With the upcoming election, it is important for students, faculty members, families and community members alike to make it to the polls and vote for who they wish to be the country’s leader for the next four years, either Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump. To do this, people must have an unbiased idea of where each candidate stands on many of the divisive issues polarizing our country today. Read below for each candidate’s stance on multiple issues.

History & Experience

The Democratic candidate for this year’s election, Kamala Harris, has served as a prosecutor specializing in cases of child sexual abuse, as well as San Francisco’s district attorney, where she took on issues like domestic violence and gun violence. As a United States Senator, Harris championed legislation to raise wages and bring down living costs for families. She currently serves as the Vice President of the United States under the nation’s 46th president Joe Biden.

On November 8, 2016, GOP (republican party) nominee Donald Trump was elected President in the largest Electoral College landslide for a Republican in 28 years. He had no prior political experience serving as the Nation’s 45th president.

Inflation
Harris’ biggest priority in office would be making a strong effort to reduce food and housing costs, playing in large to the base of working American families. Her promises regarding inflation include a ban on grocery price-gouging as well as devoting time and resources to help first-time home buyers.

On the other side of the polls, one of Trump’s core platform promises is to “end inflation and make America affordable again,” including a promise to deliver lower interest rates. Trump claims that deporting undocumented immigrants will ease pressure on the tense housing market.

Taxes
Harris is in favor of raising taxes on big businesses and Americans making $400,000 a year. Regarding the capital gains (the sale of an asset which has increased in value over a certain holding period) tax, Harris supports a moderate rise from 23.6% to 28% compared with Trumps’ 44.6%. She also proposes an expansion of child tax credits.

Trump is proposing a number of tax cuts worth trillions, including an extension of his 2017 cuts which, overall, aided the wealthy. Trump’s plans to raise the funds for these cuts through higher growth and tariffs on imports.

Analysts say both tax plans will add to the ballooning deficit, but Trump’s by more.

Abortion
Harris has made abortion rights central to her campaign and continues to advocate for legislation that would ensure reproductive rights nationwide.

Trump has struggled to find a consistent message on abortion.

However, Trump has stated in the past that he would Veto a federal ban on abortion. “Everyone knows that I would not support a federal abortion ban, under any circumstances, and would, in fact, veto it, because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters,” posted Trump to social media during the vice presidential debate.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that the three judges he appointed to the Supreme Court while the president played a pivotal role in overturning Roe v Wade, a 1973 ruling, which established the constitutional right to an abortion.

Harris is a proponent of restoring Roe v. Wade.

Climate
As vice-president, Harris helped pass legislation to help in the continuing fight against climate change. Among these include the Inflation Reduction Act, which has channeled hundreds of billions of dollars to renewable energy, as well as electric vehicle tax credit and rebate (a partial refund to someone who has paid too much money for tax, rent, or utility) programs.

Harris has dropped her opposition to fracking, a technique for recovering gas and oil strongly opposed by supporters of environmental conservation.

During his presidency, Trump cut back on hundreds of environmental protections, including laws limiting carbon dioxide emissions from both vehicles and power plants.

He has vowed throughout his campaign to expand on Arctic drilling and made attacks on electric cars.

Guns
It is common conception that Harris is anti-gun in every way; however, both she and her running mate, Tim Walz, are gun owners, and supporters of the second amendment. “I own a gun for probably the reason a lot of people do — for personal safety,” Harris said when she originally ran for president in 2019.

Harris is in favor of tighter gun laws and has made preventing gun violence a key base on her platform. This includes measures like expanding background checks and banning assault weapons.

Trump’s campaign “believes that every American has a God-given right to protect themselves and their family and has proven through his actions that he will defend law-abiding gun owners.”

Conclusion:

If you will be 18 before the day of the election, Tuesday, Nov. 5, register to vote, so you may have your voice heard regarding who you would like to be the next United States president.