Our Election series: What They Say And What We Think
With the upcoming national elections in November, it’s important to know the economic policies and goals of each candidate in order to make an educated decision on the country’s next leader.
Candidate Policies/Goals:
Vice President Kamala Harris’ economic goals focus on improving the quality of living for the middle class, along with bolstering small businesses. On her campaign website, Harris states that she will improve quality of living for the middle class by increasing tax cuts, decreasing housing prices and increasing business competition which will lead to lower prices.
“Vice President Harris has put forward a comprehensive plan to build three million more rental units and homes that are affordable to end the national housing supply crisis in her first term,” the Harris campaign stated. “And she will cut red tape to make sure we build more housing faster and penalize firms that hoard available homes to drive up prices for local homebuyers.”
Harris’ campaign continues on regarding prices, stating that, “she will direct her administration to crack down on anti-competitive practices that let big corporations jack up prices and undermine the competition that allows all businesses to thrive while keeping prices low for consumers.”
Harris is also concerned about small businesses, stating that she “will expand the startup expense tax deduction for new businesses from $5,000 to $50,000 and take on the everyday obstacles and red tape that can make it harder to grow a small business.”
Former President Donald Trump’s economic goals focus on tax cuts, increased production of goods on American soil and increased energy production through oil production.
Regarding tax cuts, Trump’s campaign website says that “President Donald J. Trump passed record-setting tax relief for the middle class, doubled the child tax credit, and slashed more job-killing regulations than any administration had ever done before. Real wages quickly increased as a result, and median household income reached the highest level in the history of our country, while poverty reached a record low.”
When it comes to the production of goods in America, his campaign says, “President Trump confronted unfair trade practices, imposed tariffs on China that brought billions of dollars into the federal treasury, expanded American agriculture, and opened thousands of new factories. President Trump will implement a four-year national reshoring plan so that the United States no longer needs to rely on China for essential medical and national security goods and ban Chinese ownership of all critical infrastructure in the United States. We will bring back our supply chains, and build America into the manufacturing superpower of the world.”
In terms of energy and oil production, his campaign says that Trump will “unleash the production of domestic energy resources, reduce the soaring price of gasoline, diesel and natural gas, promote energy security for our friends around the world, eliminate the socialist Green New Deal and ensure the United States is never again at the mercy of a foreign supplier of energy.”
Students’ Thoughts:
Milligan students seem to agree that the current economic conditions need to change, that prices for gas, housing, and goods are too high, the unsustainability of the country’s growing debt, and ceasing the general inflation of living in the US.
“Basic food items are so high that some families cannot afford to buy the basics to feed their family,” said senior cross country and track team member Marinda Walls. “The cost of living as a whole needs to come down or there will be even more people out on the streets.”
Walls’ concern is a prevalent thought in Milligan students’ minds going into the upcoming election.
Some Milligan students believe that tax cuts are less important now, believing that decreasing the United States’ national debt is more pressing, which in turn, should naturally decrease the taxes.
“Both candidates seem to have similar goals and methods in their tax cuts,” said Bryant Magness, a junior majoring in biblical and theological studies. “I am not sure if tax cuts are a fiscally responsible policy in today’s economy, but both of their plans seem too similar for me to differentiate between them. Rising debt and money supply will lead to rampant inflation and the increasing destabilization of the dollar.”
Which candidate Milligan students lean more towards in regards to the country’s economy isn’t cut and dry, with students differing in opinion. For those in favor of Trump’s policies and aims, students cite evidence from his first term and compare those years to the last four under the Biden-Harris administration.
“As a business major, I respect the way he ran America, in that he ran it as a corporation instead of a democracy,” said senior Andrew Belcher.
“I agree with Donald Trump’s method more, because when he was president gas, housing, and marketing prices were nowhere near as high as they are now,” said Walls. “Donald Trump created more jobs for people during his presidency, as well.”
For believers in Harris, they agree with her goal of increasing competition within business rather than Trump’s goal of imposing high tariffs.
More opinions, including what Milligan professors think about climate change and other relevant election topics, will be discussed at the Deeper Connections Election Edition panel event.
About The Author:
Aaron Walker is a Junior at Milligan University. He is an English major with a minor in professional writing, and a member of Milligan’s Disc Golf team. He enjoys medieval fantasy novels, rock music, disc golf, spending time with family, and coffee.
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