With the 2024 election quickly approaching, it’s important to understand the different platforms that our two presidential candidates are campaigning on. As college students, many of us are new voters and need to be informed about exactly who, and what, we are voting for. Here are some political issues important to our generation and where this year’s candidates stand.
- The Housing Crisis
Harris-Walz Campaign
This campaign pushes for more affordable housing. The Harris-Walz campaign has created a detailed housing plan that, if passed, would significantly impact the housing crisis. This plan heavily relies on bipartisan supply solutions, rent price fixing and down payment assistance. The Harris-Walz campaign explains in detail what each of these and many others mean, specifically regarding the current housing crisis.
Trump-Vance Campaign
The Trump-Vance campaign has yet to make an official plan to combat the housing crisis, but a campaign official has said that Trump would encourage construction farther away from urban areas where there is cheaper land. In 2020, he also stated that he would be against building affordable housing near suburban areas to avoid a dystopian reality of low-income housing and suburban housing being near each other.
- Taxes
Harris-Walz Campaign
The Harris-Walz campaign proposes to introduce more tax benefits for families. This would include tax credits such as the Child Tax Credit and Earned Tax Credit. However, those with a higher income in the top 5% would see a bigger amount taken out of their paychecks.
Trump-Vance Campaign
The Trump-Vance campaign aims to extend the 2017 tax cuts and possibly provide breaks to retirees. Those profiting the most out of these tax cuts would be high-income Americans.
CBS News has created a breakdown of how income would change based on your income group and under the different administrations using a new analysis from the Penn Wharton Budget Model.
- Student Loan Debt
Harris-Walz Campaign
As vice president, Harris has supported the Biden administration in forgiving student loan debt. She has consistently supported this initiative since her presidential campaign in 2019. She has also stated that she supports debt-free college and income-based loan payments.
Trump-Vance Campaign
This campaign has supported efforts to provide no student loan forgiveness. During his term as president, Trump supported the elimination of debt relief programs through the Education Department. Based on recent comments made, it seems that these cuts will be even more expansive during his second term.
- Israel/Gaza
Harris-Walz Campaign
While the Biden administration has been clear in its support of Israel, Harris might take a slightly different approach if she is to be elected as president. One example of her separating from Biden’s approach was her choice not to attend Netanyahu’s address to Congress. She has called for a temporary ceasefire due to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, but has also argued for Israel’s right to defense against Hamas.
Trump-Vance Campaign
Trump has not said much about this conflict but has routinely claimed his support for Israel. He has emphasized that Israel must have a victory and has claimed that Israel is losing its power as the war in Gaza continues. He also would pursue a zero-tolerance policy for protests, much like the ones seen on college campuses in recent months.
- Reproductive Rights
Harris-Walz Campaign
This campaign is in favor of restoring the nationwide protections of Roe v. Wade. Harris has brought various reproductive rights advocates along on her campaign tour as well. Harris has stated during her time as Vice President that it is a fundamental freedom to make decisions about one’s own body and has emphasized the need for protection of reproductive rights.
Trump-Vance Campaign
The Trump-Vance campaign would support states’ rights on abortion procedures instead of a federal ban, but Trump has also contradicted this and stated that he would be in favor of a nationwide ban. Trump has also said that he “proudly takes credit” for the overturning of Roe v. Wade after appointing three conservative judges to make up the majority of the Supreme Court.
The 2024 presidential candidates present vastly different platforms across a variety of key issues. As voters, it is essential to understand these differences to make an informed decision in the upcoming election, which will shape the future of our nation.
To register to vote, visit vote.gov. To learn how to send in an absentee ballot, visit vote.org.