The election is coming up next Tuesday, November 5th so if you are eighteen or older make sure you vote. It is important to do your own research when deciding who to vote for, but here are two different perspectives on the presidential candidates and their policies.
Donald Trump
By Ethan Smant
The Biden-Harris Administration has, in many aspects, failed. A report from the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability reported that there were 6.7 million migrant encounters at the Southwest border under President Biden’s watch, and 1.7 million known “gotaways” (illegal immigrants who evaded border patrol) are now living in the United States. Furthermore, prices have increased over 20% since the inauguration of the Biden-Harris Administration due to its reckless spending, which has increased the national debt by 4.3 trillion dollars. Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. Many people are unsatisfied with this status quo, so many Americans have chosen to vote for former President Donald Trump in 2024.
Under Trump’s first term, the estimated amount of unauthorized entries into the United States fell but has dramatically increased since Biden took office and Kamala Harris became “border czar”, with the total number of border encounters reaching over 370,000 people in June 2024. Research demonstrates that illegal immigration lowers American worker wages, contributes to unemployment in African-American and Hispanic communities, and weakens border security, thereby facilitating the spread of dangerous drugs like fentanyl into the US. Donald Trump and the Republicans will protect American sovereignty along our southern border by strengthening ICE, implementing strict vetting, and completing the border wall. The Republicans will begin deporting illegal immigrants and using the United States Armed Forces to protect our country’s border.
Overall, prices have increased under Biden’s administration by just over 20%, increasing the national debt by 4.3 trillion dollars. Kamala Harris’ promise to let Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire would expand taxes on the American people. Trump promises to make his tax cuts permanent, eliminate taxes on tips for millions of restaurant and hospitality workers, and pursue additional tax cuts. Republicans will also lower fuel costs and increase energy production by loosening restrictions on oil, natural gas, and coal. While Biden’s administration has caused a 1 trillion dollar trade deficit, Republicans will revoke China’s most favored nation status and pass baseline tariffs so taxes on America’s workers, farmers, and businesses come down, ensuring America’s national independence and revitalizing manufacturing.
The Biden Administration’s weak foreign policy has made the entire world less safe and America a laughingstock, whether it’s the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, China’s threats in the South China Sea and rising influence in Africa, or allowing Hamas and Russia to attack and murder innocent Israelis and Ukrainians. Republicans will invest in cutting-edge research and advanced technologies, including an Iron Dome Missile Defense Shield, to modernize our armed forces while building new, strong alliances in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific to counter the growing threats of Iran and China. Wages for America’s soldiers will increase, and defense-critical industries will be established—to ensure critical jobs for the people who serve and protect our country—while establishing the reliable production of vital defense supplies.
Kamala Harris
By Madeleine Gil
Kamala Harris may not be perfect, but she is the best candidate for United States president. Harris has plans to bring the US out of a difficult economic period, to use US strength to bring more peace to the world, to improve conditions on the border, and most importantly to prioritize the constitution and the American people.
The US has faced economic issues over the past few years, largely due to the pandemic, and many Americans are understandably frustrated. However, Trump has proposed tax cuts for only the wealthy, and his high tariffs threaten to actually increase prices for lower and middle classes. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Trump’s government spending plans will increase the national debt by $7.75 trillion, while Harris’s estimated increase is only $3.95 trillion.
Harris’s foreign policy will be most successful in showcasing American strength and security. Harris has pledged to continue to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion. She has also said that Israel has the right to defend itself and will provide aid for it to do so, but has called for a ceasefire. Trump, by contrast, claims that he will stop supporting Ukraine and increase US involvement in Israel. Regardless of this policy’s implications for the world, many experts argue that it is contradictory: “Allow Putin to succeed in Ukraine, and Israel’s threats from Russia’s allies in Iran, Syria, and Yemen will multiply,” argues Bret Stephens in the New York Times. Furthermore, Trump is known to be unpredictable and has a long history of disregarding suggestions from his advisors or refusing to consult them. In an age where the world is only a few bad decisions away from nuclear war, the abilities to assemble a strong team of knowledgeable advisors and to exercise clear judgment have never been more crucial.
Trump is known to ramble about the crisis on the border and repeat preposterous claims about “illegal aliens” murdering Americans and “eating the dogs.” But his only suggestions are completely unrealistic: first of all, deporting all undocumented immigrants would be virtually impossible. And not only would it destroy lives and separate families, it would also be hugely detrimental to the US economy, which relies on immigrant workers to be part of the workforce. By contrast, Harris fully understands the situation and has a plan. Earlier this year she supported a bipartisan border security bill that, according to the Washington Post, would have closed loopholes in the asylum process, given the president more authority to limit border crossings, and given a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who had been in the US for years. However this bill was never passed: Trump wanted to run on the issue of immigration instead of allowing it to be fixed, and told Republican lawmakers to block it.
But perhaps most importantly, Harris has never strayed from her duty to the constitution. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of her rival. As reported by the New York Times, former vice president Mike Pence says “The American people deserve to know that President Trump asked me to put him over my oath to the Constitution.” Other prominent members of Trump’s cabinet, such as former chief of staff John Kelly and secretary of defense James Mattis, have exposed how Trump bullied those close to him and expected complete submission from his advisers. By repeating the false claims that the 2020 election was “stolen” and inciting violence against those who refused to overturn it, Trump demonstrated how he values his own power over democracy. Both Trump and vice president candidate J.D. Vance have refused to say whether they will accept this year’s election results.
Kamala Harris is the only candidate who can unify the American people. As president, she will prioritize all Americans and reduce economic and foreign issues in the world.
Again be sure you vote on November 5th if you are eighteen or older! If you are too young, check out the Pantherette’s online poll:
