The presidential election happening between candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will take place on November 5th 2024. With the election underway, the policies of both candidates could have a major impact on member of the ERHS and Greenbelt community, including students, parents, and teachers. Not all students can vote, but the results affect everyone. The Raider Review is committed to bringing information on the impact of these policies and explaining what it does to the people in the building.
Kamala Harris ensures no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes. She claims she will bring back the bipartisan border security bill and sign it into law. Border security is one of her main goals along with tax cuts. Kamala Harris has also made it clear that she wants to make housing and rent affordable. Harris plans on helping first time home buyers by providing $25,000 on the down payments. Rent is also high so Harris promises to sign legislation to outlaw price fixations given by landlords. This can affect the area of Greenbelts residency and students not being able to attend school. Kamala Harris plans on reducing corporate power and stopping large companies from raising prices comfortably because of their large presence.
Trump stated in September 2023 that if reelected, he intends to implement deportation on a large scale. At the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2023, Trump said he would hire more officers and agents to carry out mass deportations. “Under my leadership, we will use all necessary state, local, federal and military resources to carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” he said. In his 2024 campaign Trump has promised mass deportations in his second term and has indicated that he could deploy the military as part of the effort. Trump says he wants tariffs on trade partners and no taxes on tips. He would like to knock the corporate tax rate down a tick. The Republican platform also promises to “defeat” inflation and “quickly bring down all prices,” in addition to pumping out more oil, natural gas and coal.
The Raider Review talked to three individuals in the building: one student voter, one student non-voter, and a teacher. What senior Kaden Ezzell (student voter) looks for in a president is “a leader who’s not afraid to defend our country when it comes down to it.” Junior Eric Nwuha (non-voter) feels as if “our country is entering a new phase. I have a responsibility to impact it.” Mr. Julian Lord, history teacher at ERHS (active voter) looks for “leadership, curiosity, and decision making with a historical framework”.
Housing is an important issue for both candidates along with interest rates. Right now mortgage rates are at a low and housing is getting less and less affordable for middle class families. Many people are housed in cities, and Nwuha feels “a lot of the responsibility of how our cities are managed are based on the local governments and the people and how they can impact the city’s streets. There is only so much the president can do. ” In light of these challenges, it’s clear that effective local governance and community engagement are crucial for creating sustainable housing solutions that support middle-class families.
Tax cuts are something that has been asked for, both candidates have made it a clear goal to install tax relief. The amount of money Americans have paid in taxes is increasing over the years, and student Nwuha added that “No matter who the president is, they have the responsibility of lowering the cost of living in this country.” Mr. Lord also stated tax cuts have “big impact, many teachers and people I know will be affected dramatically. A huge amount of people don’t have kids because of the price that comes with it.” Ultimately, addressing tax relief is essential for easing the financial burden on American families and fostering a more equitable cost of living across the country.
Inflation has increased and is an important issue for a lot of Americans. When asked on Trump’s inflation missions senior Kaden Ezzel pointed out “I mean, I don’t remember a dozen eggs costing 3 dollars or remembering gas costing almost 4 dollars a gallon when Trump was the President.” Trump plans to lower inflation quickly, but Mr. Lord stated “inflation is going to be low no matter who is in office, it is decreasing and is recovering from the pandemic.” In summary, while inflation remains a pressing concern for many Americans, a combination of effective policies and market recovery may ultimately dictate the path to economic stability, regardless of who occupies the White House.
Border Security has been a strong issue both candidates look to fix. Going into the 2024 election Kamala Harris looks to bring back bipartisan support while Trump wants mass deportation. Mr. Lord said that as a country “we need to have more pro-immigrant policies to help our country grow economically.” As the 2024 election approaches, finding a balanced approach to border security that fosters both economic growth and compassionate immigration policies will be crucial for shaping the future of our nation.
The Raider Review urges everyone to remember voting is a privilege and should be valued and used by every voter as your future and voice matters. During early voting you can vote at any early voting center in the jurisdiction where you live. On election day, you must vote at your assigned polling place. Find out more at https://vote.gov/ .
