NNPA Exclusive:
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia
Perhaps as sincere and open as any other candidate, former Vice President Joseph Biden spoke candidly to the Black Press during an interview in South Carolina with National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
The interview was broadcast live as nearly a dozen Black Press publishers and leaders sat at a roundtable inside The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel in Charleston.
As a courtesy, reporters from the Associated Press and Washington Post were permitted to observe the interview.
“The Black vote will determine the nominee … and hopefully the next president and The Black Press is the heart and soul as to why I got involved,” Biden told Chavis during the 45-minute discussion.
“The Black community brought me to the dance,” stated Biden who served as V.P. for eight years under Barack Obama.
The Democrat who hails from Delaware laid out an aggressive agenda that he said would undo severe damage President Trump has inflicted upon communities of color and the poor.
He stated he would hold financial institutions accountable for discriminatory practices in the housing market, and a Biden administration would implement policies that would require communities that receive certain federal funding to proactively examine housing patterns and identify and address policies that discriminate.
“Americans lack quality and affordable housing. Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the failures in our housing markets, with homeownership rates for Black and Latinos falling far below the rate for White people,” Biden stated.
As president, Biden pledges to invest $640 billion over 10 years to ensure everyone has access to affordable and stable housing, he said.
Further, Biden said redlining must be stopped. “I’m against redlining. It’s wrong,” Biden stated, adding he plans to eliminate local and state housing regulations that perpetuate discrimination.
The former vice president noted that, as president, he would help families buy their first home and build wealth by creating a new refundable, advanceable tax credit of up to $15,000.
He said this will help offset the cost of buying a home and assist millions of families lay down roots for the first time.
“This is how poor White folks are able to build equity… they get into a home and build equity,” Biden stated.
Biden said he’d immediately move to undo many of Trump’s executive orders including the current administration’s cuts to social services.
“It’s immoral,” Biden stated. “Look what this president has done. Cut $1 billion from all social safety nets, reduced Medicaid and food stamps.”
To view the entire interview, visit www.facebook.com/BlackPressUSA
