2024 Presidental election, beyond emotions

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, it is crucial that voters have access to factual and impartial information to make informed decisions. This article aims to provide a fact-based analysis of the realities surrounding the candidacies of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, examining their policies, beliefs, and potential impact on the country.

Turning first to Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's vice-presidential nominee, it is important to note that her record suggests a more progressive, rather than moderate, political orientation. Her tenure as a senator has been marked by more opportunistic compromises than firm stances on crucial issues, leading to a high level of uncertainty among voters about her true policy agenda (Ariska & Yanti, 2022). Specific concerns include her support for price controls, increased taxes, and a larger role for the federal government, as well as her positions on immigration and the Second Amendment, which may not resonate with many Americans (Joseph et al., 2021) (Liani et al., 2021) . Additionally, her ideas, such as funding sex-change surgeries for undocumented immigrants and allowing biological men to compete in women's sports, could alienate independent and moderate voters.

In contrast, while Donald Trump's presidency was often divisive and controversial, it is important to look beyond the rhetoric and evaluate the actual impact of his policies. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration achieved some positive outcomes, such as avoiding new wars, brokering the Abraham Accords, and implementing tax cuts and deregulation that helped boost the economy. However, the former president's response to the pandemic, as well as his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, have rightfully raised concerns about his fitness for office.

Ultimately, voters will have to weigh the merits and drawbacks of both candidates and decide which vision for America they prefer – the more traditional conservative approach of Donald Trump or the progressive agenda of the current Kamala Harris-Joe Biden administration. As with any election, it is crucial that voters base their decisions on a careful, fact-based analysis of the candidates and their policies, rather than on emotional or partisan considerations.

While Trump's policies were not always popular, they did have some positive effects. especially when compared with the last 4 years under the Biden / Harris administration, the massive spent bills by Harris / Biden, the mobilization of the justice system against Donald Trump, calling him threat to democracy, Nazi and Fascist, using the executive branch of government to block negative news about Biden such as the Hunter Biden Laptop masked as Russian disinformation introduce a true risk to the US as a democratic country.

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During Donald Trump's presidency, there were notable achievements, such as the lack of new wars, the signing of the Abraham Accords leading to improved relations in the Middle East, the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem, low inflation, and strong employment figures prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Trump's tax cuts and deregulation efforts were seen as beneficial for the economy by many Americans. Simultaneously, Trump's divisive rhetoric and his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including initially downplaying the severity of the virus and slow implementation of protective measures, have rightly raised concerns about his suitability for office.

The 2020 election was a highly contentious event, and while there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would have altered the outcome, Trump was impacted by disinformation, such as the claims regarding the Hunter Biden laptop and the Russian dossier. Trump's reactions to these perceived injustices, though understandable given his demeanor, may have been unwise. The investigation into the Biden family's involvement with Burisma, where Joe Biden allegedly withheld $1 billion in aid to Ukraine unless a prosecutor was fired, was a matter of concern that the media shifted focus away from by portraying Trump's response as an attack on democracy. Additionally, some of the actions taken by the Trump administration in the wake of the election, such as pressuring state officials to ensure a complete vote count, were controversial but not necessarily unjustified.

Ultimately, voters will have to weigh the positives and negatives of Trump's presidency and determine whether his more traditional conservative approach or the progressive vision of the current administration is better suited to lead the country forward.

Factually, the world was a safer place under Trump, the economy was better, there were no new wars, ISIS was defeated the Abraham accords were brokered, which led to warming relations between Israel and several Arab states. The human rights records were not glaring or serious, and other than Trump's unorthodox personality and combative nature, his policies were generally in line with traditional conservative values.

There is no reason to believe Trump will be an American equivalent of Hitler, no reason to believe he will be totalitarian or a dictator, nor fascist, that he's a threat to democracy simply because he was a disruptive president who challenged the status quo. (Froehlich, 2021) (Fried & Harris, 2020)

The Kamala Harris-Joe Biden administration has ushered in a markedly different vision for America, emphasizing progressive social policies, a larger federal government, and a more confrontational approach to political opposition. Voters must weigh whether they prefer Trump's more traditional conservative approach or the progressive agenda of the current administration.

Historically, extreme left-wing policies have proven problematic for many countries, as evidenced by the collapse of the Soviet Union, the economic and human rights crises in Venezuela under Chavez and Maduro, and the decline of previously successful nations like Argentina. These governments promised opportunity, social justice, and wealth redistribution, but the realities rarely matched the rhetoric, often resulting in massive suffering and generational setbacks.

So in assessing the Trump presidency and the current Harris-Biden administration, voters should look beyond the rhetoric and media narratives to the actual policies and their outcomes.

Fundamental freedoms of speech, association, and the right to bear arms are the cornerstones of a free American society. However, there are growing concerns that the left seeks to erode these rights. The rise of authoritarian tendencies, such as social media censorship, attempts to de-platform opponents, and aggressive investigations of dissenters, and the recent two assassination attempts on Trump further raise alarms about the potential direction of the country under the Biden-Harris administration.

While Trump's presidency was highly unconventional and divisive, his record includes both positive and negative aspects. Voters must carefully weigh these factors and determine whether Trump or the current administration is better positioned to lead the country forward.

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References

Ariska, E., & Yanti, Y. (2022, January 31). THE EXPRESSIVE SPEECH ACTS IN KAMALA HARRIS` VICTORY SPEECH: A STUDY OF MULTICULTURAL VALUES. , 3(1), 31-38. https://doi.org/10.37301/culingua.v3i1.105

Fried, A., & Harris, D B. (2020, October 1). In Suspense: Donald Trump’s Efforts to Undermine Public Trust in Democracy. Springer Science+Business Media, 57(5), 527-533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-020-00526-y

Froehlich, T J. (2021, September 8). A Disinformation-Misinformation Ecology: The Case of Trump. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95000

Howell, W G., & Moe, T M. (2021, January 1). America’s Crisis of Democracy. Oxford University Press, 136(1), 105-127. https://doi.org/10.1002/polq.13135

Joseph, B C., Hartanti, L P., & Leliana, A. (2021, January 1). The Use of Women’s Language Features by Kamala Harris in the Vice-presidential Debate. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211223.050

Liani, A E., Annidi, A., & Wirza, Y. (2021, January 1). Transitivity Analysis of Kamala Harris’ 2020 Presidential Victory Speech Concerning COVID-19. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210427.002

Neumann, R. (2008, January 1). American Democracy at Risk. SAGE Publishing, 89(5), 328-339. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172170808900505