We, the students of Northwest Academy’s Civics: Now & Then class, endorse Kamala Harris for president of the United States. We support many of her policies, including but not limited to: healthcare, affordable housing, child care, gun control and reproductive rights, as well as her support of small businesses, which we believe will assist the economy. She is also willing to foster collaboration between Democrats and Republicans, something we believe is essential for the success of our nation.
Harris has addressed public healthcare and wellness, stating that she would make it more accessible to the middle class. According to NPR, Harris is considering expanding Medicare coverage to home healthcare and capping prescription drug costs. These changes would aid Americans across all generations, cultures and classes.
Gun control is an issue that leaves many Americans concerned with their safety and security. Harris addressed this issue in a speech on September 12th where she stated that she supports an assault weapons ban and universal background checks. She also mentioned that she is a gun owner herself and said during the September 10th debate that she will not be taking away guns, despite the claims from her critics.
With abortion rights now left to the states, Harris wishes to restore the freedom of choice to individuals. During a rally at the Ellipse in Washington D.C., Harris said, “When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, as President of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.” We believe certain criticism that Harris sometimes gives roundabout, vague answers, but her statements on this issue are extremely clear.
In a nation so divided, Harris has vowed to participate in and support active discussion with both parties, uniting the American people instead of dividing them. Also at her speech at the Ellipse, Harris said, “I pledge to listen to experts, to those who will be impacted by the decisions I make and to people who disagree with me.” In her interview with 60 Minutes, Harris was told that her critics feel as though they do not know her because she has changed her views on issues such as fracking and immigration. She responded, “We can figure out compromise and understand it’s not a bad thing, as long as you don’t compromise your values.” We believe Harris is saying that she has an open mind, and is willing to change her opinion on issues when presented with sufficient evidence and reasoning. We believe she strives to better align with the values and the concerns of the American people.
Along with her beliefs and policies, Harris’ presidency has the potential to pick up where Barack Obama left off. He was the first Black president, and managed to unite citizens of both parties. If Obama opened the door, we believe Harris could break it down entirely. For minorities and the oppressed, the best a president could do is advocate against persecution and take action against hate. Harris would better represent a majority of US citizens that have previously not been represented in government.
In contrast to Harris, Donald Trump has consistently displayed selfishness in his actions both in and out of office. We believe that in order to build a contrast between the two presidential candidates, it’s important to understand Trump’s background in comparison to Harris’. Trump was born into a well-off family of successful real estate developers. Before running for president in 2016, Trump was known as a wealthy entrepreneur and TV personality. Before his presidency, Trump did not previously serve in the military or hold an elected position in government. In comparison to Trump, Harris grew up in a middle class family and has worked as a prosecutor, served as a United States senator and now vice president. It is our belief that the President of the United States should be qualified to serve, in the sense that they have a background in either the military, the law or politics.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has spread lies again and again, most recently on the topic of tariffs. We think it is absurd that a previous president and current presidential candidate doesn’t understand how tariffs, a crucial topic of his campaign, actually function. According to Heather Cox Richardson, Trump has said he would impose a tariff of 10% – 20% on all foreign goods, and a 60% tariff on goods from China. He said that the increased money would be paid to the U.S. by the foreign country, when in reality the consumer would pay the excess.
When asked about healthcare in the September presidential debate, Trump said that after nine years he had only “concepts of a plan,” a concerning fact considering how much time has passed.
Trump has refused to say whether or not he would support a nationwide ban on abortion, which would set a precedent for further restrictions on women’s rights and bodily autonomy for all Americans. Similarly, we believe the Trump-Vance campaign has made several terrifying statements about rights for transgender people, especially pertaining to gender-affirming care for trans youth, a topic already under political fire.
Trump is anti-hope in a way that strips away the confidence of the American people. At an October 24th rally in Arizona, Trump called our country “a garbage can for the world.” Living in this country should not have to be miserable. As a school with a large LGBTQ+ population, we think the idea that Trump sees queer people as a result of “left-wing indoctrination,” as stated in his agenda.
We believe this election should be one in which the parties come together. Regardless of policy, Donald Trump has 34 felony convictions and has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women. Furthermore, some of the most worrisome rhetoric Trump has spread is that he actually won the 2020 election. This blatant disregard for the basic functioning of democracy and refusal to acknowledge the truth should scare any citizen who cares about the core American values of freedom, liberty and justice for all. He has repeatedly mentioned attacking the “enemy within,” referring to other government officials from opposing political parties. His insistence on fighting his political opponents and using military force to suppress our citizens is reminiscent of many dictators, both past and present.
We also cannot stand behind Trump’s hateful rhetoric. Last year, at a New Hampshire rally, Trump said, “They’re poisoning the blood of our country,” referring to immigrants. He further said on his social media website, Truth Social, that “illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation. They’re coming from prisons, from mental institutions — from all over the world.” These should not be the words of a president.
We believe it is a voter’s responsibility to consider how their vote will affect their life and how their choice of candidate could impact the lives of millions of people across the country. This is why it is of utmost importance that every American citizen of voting age exercise this right. Vote for Kamala Harris, but more significantly, go vote. Your voice is indispensable to our democracy.
Photo: “Kamala Harris” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
