This month voters have already started submitting their ballots, with election day only a couple days away on November 5th. California is expected to be a blue state this upcoming election, but what about core battleground states?
There are 7 states that will be making the last call in this upcoming election: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are heavily divided on public policies from environmental justice, economy, progressive healthcare to immigration.
Now, amidst economic and political backlash of Biden’s administration aid to Israel, many are hesitant with Kamala Harris. Some people completely opted out voting for either candidates, many fear this may ultimately lead to swing states turning red. Despite this, it’s a consensus that general US policy has supported Israel since 1948, and will continue regardless of lip service or national debt.
There’s high tension in the air — the difference of winning just one battleground like Pennsylvania is what makes or breaks the tie — all only decided by these key distinctions and voter participation. Clearly, large populations are heavily affected by these key distinctions in progressive public policy. For example, climate change, particularly marginalized communities whose land is being fracked on, being the first to feel disproportionate impacts of health disparities and biodiversity loss.
These concerns are growing beyond Indigenous reservations and inner cities, “There was no state sample where the endorsement of climate anxiety came in less than 75%.” stated in the Lancte Planetary Health study.
Furthermore, re-affirmation of climate anxieties for young people from all over the world, where those previously neutral have grown concerned.
“Compared with these past reports, greater proportions of Republicans in this survey endorsed negative emotions and thoughts about climate change… and plans to vote for political candidates who support aggressive climate policies.” also reported in the Lancte Planetary Health study.
Although for Democrats there’s new uneasiness seeing Kamala’s Harris policy changes surrounding banning fracking natural gasses recently changed, some argue to win the swing states. However, Harris is expected to build off Biden’s $7.3 billion clean energy investments, further expand green technology transition, and promised holding polluters accountable with high fees for not following proper regulations.
Meanwhile, for Republicans’ presidential candidate, Trump, during presidency used to refer to climate change as a “Hoax”, last September calling it “one of the greatest scams of all time,” still remains reluctant to the seriousness of temperatures rising. Today, he plans to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement, weakening regulation, and putting an end to federal support for the clean energy transition to expand natural gas production.
Alongside the millions waiting for climate policies, the economy is 93% of Trumps’ supporters’ top issue, contrary to 68% of Harris’ supporters according to the Pew Research Center.
Harris wants to raise corporate tax rates to 28% from 21%, emphasizing not “a penny” more for those who make under $400,000 (progressive wealth taxes), tax cuts for first time home-owners, build upon child tax with $6000 credit for new parents, expand student-debt relief, and raise minimum wage from $7 to $15.
Alternatively, Trump plans to reduce corporate taxes to 15%-20%, tax cuts for the top 1% (extreme wealthy) receive more than $60,000 off, and dodges questions about increasing the minimum wage post his McDonald’s campaign visit.
Ultimately both presidential candidates support no tax on tips, helping small businesses, stopping housing price-gouging and preserving the stability of the economy and quality of life for the American people.
Another key ensure for the safety of the next generation of women, but murky water beneath Trump’s political stance on abortion, a double edged sword for his campaign — if he speaks against it it may lose him Republican women votes and Democratic voters upset with how Biden handled core issues like inflation. On the other hand, if he shows open support then it puts into question his conservative values. Nonetheless, in September he came out and said he opposes restrictions on birth control, make IVFs covered under insurance or government aid, would veto a national abortion ban but ultimately believes in the state’s authority to regulate.
Voters are skeptical with thoughts of project 2025 and Trump having some complicity in the overturning of Roe v. Wade by instating three of the judges who voted in-favor of Roe v Wade.
At the same time, Kamala has consistently stayed an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.
“the Biden-Harris administration has tried to limit the impact of the bans through… reiterating federal protections for abortion care under EMTALA in cases of pregnancy-related emergencies, reinforcing requirements for pharmacies to fulfill their obligation to provide access to reproductive health pharmaceuticals, enforcement of non-discrimination policies for health care providers, promulgating policies to strengthen data privacy to protect those seeking reproductive health care, and defending the FDA decision to approve mifepristone (one of the drugs used in the medication abortion regimen) and changes in how the drug can be dispensed.” stated by The Kaiser Family Foundation staff, article Harris v. Trump: Records and Positions on Reproductive Health.
On top of all the previous pressing issues, there’s still one ‘crisis’ many fear, racist rhetoric and misinformation gaining traction on social media makes border security a top priority for many American voters.
“They’re eating the dogs!” and “They’re eating the cats!” is engraved in every American’s mind currently, there are social and economic concerns of violence and jobs stolen.
Despite fact-checks with the Springfield Police Division, voters are fore-fronting their safety in who they chose to vote for with strong border control. Republicans value Trumps’ unchanging stance and plans to increase funding towards increasing policing the border with the biggest domestic deportation operation, ending birthright citizenship and birth tourism, terminating work permits for asylum workers, and up to 20 different policies.
In a Pew Research Center survey conducted from August 26th through September 2nd states, “Voters have more confidence in Trump than Harris on economic, immigration and foreign policies… (45% each) say this about Harris.”
Meanwhile, Democrats heavily value Harris’s approach offering new pathways to citizenship, government programs and aid, while securing the border. In 2019, Harris called Trump’s family separation policies a violation of human rights.
Less than a week until the president and vice-president will be officially elected, it’s all determined by how these core policies are perceived in swing states, determining our next four years. We only encourage everyone to in-depth research the laundry list of policies we couldn’t fit, remember your vote counts, and not to trust baseless claims of stolen elections
Written by Desiree Delgadillo, News-editor