Harris VS Trump: The 2024 Presidential Election (Pg. 4-7)
THE WILDCAT ROAR
STAFF
ELIJAH SCHMIDT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SENIOR
BELLA THIES
CONTENT EDITOR, JUNIOR
JOEY FENTRESS
SPORTS EDITOR, SENIOR
COCO FRANCISCO • CUTLER FRICKE• MARY HATHAWAY • JOSEPH MOORE • REBEKAH
THOENEN• RHOADS HALL • RIDGE CATHCART • JAKE KEANE • AUSTIN MCCARTHY • SEAN GROSS• JOEY SCHLOSS • ABBIE
MOSER• BEN WOOLDRIDGE • ESSENCE ROBERTSON• KREW COLLISON• ETHAN MARTIN •
STAFF EDITORIAL
E Pluribus Unum
The United States of America is home to many different peoples, oftentimes with unique cultures and life experiences. This great republic hosts people originating from Europe, Asia, Africa, and everywhere else. Our greatest boast is that we have become a world superpower while being a nation of immigrants and sojourners. “E pluribus unum” (Out of many, one).
However, over the past decade or so our conversations as Americans have become less about mutual respect. Politicians on both sides of the aisle seem to pit the American people against each other. Whether divided by race, religion, or party we seem to be more polarized than ever before. Candidates employ more partisan rhetoric and shut out helpful dialogue.
In his farewell address George Washington warns that political parties will “ be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying
In His Name,
afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
Our first president did not believe that these parties would lead to anything helpful. Washington felt that a system of political parties would only divide and not unite. Going even further, he believed that these parties would take the right to rule away from the people. He prophesied the end of our democracy in 1796.
Luckily there are ways to take back the power of the governed. On Tuesday, November 5th you can let your voice be heard. Educate yourself on the candidates and cut through the rhetoric. Find who you believe will represent your ideals and values best in the coming years. Do not allow partisan political parties to dictate your choices.
So in these moments where we seem so at odds with each other, remember that “united we stand, divided we fall.”
800 News and Elijah Schmidt, Editor-In-Chief
Contact us at 800news@wcastl.org if you have any ideas, questions, or concerns.
Harris VS Trump: The 2024 Presidential Election
Mary Hathaway
Perhaps the most anticipated event of 2024 is the United States Presidential election–the election that will change the course of history within the next four years. It’s democratic versus republican, Harris versus Trump. The two have approached many topics with different views and beliefs, topics such as the economy, abortion, immigration, gun control, and the Israel-Palestine war.
Donald Trump, seventy-eight years old, was the forty-fifth president of the United States. After being in office from 2017 to 2021, and losing the following election to Joe Biden in 2020, he is returning to run against Biden’s Vice President, Kamala Harris. His goal is to “Make America Great Again,” with the help of his Vice Presidential choice, JD Vance.
Kamala Harris, sixty years old, has a history as a prosecutor, attorney general, senator, and is currently Vice President to Biden. Her selection for Vice President is Tim Walz, and she promises America to be “a president for all Americans, a president who unites us around our highest aspirations, and a president who always fights for the American people.”
First, the economy. Harris herself grew up in a middle class family, so she knows firsthand the struggles of financial unease. In the 2024 Presidential debate, she noted how there is currently a historic low on employment in America among all groups of people.
Harris has a personal tie and deep passion for small businesses, and believes that they are the backbone of America’s economy, saying that “when you invest in small businesses, you invest in the middle class, and you strengthen America’s economy.” Because of this, she plans on giving a $50,000 tax deduction to start-up small businesses.
Harris also promises that she is “going to make sure that the richest among us who can afford it pay their fair share in taxes.” She insists that it is not right that people like teach-
ers, nurses, and firefighters are paying a higher tax rate than billionaires and large corporations, and she plans on making that fair.
One of Harris’ top economic priorities will be “lowering the costs of everyday needs like health care, housing, and groceries, and cutting taxes for more than 100 million working and middle-class Americans.” She is offering the nation what she describes as “an opportunity economy,” which is described as an economy where “everyone has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead,” and where “everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed—from buying a home to starting a business and building wealth.”
However, Trump also promises to cut taxes substantially for all, planning to create a great economy just “like [he] did before.” Part of his plan to reduce taxes includes raising tariffs, such as a universal baseline tariff on all US imports of ten to twenty percent and a sixty percent tariff on all US imports from China.
Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at Fountain Park in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
When asked if he thinks Americans can afford higher prices because of raised tariffs, he states that “they aren’t going to have higher prices,” insisting that those with higher prices will be countries such as China and others that have been “ripping [America] off for years.” He also promises to “always protect Medicare and Social Security,” which he states is currently under siege.
Another debate between the two candidates has been the topic of abortion. Harris believes strongly in the choice of the woman, and “absolutely support[s] reinstating protections of Roe v. Wade.”
She has considered the negative effects of banning abortion, thinking of the problems of pregnant women experiencing a miscarriage who are being denied healthcare, or 12 or 13 year-old survivors of incest who are being forced to carry out a full-term pregnancy, knowing that these situations are wrong and can be helped. “And I pledge to you, when Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade, as president of the United States, I will
proudly
sign it into law.”
On the other side, Trump has declared that he is “proud to be the most pro-life president in American history.” He has spoken of his actions to protect the unborn, and has mentioned that he “believe[s] in the exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.” Trump promises to “continue to stand proudly for prolife policies,” and to “bring everybody together to protect our precious unborn babies,” for “every child born and unborn is a sacred gift from God.”
Another national issue that both candidates were asked to address is the matter of the illegal immigration of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Harris has encouraged the American people to remember, “we are a nation of immigrants. Immigrants have always helped strengthen our country, grow our economy, and drive innovation.”
Trump, however, states that “bad immigration is the worst thing
ATrump 2024 “Take America Back” campaign sign sits in the yard of St. Louis County resident. Image by Bella Thies.
that can happen to our economy.” He has declared that to solve this problem, he will “shift massive portions of the existing federal law enforcement apparatus to immigration enforcements,” and “will issue a policy directive making clear that a core national defense mission is to protect American sovereignty and, therefore, we must use any and all resources necessary to stop this incredible, incredible invasion.”
Trump also promises to “order [his] government to deny entry to all communists and all Marxists. [...] We don’t want them when they want to destroy our country. [...] We’re going to keep foreign Christian-hating communists, Marxists and socialists out of America.”
An additional difference in the two candidates’ views lies in gun control. The second amendment has been called to this matter, and states that “a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Both Harris and her vice president choice, Tim Waltz, own guns, and pledge that they are not taking anyone’s guns away. However, Harris has made it plain that gun violence cannot become a normality. She has grieved with both parents and children who have lost loved ones to gun violence, and knows that “we owe it to them and to those living in fear to act without delay. And on this issue, we do not have a moment to spare, nor a life to spare.”
She continues, “solutions do exist. It’s a false choice to suggest you either have to choose between supporting the Second Amendment or passing reasonable gun safety laws. [...] I believe in the Second Amendment, but [I] also know common sense solutions are at hand.”
Trump, however, has called himself the “best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House.” He says that “this is not a gun problem, this is a mental health problem, a social problem,
“Missourians for Harris-Walz” campaign sign sits outside a St. Louis County resident’s home. Image by Bella Thies.
a cultural problem, and a spiritual problem.” He believes that the issue is not that citizens own guns, but that they are mistreating this privilege.
Because of this, Trump promises that “very strong improvement and strengthening of background checks will be fully backed by the White House.” He promises that thorough background checks will be done, but the issue at hand is not merely in the ownership of firearms.
Finally, the Israel-Palestine war has been a raging topic recently. Harris strongly believes that “Israel has a right to defend themselves, [as] we would, and how it does so matters. Far too many innocent Palistinians have been killed. This war needs to end.”
She pledges to “always give Israel the ability to defend itself, [and] in particular, as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel.” However, she also states that “we must have a two-state solution where we can rebuild Gaza, where the Palestinians have security, self-determination and the dignity they so rightly deserve.”
Trump has also mentioned that he supports Israel in its continued “war on terror” after the October 7 attack by Hamas. Differing from Harris, he has cast doubt on the continued viability of a two-state solution, and believes that “it’s in the U.S. best interest to get this
war finished and just get it done [...] because we have to stop all of these human lives from being destroyed.”
Both candidates have different views on many of the nation’s problems, and as such have different plans to address the issues at hand. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th, but regardless of whether or not you’re going to cast a vote, make sure to stay informed about the candidates and their views.
Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris speaking at a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons.
The Electoral College: Who You are Actually Voting For
When you stand at that ballot booth on election day you are making an important decision for the entire country; yet many do not even know that their vote does not go to the candidate whose name is on the ballot.
Your vote in the presidential election, contrary to popular belief, does not go towards any specific individual. You are voting for a party and that party has selected a lineup of electors for each state. The winning party of a state gets to have their electors vote directly for the candidates.
However, not every state has the same number of electors.
According to a document from the National Archives, it is based on a State’s members of congress:
“The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your State has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators[...] The District of Columbia is allocated 3 electors and treated like a State for purposes of the Electoral College under the 23rd Amendment of the Constitution.”
Joseph Moore
then the same congressional districts that vote for the House of Representatives get to vote for the party of their own electors.
Why go through this process in the first place? The problem with the popular vote is that it does not accurately represent the different demographics throughout the country. The more populated states will steamroll the rural states in the election. The electoral college uses the senator votes to give each state value in the election, and it uses the votes from the house of representatives to ensure that the people of the populated states matter as much as those of the less populated states.
How is this different from a popular vote? Well, most states operate on a winner-takes-all system. This means that if a party wins fifty-one to forty-nine percent in a state they still get all of the state’s electoral votes. There are only two exceptions according to the Election Assistance Commision:
“[W]hichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes in a State wins all the Electors of that State. [The two exceptions to this are Maine and Nebraska where two Electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder by the popular vote within each Congressional district].”
Maine and Nebreska run a popular vote for the two senator votes and
How do I know that the elector will vote for my candidate? The answer depends on your state: There are fifteen states that have no laws about faithless electors, sixteen states will coin the vote, fifteen states will void the vote, two states will count the vote with a fine to the electors, and two states will void the votes with a fine. There have been propositions for a federal law about faithless electors, but as of this moment there are none.
It is important to understand the system by which your president is elected so that you do not get confused this election day if the winner loses the popular vote. Although the electoral college is a national system, the laws are different by state so be sure to study your state’s specific laws and understand what determines your state’s electors and therefore your presidential votes.
Electoral map with red for republican, blue for democrat, and gray for swing states. Image by Joseph Moore
Weighing Character and Policy
Which should matter more to
voters, a presidential candidate’s character or their policies?
Bella Thies
Since America’s founding, there has been one issue that has been consequential in all of our country’s presidential elections: the debate between supporting a candidate because of their policies and judging their viability for the presidency in terms of their character. In an ideal world, the president of the United States would possess both the quality of character and efficacy of policies expected of the leader of one of the world’s greatest global superpowers, but the world we live in is far from ideal.
Due to this conundrum, voters are often forced to choose their preferred candidate based on which aspect of a presidential nominee they value the most. Some argue that a prospective president’s moral integrity should take precedence over the policies they promote, while others argue that their character should come second to the practical consequences of their policies and ideals.
A large part of modern politicians’ campaigns are the platforms of the political parties they represent. Although people may not approve of a certain nominee, many still opt to vote for a candidate on the basis that they belong to the political party they support. This development is due to the modern political doctrine that if you vote a presidential nominee into office, you essentially vote their party into office as well.
In Andrew Jackson’s 1828 election, he set a precedent that would determine the course of American political policy: the “to the victor go the spoils” system. His display of presidential authority in removing all of his predecessors’ government officials from office set the principle that once a president is elected into office, they get to bring their administration and supporters along with them.
The major implication of this system is that if you vote for a candidate based on their political party, the beliefs of that party will be upheld in all branches of the government for
the length of the president’s term, a prospect which understandably appeals to voters who lean strongly towards one political party or another.
In this election especially, there are a number of controversial topics being debated by the Republican and Democratic parties, namely the issues of abortion, the national economy, and border control. These are issues of the utmost importance to many voters in the upcoming election, and will likely influence their choice of candidate, regardless of their interpersonal opinion on the nominee they vote for.
Dr. Jeff Gall, the cochair of the history department at Westminster Christian Academy, pointed out that all viable presidential candidates should have a certain moral bar to which they should be held accountable:
“I really think they’re both important, but I’m not going to consider policies until I’m convinced their character is above a certain bar. Nobody has perfect character, but there is a certain standard that we certainly can expect any candidate to meet, or a public official to hold. If they don’t have that, I’m not even going to consider the policies.”
It is by no means unreasonable to suggest that the leaders of our country should be held to a certain moral standard. The functioning of democracy itself depends on the dedication of
An American flag hangs in front of a suburban home. Image by Bella Thies.
its leaders to the goal of the welfare of America and its people. If a nominee simply seeks the position of president as a means to their own personal gain, then they will not accomplish the purpose of a democratic republic: to serve its people and their needs.
Furthermore, in his famous 1796 Farewell Address, George Washington himself states the importance of morality in the proper functioning of a democratic government.
In his speech, Washington refers to religion and morality as the “indispensable supports” on which all governments must stand in order to properly serve their people. This sentiment still rings true today, because only people capable of putting the desires of their countrymen above their own personal interests and exhibit
the basic qualities of honesty and integrity have the capacity to make decisions that will propel America towards a brighter future.
In reality, these issues do hold great significance for the future of our country. Our government’s decisions and policies on how to deal with border control issues, the health of our economy, and the abortion rights issue will have a direct impact on the lives of millions of Americans. In many ways, this election is a turning point for our country in terms of the direction America is headed, and perhaps the course the captain takes in steering our ship is more important than the captain themselves.
A Side-By-Side Comparison of Harris and Trump’s Policies. Image by Bella Thies.
There Are More Than Two Options
Cutler Fricke
Many voters assume that there are only two candidates in the presidential election, but truthfully there are many more. These parties not only differ from the two main ones in The Republican Party and the Democrat Party, but from each other as well. Those who are tired of the two main parties that seem to run America should open their eyes to the many others.
One of the main third parties is The Green Party. This party is based on the green movement which focuses on environmental issues and other issues regarding wages in America. The Green Party also fights for publicly funded election debates, so that more parties can get involved rather than just the Democratic and Republican party. They want to cut military funding and put more funding into renewable energy sources rather than fossil fuels. In addition, The Green Party wants more diversity in leadership positions. Their campaign website said:
“We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of leadership roles.”
Jill Stein, 74, is the presidential candidate for The Green Party. She graduated from Harvard and is an environmentalist. Who desires campaign finance reform, and a cleaner planet. She aligned with the Green Party Because she advocated for the Clean Election Law in Massachusetts that was voted in, but later repealed due to a voice vote. The legislature that repealed it was democratic.
Another main party is The Libertarian Party, which wants to lower taxes, and reduce the involvement of the government in everyday lives. They believe that people should be able to give goods and services to consumers without interference from the government. The Party also believes that peaceful, honest people should be able to do what they want with their lives without fear of being penalized. Chase Oliver, 38, is the Libertarian’s candidate for president. In 2020 he was a member of the Congress in Georgia’s
5th district, and in 2022 he ran for US senate. His beginnings in political activism was when he fought against the war in Iraq that happened under President Bush.
Another intriguing party is The Democratic Socialists of America because they believe that capitalism is a flawed system where the rich exploit the ordinary people and that the working people should have control over the economy. Their campaign website said:
“We want to win ‘radical’ reforms like single-payer Medicare for All, defunding the police/refunding communities, the Green New Deal, and more as a transition to a freer, more just life.”
Although they do not have a candidate for the election this year, they are hoping to affect change in policy for other candidates from other parties, and are vouching for the democratic party and their candidate Kamala Harris.
In addition another party to consider is the American Solidarity Party which is based around Christian values. Their campaign website said:
“Recognizing that governments derive their just authority from God, we seek laws and policies that put the universal call to love our neighbor into practice by promoting authentic human freedom and flourishing.”
The presidential candidate for the American Solidarity Party is Peter Sonski. He is 61 years old and was the option of the party’s candidate due to his experience as a journalist, and as a director of communications. He also is a member of Conniticut’s District 17 school board. The district has a good track record of success in all aspects of school including elementary, middle, and high school. He joined the party in 2018 when he learned about their christian values.
The decision of who to vote for in the Presidential Election is very important, and voters should consider more than just the two main candidates in Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
Various Third Party Logos are Under Republic and Democratic Logos Image by Cutler Fricke
Missouri’s Gubernatorial Race
During Tuesday’s election Missourians will be tasked with the difficult choice of voting for a new governor in the up and coming election, as current governor Mike Parsons retires. The two main candidates are Mike Kehoe, a Republican and the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, and Crystal Quade, a Democrat and a Missouri State Representative. Now let’s dive into who these two candidates are and what they stand for.
According to Mike Kehoe’s website, he is the youngest of five, and his father left his family at a young age causing him, and his siblings, to have to help their mother support their family at a young age. Kehoe has been very successful, at age 25 he purchased Osage Industries, a van conversion and ambulance manufacturing company, that had been losing mass amounts of money. He in turn flipped it around doubling the company’s sales making it one of the top ambulance producers in the nation. Furthermore, he has backed over 2.4 billion dollars in tax cuts.
Kehoe is endorsed by former president Donald Trump as well as former governor Mike Parson. As far as immigration goes, he will not provide sanctuary for illegal immigration, trafficking, or cartels pushing deadly drugs. He is 100% pro-life and desires to protect innocent life. Lastly, he backs law enforcement and is endorsed by Missouri law enforcement and trusts them to keep our families safe.
Crystal Quade, according to her website Crystal Quade for Gover-
Rebekah Thoenen
nor, often had to help her mother at the diner she worked at as she would have to work double or sometimes triple shifts. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school, and went on to attend Missouri state university.
“I’m running for Governor for one simple reason, because Missouri’s parents, working extra shifts today, have children who need to beat the odds tomorrow. I’ll fight for families like the one I grew up in,” states Quade.
Quade’s main goal is to stand up for our working and farming families. She is extremely pro choice and desires to take down Kehoe and his abortion plan. She has also sponsored a law to stop China and Russia from taking away our farmland.
Mike Kehoe plans to push pro-life laws, crack down on illegal immigration, and back law enforcement. Crystal Quade has a heart for the working families of today, and is against pro-life laws. Most likely either Mike Kehoe or Crystal Quade will take the place of Mike Parsons as Missouri Governor in the 2024 election.
Westminster Senior, Coco Fransisco, Views Images of Missouri Governor Candidates. Image by Rebekah Thoenen.
The People Are More Important Than the Politics
Joseph Moore
Imagine you had the privilege of deciding which cleaning service should be in charge of taking care of your local park. Then, one day you see the chosen group loafing around and littering rather than picking up the trash as they’re paid to do. You would be infuriated because they did not feel the responsibilities that they were paid for. So why is it excusable that our politicians are no longer fulfilling their responsibilities as civil servants as they are elected to do?
In a democratic republic, politicians are elected by the people to be representative of the population. Positions of government are positions of service to the citizens of the nation not steppingstones to greater power over the people. According to the Department of the Interior, former president Thomas Jefferson was clear on his position as a politician:
“When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property”
While Jefferson’s position is rather extreme it is an obvious display of the sentiment shared by many of the founders: that elected officials should not take on political power for themselves. To be in government is to be of the people and same as any other power it comes with responsibility.
Despite the ideals of our founders, the American people do not feel that their elected representatives are fulfilling their responsibilities. Pew Research Center conducted surveys in July 2023 to find how many Americans believe that politicians “don’t care what people like them think’” and they received disturbing statistics: eighty-five percent of people believed that politicians did not value what they thought.
Politicians today seem to be representing the their donors’ opinions in their policies rather than the opinions of those who elected them. Another article from Pew in 2015 about more money flowing into campaigns and the public opinion of its influence details how since 1974 congressional cam-
paign costs specifically—other campaigns have followed similar trends—are on a consistent rise. Furthermore, an article from OpenSecrets, a political money tracking organization, details spending for the 2016 and 2020 campaigns. There is a jump in spending of nearly eight-billion dollars…
Why should politicians care what ‘people like you think’ when campaigns are growing this costly, and need greater financial support from wealthy donors? Our elected officials are serving plenty of special interest groups; those people just are not us— the general public. The system we use is not broken; the people in it are simply deplorable and as citizens we are struggling to fulfill our own duty because our options are getting forcibly worse. It is nigh impossible to compete with these campaigns being backed by so much wealth as an average candidate who does not want to bow to a party or donors.
The history chair at Westminster, Dr. Gall, offered his own opinions on politicians and their intentions:
“I admire politicians who are willing to break with their own party on matters of principle. That is a solid indication that they are in politics for the right reasons.”
By breaking from their party on decisions, politicians sacrifice influence and backing. Gall makes an important point on how to know when a politician may actually be in office to help the people. Politicians must remember that the people are the most important supporters. To ensure that politicians are accountable we as people must also remember to break from party lines and vote for those who actually have the interests of the American people in mind.
The first three words of the constitution are “We the People” for a reason. The people are the most important part of any form of democratic system; for our system to exist it requires the consent of the people and our elected representatives are meant to reflect that foundational idea. For a democracy to thrive the power must first be to the people and secondly to the government. To remain a functioning democracy the people must remain in charge and the system within its bounds.
Our first president, George Washington, set a precedent that
Politicians Step on People to Further Their Goals
few have since followed: taking office despite not wanting it. Washington only took the office of President because he wanted to ensure that the constitution would be well established and that the nation was steady. He quite truly was there for the nation and its people alone. He took care to create a robust and energetic executive by appointing a cabinet and proposing major legislation to Congress, but also wanted to ensure that his office would not become one of monarchy. He declined the title of “His Excellency” in exchange for the more humble “Mr. President” which is a small gesture, but I am quite confident that most officials today think many times less humbly of themselves. He also chose to step down after two presidential terms rather than cling to his power as many politicians today would have.
Washington set a wondrous example of what it means to be a public servant who makes decisions with little bias other than what he believes to benefit the people most. Politicians today must begin to take more care about the voters in the general public rather than their donors and follow the selfless example set by Washington. The time has come for we the people to vote in the ballot box and with our money. We must unite and begin to elect politicians that have our national interests at their foremost priority.
Image by Joseph Moore
Pre-Election Economy Inspection
With the upcoming election voters are looking for specific answers to specific issues in the country. Some of the most important questions among voters have to do with the economics in America. Whether it be the national debt, currently $35 Trillion, or inflation, many voters are looking upon the two major candidates, Donald Trump, republican presidential candidate and Kamala Harris, democrat presidential candidate, for answers to these problems. According to The United States Department of The Treasury:
“The national debt is the amount of money the federal government has borrowed to cover the outstanding balance of expenses incurred over time.”
These expenses fund programs run by the federal government such as social security or medicare. Neither major candidate has supplied the media with specific plans regarding how they will handle the issue of national debt, however through calculations surrounding the certain policies mentioned by the candidates, it can be estimated that Harris and Trump would both increase national debt, but Harris would increase it less than Trump would. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget ran a study and said:
“Under our central estimate, Vice President Harris’s plan would increase the debt by $3.95 trillion through 2035, while President Trump’s plan would increase the debt by $7.75 trillion. These estimates are an update of our October 7 analysis, and include additional policy proposals.”
Although Trump is projected to increase the national debt more, a voter’s decision should be swayed more due to the policies that align with the beliefs of the voter. These projections could always be wrong in the end. However, National Debt will eventually lead to problems for future generations, so that the impact candidates have
Cutler Fricke
on the national debt should certainly be taken into account by voters, even if not the main part leading the voter’s decision.
Another important economic issue during this election is inflation, the increase of prices or cost of daily living. Prices seem to have been skyrocketing in everything whether it be gas or groceries. This is one of the main issues in the upcoming election due the noticeable increase of inflation after the 2020 election. The current inflation rate in the US is 2.4% which has decreased in the last couple months, but prices are still similar to the prices during COVID. Both candidates have expressed their thinking and plans to handle inflation if they get elected. According to CBS News:
“Harris proposes addressing higher prices at the grocery store by attacking what she says is price gouging by large grocery corporations. Harris says she wants to target businesses that aren’t “playing by the rules” and ensure there’s competition in the industry to bring down costs.”
Harris’s idea is to attack grocery store owners who are raising prices to milk the most amount of money out of consumers. Her claim questions the morals of grocers who might have to raise prices for other reasons, but in the end should keep grocery store prices low if what she proposes ends up working. In regards to Trump’s plans CBS News said:
“He has said he wants to impose tariffs of 60% on Chinese imports and 10% to 20% on goods from other foreign countries”
Trump wants to use increased tariffs to encourage more goods production in the United States. By doing this he claims there will be more investment in the US and in turn more money. However imposing these tariffs on other countries could bring up shaky emotions in trade relationships between foreign countries, such as China, and the US. An important note is that Trump did use tariffs during his previous term as president of the United States.
Though many issues should be considered in the decision making of who to vote for, these candidates’ views of National Debt and Inflation should definitely be part of someone’s decision, as all Americans hope to see an improvement in the economy.
Person Reaching For More Money Because of National Debt and Inflation. Image by Cutler Fricke.
