News

Columnists make final arguments for each candidate

Atlas Coble and Damon Smith • November 8, 2024

Svet foto

Whether you want to make American great again or stick to the status quo of what’s comfortable, Americans are digging deep to determine which candidate offers the right path forward for the United States of America. Click each box below to read two columnists’ opinions on why your vote should go to their preferred candidates.

Harris vs. Trump

Kamala Harris

By Atlas Coble

In 2010, Kamala Harris was elected as the first woman to be a San Francisco district attorney which she served till 2017. She was elected into the U.S. Senate in 2016 till 2020 when she became the vice president of President Joe Biden. Throughout her years in several different government positions, she has proven that she is fit for the presidency of the United States. Many of her policies are focused on providing for all American citizens. Her background of growing up as a middle-class woman gave her insight into the average American’s day-to-day life.
Many people can agree that the prices of goods in this country are unaffordable. Many working-class families cannot afford to even feed their children while billionaires are the ones with tax cuts.
During a National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) meeting in Philadelphia on September 17th, Harris said, “My plan is that no family, no working family, should pay more than 7% of their income in childcare because I know that when you talk about the return on that investment, allowing people to work, allowing people to pursue their dreams, in terms of how they want to work, where they want to work, it benefits us all. It strengthens the entire economy.”
Compare the two major policies between Trump and Harris regarding inflation. Harris wants to impose taxes on billionaires to stabilize the economy. At the same time, she wants to enforce strict laws on price-gouging (the unreasonable increase of pricing on goods and services) to prevent the company owners from simply increasing the prices of goods to make up for the loss of money.
However, Trump is insistent on imposing tariffs on Chinese goods. He frequently claims in interviews and debates that foreign countries will pay for the tariffs, but according to NewsNation’s article “Trump and Harris on food prices: Promises vs. reality,” the importers (American companies) are the ones who pay these tariffs. Without a proper price-gouging law, the companies will raise prices for the American people to make up for their lack of profit.
As the war between Israel and Palestine continues, innocent Israelis and Palestinians have both suffer due to the actions of terrorist organizations that they had nothing to do with. Harris has made her stance clear that as an ally of Israel, the United States must support them and that Israel has a right to defend themselves against Hamas, but that a ceasefire is needed to save lives.
In the 60 Minutes interview with Harris, she stated, “Well, let’s start with October 7th; 1,200 people were massacred, 250 hostages were taken, including Americans. Women were brutally raped, and as I said then, I maintain Israel has a right to defend itself, we would, and how it does so matters. Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. This war has to end.”
Her call for a ceasefire would result in Israeli and Palestinian lives being saved, as the war has caused too much bloodshed amongst the innocent civilians on both sides.
Harris has made her support for healthcare, such as abortion, very clear. She has stated in several interviews and rallies that she is against the overturning of Roe v. Wade and that she believes in trusting women on what to do with their bodies.
In a rally held in Atlanta, Georgia, Harris stated, “The idea that someone who survives a crime of violence to their body, a violation of their body, would not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next. That’s immoral. That’s immoral. And let us agree, and I know we do, one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do. If she chooses, if she chooses, she will talk with her pastor, her priest, her Rabbi, her Imam, but it should not be the government or Donald Trump telling her what to do with her body.”
Vice President Kamala Harris has a plan, while former President Donald Trump stated in the presidential debate that he only has “a concept of a plan.”

Donald Trump

By Damon Smith

President Donald Trump had a strong term in 2016, ultimately leading to a failed re-election in 2020. However, Trump is looking for redemption in his return to glory. After being publicly shot at, Trump is gunning for the Oval Office, proposing to eliminate taxes on tips, extend tax cuts enacted in 2017, end income taxes on social security benefits, doubling down on the repeal of Roe v. Wade, and promising to make the greatest deportation efforts in American history. Trump plans to win the 2024 election and “Make America Great Again”.

Trump ultimately led the United States of America to a 3.5% unemployment rate, Average weekly earnings for all workers was up 8.4% after inflation, and home ownership increased 2.1% to 65.8%. Meanwhile, this past term in office, the Democratic party could only keep the unemployment rate down to 4.1%, the average weekly earnings from all workers was down 18%, and home ownership remained similar at 65.6%.

Today, America needs a leader who is connected to its people and can make good decisions in tense situations. Trump surprisingly appeared on the popular Bryson DeChambaux YouTube series “Break 50”, ultimately shooting a staggering 22 under par with Dechambaux. This appearance took the golfing world by storm, racking up over 12 million views. During this round to Break 50, Trump snuck some political comments in when he said, “You want your president to be clutch don’t you?”. Trump making an appearance on Dechambaux’s channel was a glimpse into the mind of President Trump, showing the world the more human side of politics. This helps Trump's political campaign because the YouTube audience is an extremely wide demographic, helping Trump reach most of, if not all, communities throughout the country in one day. Even if you didn’t see the video, you’ve more than likely heard of or been exposed to bits and clips of it.

Trump plans to finish his wall along the southern border while planning to enact the largest deportation attempt in U.S, history. According to the BBC, since Biden took over in January 2021, there have been over “10 million ‘encounters’ with migrants - these include people who attempted to cross illegally and people who tried to enter legally but were deemed inadmissible,” compared to Trump’s 2.4 million. However, Trump’s wall construction was an extremely large reason U.S. border control has had so many more encounters in the past four years. If Trump is re-elected, we will most likely see the wall fully built, eventually leading to much less illegal immigration through the southern U.S. border. Once this wall is complete, wages will increase for all citizens. Immigrants will no longer be able to compete for jobs at a lower wage because they will have to be here legally and pay taxes, just like all the other law-abiding citizens.

In conclusion, Trump is the leader America needs in this time of chaos. If Trump wins this election, we will most likely see a lower tax rate on the average citizen but higher tariffs, which will affect industrial America. We will most likely see the complete construction of the wall on the southern border, stopping illegal immigration. Last but not least, we will have a strong leader who cares about the people of America. Not all the people of this country may agree with every decision Trump makes; however, that’s not his job as the president. Trump's job is to make the best decisions possible to benefit this country in the long run.
“Good times create weak men, weak men create hard times, hard times create good men, and good men create good times.” The world is currently going through some really tough times, and President Trump is the good man to lead us to good times.

Story continues below advertisement

Donate to The Bagpiper

$1000

Contributed

Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of Floyd Central High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs as well as our annual Journalism Education Association trip to Seattle