The eve of one of the most influential presidential elections in history warrants a look at the policies supported by each candidate, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump. Six key issues for this election are abortion, climate, the economy, foreign policy, immigration, and LGBTQ+ Issues.
Abortion
Overview: Abortion is a highly complex and controversial talking point in the election. At its core, the issue deals with the circumstances under which abortion should be legally permitted. It involves many complex issues including morality, religion, rights, and health care.
Harris’ Stance: Harris has been outspoken on her stance to allow abortion. Her beliefs and reasons behind this idea are rooted in freedom, as she has stated she believes that everyone has the right to decide what to do with their bodies, and the government should not make the choice for the people.
Trump’s Stance: Trump has taken the opposite stance to Harris’. He has stated on multiple occasions that he believes abortion rights should be left up to states. He has praised states with restrictions on the issue, claiming that the people are deciding.
Climate
Overview: The climate issue deals with how governments, businesses, and individuals should respond to the human-caused greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming, climate disruption, and potential catastrophic climate impacts. It has recently focused on the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty, signed in 2015 and officially enforced in 2016.
Harris’ Stance: Harris backs policies that favor renewable resources. She supported the Green New Deal, which was meant to move the US to fully green energy. However, during her tenure as vice president, she moved to adopt more moderate stances. She helped implement the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided nearly $375 billion in financial incentives for electric cars and clean energy products.
Trump’s Stance: Trump favors policies that do not support renewable resources and has stated that his goal is to have the US have the cheapest energy and electricity in the world. Trump wants to increase oil drilling on public land and offer tax breaks to oil, gas, and coal production companies. He has also stated that he will exit the Paris Agreement, and eliminate regulations imposed by Biden that target energy-inefficient light bulbs, showerheads, and stoves.
Economy
Overview: The economic issues ensconced within this election are broad. Some of the core issues include inflation, taxes, tariffs which are taxes on governments for imported goods, trade, the job market, and economic inequality, to name a few. Some of the biggest debate points have focused mostly on economic inequality and inflation.
Harris’ Stance: Concerning taxes, Harris has promised tax cuts for working and middle-class households, and increasing tax credits on children. She has also proposed raising corporate taxes. The Biden-Harris administration has attempted to boost trade with allies and increase tariffs on enemies, like China.
Trump’s Stance: Regarding taxes, Trump has promised tax cuts to tipped workers, as well as cutting taxes on Social Security benefits and overtime pay. He has proposed cutting the corporate taxes, but only on companies that make their products in the US. With trade, Trump has been pushing for a dramatic increase in products and stated that he would drastically increase the tariffs on Chinese goods.
Foreign Policy
Overview: Foreign Policy is a country’s strategy for dealing with other nations. In the case of this election, foreign policy is centered around the conflicts in Ukraine, as well as the Israel/Palestine issue.
Harris’ Stance: In the case of the Israel and Gaza conflicts, Harris has stated that Israel has the right to defend itself, and has acknowledged Hamas as a terrorist organization. However, she has been vocal about the need for the protection of civilians in Gaza. Regarding the war in Ukraine, Harris has not specified her position on the issue.
Trump’s Stance: Trump has expressed support for Israel’s attempts to destroy Hamas, but has been critical of their tactics in the past. He has called for aggressive responses to pro-Palestinian riots and has threatened to revoke student visas from those who express anti-American views. In the case of Ukraine, he has issues with US support for Ukraine and has claimed he will reevaluate the purpose of the NATO alliance.
Immigration
Overview: Immigration is a complex, highly controversial debate that includes the economic, social, and political aspects surrounding non-citizens who enter the United States.
Harris’ Stance: Harris has stated she would sign into law a Senate compromise that would increase border agents, immigration judges, and asylum officers. Harris has also endorsed a comprehensive immigration overhaul, seeking paths to citizenship for immigrants in the US without legal status, as well as a faster track for young immigrants living in the country illegally who arrived as children.
Trump’s Stance: Trump has returned to the stances he took during his first term. He has promised to mount the largest deportation operation in US history, which may include the mobilization of the National Guard. He is seeking to end birthright citizenship for those born in the US to parents who resided in the country illegally. He has also promised to institute the death penalty for any migrant who kills a US citizen.
LGBTQ+
Overview: LGBTQ+ issues relate to those identifying as LGBTQ+ and include social, legal, and health-related issues.
Harris’ Stance: While Harris’ campaign does not have a specific plan to address the issue, Harris has supported the LGBTQ+ community. Through the Biden Administration, she denounced discrimination and attacks against the LGBTQ+ community.
Trump’s Stance: Trump has promised to keep transgender women out of women’s sports, and is planning to ask Congress to pass a law stating that the US only acknowledges two genders. Additionally, he wants to bar all transgender people from the military and to declare any healthcare provider that provides the changing of minor youth as no longer meeting federal health regulations.
