Photo Sources: KAMALA HARRIS and DONALD TRUMP
Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: this election may be one of the most controversial we have had in years. Many people have heard different details and opinions about the candidates. However, these pieces of information may have been biased, as the source of the information may only be promoting “their” candidate and disparaging the other. We have compiled information from the candidates’ websites and both the Republican and Democratic National Committees to detail the positions, policies, and goals as stated by the political parties and the candidates themselves.
Who Are They and What Are They Running As?
Donald Trump, a Republican and the former president who was in office from 2017-2021, is running again. Republicans usually vote for policies such as “liberty, economic prosperity, preserving American values and traditions, and restoring the American dream for every citizen of this great nation.”
Kamala Harris, the second woman to run for President of the United States and the current Vice President for President Joe Biden, is a Democrat. Typically, Democrats tend to advocate for the beliefs “that the economy should work for everyone, health care is a right, our diversity is our strength, and democracy is worth defending.”
What Will They Do For Our Country?
Kamala Harris has promised to “support small businesses and invest in entrepreneurs as president.” She is planning to “fight to end veteran homelessness, [invest] in mental health and suicide prevention efforts, and [eliminate] barriers to employment and expanding opportunity for military and veteran families.” She has a “plan [that] more than 100 million working and middle-class Americans will get a tax cut.”
Donald Trump says that he “will eliminate Taxes on Tips for millions of Restaurant and Hospitality Workers, and pursue additional Tax Cuts.” He also says that “Republicans will shift resources back at-home Senior Care, overturn disincentives that lead to Care Worker shortages, and support unpaid Family Caregivers through tax credits and reduced red tape.” Also, according to Republican National Committee platform, “Republicans will champion the First Amendment Right to Pray and Read the Bible in school, and stand up to those who violate the Religious Freedoms of American students.”
Clashing Views: What are their differences?
Economy:
When asked what he will do about the economy, Donald Trump said “our America First Economic Agenda rests on five pillars: Slashing Regulations, cutting Taxes, securing Fair Trade Deals, ensuring Reliable and Abundant Low Cost Energy, and championing Innovation.” Kamala Harris’s plan for the economy is to make the “top economic priorities . . .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.”
Immigration:
Kamala Harris, when asked about the borders and border crossings, says “she will bring back the bipartisan border security bill and sign it into law.” When asked about the border, Donald Trump said that “we will complete the Border Wall, shift massive portions of Federal Law Enforcement to Immigration Enforcement, and use advanced technology to monitor and secure the Border.”
Abortion:
Trump promises that “we will oppose Late Term Abortion, while supporting mothers and policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments).” Harris claims that “as president, she’ll continue to lead the fight to restore reproductive freedom and protect women’s access to health care, with a new law that guarantees the right to an abortion nationwide.”
Gun Rights:
There are several components when asked this question, so sentence amount does not represent bias. Kamala Harris’s plan on gun rights is that “she’ll ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require universal background checks, and support red flag laws that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. She will also continue to invest in funding law enforcement, including the hiring and training of officers and people to support them, and will build upon proven gun violence prevention programs that have helped reduce violent crime throughout the county.” Donald Trump’s history with gun rights is that “in 2019 […] he supported red-flag laws after the mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso.” Donald Trump said that “‘[W]e have to keep the guns out of the hands of those that pose the threat. And this really includes background checks.” However, both were taken down due to the National Rifle Association. Donald Trump “proposed a tax credit for teachers who want a concealed carry weapon on school grounds and who want training.” He later clarified his position with a tweet that only a small number of teachers should carry guns. According to the Washington Post, He has “also changed rules in 2020 to allow gun manufacturers to sell arms to foreign buyers more easily”.
LGBTQIA+ Rights:
Donald Trump plans to “keep men out of women’s sports, ban Taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from promoting gender transition, reverse Biden’s radical rewrite of Title IX Education Regulations, and restore protections for women and girls.” Kamala Harris’s view on the LGBTQIA+ community is that “she’ll fight to pass the Equality Act to enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in health care, housing, education, and more into law.”
While this list of the candidates’ positions is not comprehensive, it gives an unbiased place to start when investigating each candidate in this momentous election.
