Pick your President

For this particular article, we wanted to capture the turbulence and conflicting debates framing this historical election. To make the experience as visceral and realistic as possible, we assigned a group of pupils with the job to embody the key candidates running in the race to become the 46th US President. Below, they will be presenting the main debates surrounding the election and answering a series of critical questions to shed light on the various interpretations offered by America’s different political parties

by TAMARA LETTS, EDDIE MAYALL, EVA CASEY, HARRY CORNFORD

EDDIE MAYALL, AKA TRUMP(REPUBLICAN) How do you plan on resolving the climate crisis? There is no climate crisis. The Paris Climate Accord was very unfair and we lost many great American jobs. Problems like wildfires happen every year and we can deal with it easily by rewilding. We will never abandon the great American oil industry or put any radical legislation in place.

Given the key issues highlighted by recent movements, like Black Lives Matter, how do you intend to resolve the issues raised by this social unrest? George Floyd should not be dead and we will be investigating this. However, the radical left has taken over the BLM movement and disgraced the memory of George Floyd. Antifa are ruining our great American cities and the Democrat governors are doing nothing about it. The federal government had to take action against the protesters. We will bring law and order to our streets and preserve the suburban lifestyle.

What would make you the next greatest President of the United States of America? I will bring law and order back to our streets and preserve the great country we have created. I created the greatest economy this country has ever known once before and we are already on track to bring it back. Unlike Biden, I won’t be controlled by a radical left agenda and will protect American jobs and industries. I have done more for the African American community than any president since Abraham Lincoln and I will continue to bring unemployment down in this community.

How do you feel on the subject of more progressive legislation, e.g. legalising marijuana? Marijuana legislation is a policy proposed by the left to undermine traditional American values. We will uphold the federal prohibition of marijuana and we aim to remove protection for state medical marijuana laws. We will continue to prosecute both users and dealers of the drug and keep drugs off our streets. Progressive policies are proposed by people who hate America and want to see our great way of life destroyed. Do you believe women deserve to choose over abortion? By restricting abortions, are you not infringing upon their own freedom? I am pro-life. It is wrong, a terrible thing, to kill an innocent life and I think any doctor who conducts an abortion should be punished. I want states to follow the example of Alabama and put more restrictions on abortions. We are a Christian country, and we should uphold Christian values. Women should not have the right to take an innocent life.

EVA CASEY, AKA BIDEN (DEMOCRATIC) How do you plan on resolving the climate crisis? The climate crisis is one of the greatest issues that humanity has ever faced and unlike my opponent Donald Trump, I intend to take numerous acts towards a carbon-free future for America. My plan for resolving the climate crisis will involve investing $2 trillion over the next four years towards clean energy and infrastructure, creating millions of jobs in the process. We also will be focusing heavily on issues such as environmental justice, sustainable housing and aiding workers in their transition to more environmentally friendly careers. We must strive for a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net-zero emissions throughout the American economy by 2050. We must base our environmental plan on science, not fiction. Given the key issues highlighted by recent movements, like Black Lives Matter, how do you intend to resolve the issues raised by this social unrest? I have a great amount of respect for the African American community who have always stood by me and I believe racial equality is at the forefront of the issues facing our nation. We need strong leadership, leadership that brings us together in order for our country to deal with systemic racism once and for all. Those protesting peacefully in the streets have the right to do so according to the First Amendment and have my full support. I stand against the opportunistic rioting that has torn apart many cities but unlike Trump, who loves nothing more than fanning the flames of violence, I also ask for police to stop using excessive force. As a nation, we must stand together, not divided.

What would make you the next greatest President of the United States of America? Look, this country needs leadership that will unite us and bring our nation together. It’s a big job and I’m not promising to be perfect but we need a leader that stands for all communities equally instead of trying to divide them. Trump, if re-elected, will only continue his reign of trafficking hate and fear instead of healing the wounds that have long plagued this country. I promise to do my job by listening to the American people, taking responsibility and rebuilding this great country. We as Americans, will build towards a brighter future together.

How do you feel on the subject of more progressive legislation, e.g. legalising marijuana? Although I am in favour of decriminalising marijuana, I

believe more research must be done into the long-term health effects before it is fully legalised. I do promise, however, to replace jail time with fines for marijuana possession and remove federal enforcement in states that have legalised the drug.

Do you believe women deserve to choose over abortion? By restricting abortions, are you not infringing upon their own freedom? I believe that every woman should have complete control over their own bodies and that the right to an abortion is a constitutional right. Restricting abortion is absolutely an infringement on freedom and American values and that is why it will be covered under the Affordable Care Act.

HARRY SMALLWOOD, AKA JO JORGENSON (LIBERTARIAN) How do you plan on resolving the climate crisis? Our campaign very much accepts that the climate crisis is one of the biggest we are facing, but handing more power to the government to solve it has never and will never work in a political system driven by special interest groups. As president, I would remove current legal barriers to replacing oil and coal power plants with high-tech nuclear plants and off-grid wind and solar power. A libertarian environment solution does not involve picking winners and losers like previous governments have; $15 billion a year is currently given to fossil fuel energy companies. I would remove corporate welfare like this to level the playing field and allow entrepreneurs to do what they do best and develop the best ideas for a brighter future. Our environment is vital to us: let’s not leave it up to a federal government which can’t even deliver mail on time.

Given the key issues highlighted by recent movements, like Black Lives Matter, how do you intend to resolve the issues raised by this social unrest? Recent events have shown potential inequalities when it comes to criminal justice and income. As president, I would commit to creating a country in which all people are truly treated equally by those in positions of power, which involves reducing that power in the first place. Libertarians have been pointing to these issues for decades; the authorities do often treat minorities differently. What is more, I believe that the current issues are not just confined to minority populations, but that there are issues which transcend race. Lethal no-knock raids can affect all Americans, as can the militarized police and the war against victimless crimes. George Floyd was murdered for a counterfeit $20 bill, the Federal Reserve will print $9 trillion this year: Libertarians know which one is the real criminal.

What would make you the next greatest President of the United States of America? Presidential candidates today focus too much on being “great”; this was never supposed to be the case. Presidents were never supposed to have the power to be “great”. They were never supposed to have the power to pass restrictive laws, to tax individuals to the limit, or to plunge this nation into debt. The sole role of the President should be to protect the rights given to Americans by the constitution; this is what I will do. Libertarians love the principles on which this constitutional republic was founded, that’s what makes our movement great. The fact I am able to represent it as a Presidential candidate simply shows my commitment to this nation.

How do you feel on the subject of more progressive legislation, e.g. legalising marijuana? “Progressive” is a difficult word for Libertarians to deal with because we don’t fit into the boundaries set out by the twoparty system. Yes, I would decriminalize all, and I mean all drugs, and pardon all non-violent drug offenders, who currently make up over half of the US prison population. Yes, I would bring the federal death penalty to an end. Yes, I would bring the troops home and end all foreign wars. These policies are so-called “progressive”. At the same time, we would defend the 2nd amendment and remove all federal laws restricting the right to self-defence and ownership of weapons. I would also oppose all government involvement in healthcare, advocate the abolition of the income tax and push for departments like the Food and Drug Administration, the Department for Education and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. 'Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms' should be the name of a shop, not a government agency. These policies are not deemed to be “progressive”, but for me, they are just Libertarian. I want married gay couples to be able to defend their marijuana farms with automatic machine guns. I want freedom; whether or not this is seen as “progressive” is irrelevant.

Do you believe women deserve to choose over abortion? By restricting abortions, are you not infringing upon their own freedom? The Libertarian Party platform is that abortion should be safe and legal; I very much support this position. While I understand that many Americans are deeply opposed to abortion, it is not their or the government’s right to ban it. Nobody wants a woman to need to have an abortion, but by banning the ability to do so, we leave open the real possibility that many women, often those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will put their lives in danger by agreeing to unsafe procedures, especially if they are financially unable to travel abroad. As president, however, I would remove all federal funding for abortions; while nobody has the right to ban abortions, libertarians also believe that nobody has the right to force somebody to pay for abortions through taxation, especially if they are deeply opposed to it.

TAMARA LETTS, AKA HOWIE HAWKINS (GREEN) How do you plan on resolving the climate crisis? We must take some drastic measures in order to solve the impending climate crisis. The root cause of these environmental problems is undoubtedly the boundless competition created by the capitalist system. Instead, we need to replace this with an eco-socialist system, which will eradicate this need for industrial development, instead focussing on renewable energy to make a sustainable society.

Given the key issues highlighted by recent movements, like Black Lives Matter, how do you intend to resolve the issues raised by this social unrest? Police brutality remains one of the most pressing issues facing modern America. As President, I intend to introduce major reforms to both our justice system, as well as the way our police force runs. Black Lives Matter was a monumental movement in proving the entrenched state of racism still plaguing our nation. The tragedy of the murder of George Floyd demonstrates this clearly, as well as showing the extent of unjust power being extended to our police force.

What would make you the next greatest President of the United States of America? One of my deepest wishes for the future of our great nation, would be the advancement of social justice, and the establishment of a better, and more accessible welfare system. Healthcare, in particular, should act as a fundamental human right, and a source of public good. I intend to implement a single-payer national health insurance, of which health facilities are publicly owned, and are paid for, by current public healthcare dollars.

How do you feel on the subject of more progressive legislation, e.g. legalising marijuana? The legalisation of cannabis has been on the green party agenda since its conception. The state of incarceration rates in the USA as a result of this overextended ‘War on Drugs’ has reached stupid numbers. I plan on passing it as federal law, to cut out this obnoxious middle-man, and hey, even generate some added tax revenue.

Do you believe women deserve to choose over abortion? By restricting abortions, are you not infringing upon their freedom? The progress accomplished by the historic Roe v Wade ruling would remain untarnished, granting women the right to have autonomy over their bodies. I plan to convert this right into federal law by an act of Congress. The current state of unnecessary regulations and policies prohibiting a women’s access to abortions, is a disgrace to the Supreme Court’s original decision, and something I intend to amend once in office. Instead, I would ensure safe regulations are imposed in abortion clinics, no longer clouding this decision with religious moral boundaries, as currently corrupts legislative process.