Red or blue. Elephant or donkey. Republican or Democrat. Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Voters around the country had to make the decision who they want to vote for President of the United States. In a tight race, former president Donald Trump won the election with a total of 312 electoral votes. This will be his second term in the White House, and people certainly have had mixed reactions to the outcome of this heated election.
President-elect Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946, making him 78 years of age. Vice president Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964. She is 60 years old. The 18-year age difference between the candidates sparked debates among voters. How old is too old? While some voters believe that Trump is both mentally and physically able to be President, others believe his age and limited cognitive abilities will be his downfall. Will Trump rise to the occasion, or will his age drag him down?
Many voters were concerned about the economy. With inflation hitting an all-time high, voters had to consider which candite would bring the prices down and the stock market up. Harris said she and her vice president pick Tim Walz would provide tax cuts for 100 million Americans. Harris proposed to restore the American Rescue Plan’s expansion of the child tax credit to $3,600 as well as increase minimum wage to $15 an hour. Trump has his own ideas on how to reduce the cost of living in the United States. He proposed to cap credit card interest rates at 10% temporarily. Trump also said he would strive to get tax credits to family caregivers. Both candidates also had many other ideas to boost the economy, both good and bad. Voters around the nation had to decide which candidate would be best to fit their financial needs.
One of the biggest issues among young voters was reproductive rights. In June of 2022, Roe v. Wade was overturned, ending the constitutional right to abortion and leaving the decision to each state. Since then, 21 states have either completely banned or restricted abortion. Harris promised to restore Roe v. Wade, making abortion a constitutional right again. However, President-elect Trump has been inconsistent on his stance on reproductive freedom. It has been reported Trump has said that there should be “some form of punishment” for women seeking an abortion, but he also said he would veto a federal abortion ban. However, his actions say otherwise. Trump allegedly claimed he had “no regrets” when appointing Supreme Court justices that eventually overturned Roe v. Wade. Voters ultimately had to pick the candidate that best supported their views on reproductive rights, and it seems the majority voted for Trump.
There are endless issues voters considered, such as gun reform laws, the economy, LBGTQ+ rights, education, abortion, and democracy. While the nation is divided, it seems the voters have decided. Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated on January 20, 2025. No matter who each citizen chose to cast their vote for, I think everyone can agree that this country needs to be steered in the right direction. Hopefully Trump can meet the needs of the people in these next 4 years so Americans don’t regret their decision.
