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Dick GephardtAmerican Democratic politician
Date of Birth: 31.01.1941
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Dick Gephardt
Dick Gephardt, born in 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri, is an American Democratic politician. He developed an interest in politics while studying at the University of Michigan Law School. During his time at university, Gephardt was actively involved in public and political work, serving as the president of the student society 'Beta Theta Pi'.
Gephardt entered national politics in 1976 when he was elected to Congress, while also serving as the head of administration in his hometown of St. Louis. He remained a member of the House of Representatives, and from 1994 he led the Democratic Caucus. During his tenure as the leader of the caucus, it consisted of both majority and minority. In 1988, Gephardt attempted to run for president but was unsuccessful. In October 2002, Gephardt was among the Democratic members of Congress who voted in favor of the US invasion of Iraq, but later admitted it was a mistake. He made another attempt to run for president in the 2004 elections but was not successful.
Political Platform
Gephardt's political platform consisted of five points. The first four points focused on energy reform, healthcare, education, and pension provision - common goals for all Democrats. The fifth point of Gephardt's program was more unique - he proposed establishing a global minimum wage. According to him, if the labor of Chinese, Russian, and American workers were paid equally, it would level the playing field for American products in the global market. However, this proposal received only a 34% approval rating in the US.
Life After Politics
Despite his unsuccessful presidential campaigns, Gephardt continued to be a vocal critic of President Bush's economic and military campaigns. In one of his speeches, he stated that Bush "failed to ease the nation's anxiety about his economic plan and allay Americans' concerns about the future of the country." In January 2004, Gephardt officially announced his withdrawal from the presidential race after finishing fourth in the Democratic primaries in Iowa.
After leaving the Senate on January 3, 2005, Gephardt founded the consulting firm 'Gephardt Group' and became its president. In June 2007, he joined the board of directors of 'EMBARQ'. In March 2009, Gephardt became a member of the board of directors of the automaker 'Ford Motors'. Additionally, since 2007, the former congressman has been working in the field of pharmaceutical policy, representing the interests of one of the largest insurance companies, 'UnitedHealth Group'.
