine its role.  


5- Biden has to spend on infrastructure projects, education, health care, affordable housing, global warming, public transport mainly fuel-efficient vehicles.  


6- Although foreign policies do not change drastically in case of change in power. However, he has to face the global threat caused by Chinese Aggression in South East Asia. It would be seen whether he will continue the same policies or his experience of handling Soviet Union will give some resipiscence to China and it will give up its policy of conspiracy and land grabbing of neighboring countries. Apart from it he has to handle the probable conflict with the alliance of Turkey and Pakistan too. It would be seen whether he takes interest in reviewing the old deal with Iran.


7- US policy towards the Middle East and Africa would demand attention. However, Israel will continue to enjoy its dominance.


8-  Joe Biden have rich experience in foreign matters and world is facing tough challenge in terms of radical extremism, transnational terrorism, cyberwarfare, nuclear proliferation, climate change and migration. It is expected that he will handle it as a stable and able leader where Trump lacked seriously. We wish him all the best and expect that he will re-establish the US image as a stable and able nation.

9- Indo US Partnership- He have to strengthen the Indo-US relationship in economic and commercial domain. In India too health care and job creation is priority area. There will be bilateral relations in vaccine manufacturing. In this process Indian companies would have scope for partnering in affordable health care program (Obama care). New job creations may be in manufacturing and infrastructure by improving trade and export relations. 

Additionally there may be new co-operation in renewable energy sector, increased partnership in 5G eco system. There will be improvement in Indo-Pacific, Quad relations to counter Chinese aggression of belt and road initiative. Bilateral co-operation may improve in defense and security sector.

10- It is expected that there will be a bipartisan change in US' attitude towards China in following areas.

- Reducing trade deficit.

-Ensure level playing field between US and Chinese companies by reducing the market distortion.


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