Top ten electoral priorities for Trump and Harris

The 2024 US presidential election is defined by two diametrically opposed visions, represented by Republican candidate Donald Trump and incumbent vice president, Democrat Kamala Harris. Each proposes contrasting solutions to the challenges facing the US, from the economy and immigration to education and social reform.

Through the lens of an analysis of the ten electoral priorities in the programs of the two main candidates for the position of president of the USA, we note the following:

- On the economy and taxation, while Donald Trump aims for a nationalistic economic approach, including cutting taxes on middle and high incomes and imposing high import tariffs on Chinese products, with the idea of supporting American manufacturing and diminishing China's economic influence, Kamala Harris promotes a policy of progressive taxation, favoring higher taxes on the wealthy and reinvesting in infrastructure and green energy to create new jobs and sustainable economic growth.

- Related to the massive illegal immigration the US is facing, if Donald Trump advocates for drastic measures, including the elimination of the DACA program - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, introduced in 2012 by President Barack Obama) and the ban on immigrant access illegals on welfare, along with tighter border security, Kamala Harris supports reforms to ensure a legal path to citizenship for immigrants and keep DACA active, focusing on a humane and inclusive approach.

- In foreign policy, Donald Trump maintains his isolationist position by continuing the "America First" policy, including withdrawing from international agreements and introducing restrictions on foreign investment. Instead, Kamala Harris advocates for international cooperation and strong alliances to combat global issues such as climate change and promote human rights. On foreign policy, the two candidates presented distinct visions of US relations with the European Union and NATO allies.

Former President Donald Trump has been critical of NATO in the past, demanding that European allies increase their defense spending and threatening to withdraw the US from the alliance if those demands are not met. In the current presidential campaign, Trump has reiterated his intention to impose additional tariffs on EU imports, arguing that this would protect American economic interests. He also expressed a desire to renegotiate trade agreements with the EU to get more favorable terms for the US, according to an article published by the Financial Times. Regarding NATO, New York Post journalists claim that Donald Trump emphasized the need for member states to meet their financial commitments and suggested that, in their absence, the US might reconsider the level of involvement in the alliance. This position has raised concerns among European allies about the US commitment to collective security.

Instead, Kamala Harris advocated strengthening transatlantic relations and strengthening traditional alliances. According to the Associated Press, Harris emphasized the importance of NATO as a pillar of global security and reaffirmed the US commitment to collective defense. Kamala Harris highlighted the need for close cooperation with the EU in areas such as climate change, cyber security and international trade.

In a recent debate, Harris criticized Trump's approach to NATO and pointed out that under his leadership the US would continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, noting that a Trump administration could force Ukraine to cede territory.

- In Health, Donald Trump wants to repeal Obamacare (The popular name for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010 under President Barack Obama. The main purpose of this law is to make health insurance more affordable and fair for American citizens, especially for those with low incomes and without access to insurance through an employer) and reducing state involvement in health insurance. In contrast, Kamala Harris wants to expand access to health insurance through a public option, accessible to all citizens.

- Donald Trump does not agree with green plans to combat climate change, and therefore, in this area, the Republican candidate promotes conventional energies, wanting to abandon the implementation of emissions regulations and stop wind and solar energy projects. Instead, Kamala Harris advocates massive investments in renewable energy and strictes goales like emission reduction measures to combat climate change.

- Related to US Criminal Justice reform, the former US president wants to prioritize punitive measures and support law enforcement, with less emphasis on reform. In contrast, former U.S. Attorney Kamala Harris, current Vice President of the United States, advocates for criminal justice reform, including reducing sentences for non-violent crimes and promoting rehabilitation.

- In terms of social policies and civil rights, Donald Trump has a conservative stance, intending to limit LGBTQ+ rights and ban certain medical interventions related to gender identity. His opponent, Kamala Harris supports the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights and supports measures to prevent discrimination.

- On Education, Trump supports charter schools and homeschooling, with a diminished role for the federal government in public education, while Kamala Harris prioritizes public education funding and supports inclusion and diversity in the education system.

- Regarding telecommunications and especially the Internet, Donald Trump proposes to restrict the influence of social platforms and limit foreign investment in American technology. Kamala Harris, however, advocates for increased regulation of large technological platforms, to protect personal data and combat disinformation.

- One of the ten priorities is the electoral reform promised by both candidates, but in different ways. Thus, while Donald Trump supports the introduction of a single voting day and the elimination of voting by mail to combat so-called electoral fraud, Kamala Harris wants to expand access to voting through automatic registration and supporting voting by mail.

These above differences underscore the two candidates' opposing visions of America's future, marking a crucial choice for the direction the country will take. That's why today's vote is so important to the future direction of the US.