Presents highlights concerning the key issues raised during the first duel featuring Donald Trump and Kamala Harris that was part of the campaign during the 2024 presidential elections:
Taxes
While there is consensus on taxes, Trump and Harris are poles apart in terms of tax proposals:
Trump: Seeks to make permanent tax cuts enacted in the year 2017 which were favorable to all, but especially to high-income individuals. He also plans to eliminate federal taxes on Social Security payments and would implement income tax cuts across the board, but such cuts are dependent on the income levels. For instance, low-income individuals will only have slight changes while top-income earners will have great tax changes.
Harris: Advocates for a more liberal taxation model, with more aggressive tax cuts for low-income earners. For example, a household earning less than $19,600 would qualify for more tax relief under her plan than under Mr. Trump’s. Furthermore, she wants to increase the child tax credit to $6000 for families with newborns, while the Trump team wanted it to be $5000.
Inflation
Trump promised to ensure inflation stabilizes, but his methods involve introducing tariffs on all imported goods. Other experts say this could lead to higher prices and worsen inflation rather than reduce it. His approach contrasts with the current strategies designed to curb inflation in the economy.
Abortion
Advocates have not only made progress on abortion rights but have also further entrenched them by focusing on social justice.
Trump: He praised the repeal of Roe v. Wade praising its justification in some states. At no time has he condemned a blanket ban on abortion but was raising some possibility for the allowance of abortion up to about fifteen weeks. But this time he termed a 6-week abortion law ‘too extreme.’
Harris: She has exposed Trump’s tactics toward the Supreme Court and his person who pitched the justices that helped bring an end to Roe v Wade. While Harris has seen herself as being an advocate for abortion rights.
Immigration
Trump: The agenda to be reinstated includes rape as an immigration enforcement tool designed to be implemented for large-scale deportations. Birth citizenship is a factor that he has been circulating and could look to bring back the policy of separating children from parents at the border.
Harris: She has spoken out against these policies and made it clear that the United States needs some comprehensive immigration strategy, but has not yet provided such a strategy. She has managed to focus on bipartisan efforts and reform of border security.
Education
Trump has said that quite a lot of funds may be mid-cut slash from the education department. It is more of supporting charter schools which allow parents to take tax dollars and pay for private school education. He is also against critical race theory being taught in schools. Harris has spent more time on increasing equity of education opportunities and reinforcing the public education system.
Foreign Relations
Trump: He adopts a supportive internationalism in its relation to Israel and has proposed according to which it might be necessary to increase tariffs against China and additionally curb the purchase of American farming land by the Chinese. As for Ukraine, for Trump, Ukraine wants to save lives quickly and therefore achieve peace at the day’s end, though the plans of how to do so remained silent. Apart from NATO Security, he is said to be prepared to criticize NATO.
Harris did not focus on this policy area during the debate; however, over the years, Harris has embraced Ukraine as part of his vision, reinforcing the old NATO accords. She might also still focus on the level of values attached to human rights regarding China and Russia.
These are just some of the key arguments that turn out to be highly controversial in the mouths of both candidates while shaping policies for the United States and its population’s future.
