The differences in policies between the Democratic and Republican parties, are becoming clearer as the general election campaign picks up
In the upcoming election, deciding between the Democratic nominee and the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, for the third consecutive time, is crucial for everyday Americans.
Despite the familiarity of this election, The economic and cultural issues at stake are significant for millions of Americans — and for the world.
These are some key issues that will be decided in the 2024 election and how they could potentially affect you.
The Supreme Court
The key question is whether a Supreme Court justice will retire or leave in the next four years. The winner of the presidential election, along with the Senate's majority party, would choose the replacement. With a mostly Republican Supreme Court, one party would control the highest court potentially affecting both new and existing constitutional amendments.
First Amendment: Guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
Second Amendment: Protects the right to keep and bear arms.
Fourth Amendment: Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.
Fifth Amendment: Guarantees due process of law, protection against self-incrimination, and prohibits double jeopardy.
Thirteenth Amendment: Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
Fourteenth Amendment: Defines citizenship, guarantees equal protection under the law, and prohibits states from infringing on fundamental rights without due process.
Fifteenth Amendment: Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Nineteenth Amendment: Grants women the right to vote.
Twenty-Second Amendment: Limits the president to two terms in office.
Twenty-Sixth Amendment: Lowers the voting age to 18 years old.
One major difference is the types of judges Republicans or Democrats would select for long-term positions in federal courts. For example, Republicans tend to choose conservative judges like Justice Neil Gorsuch, whom Trump appointed as his first Supreme Court pick. In contrast, Democrats often favor liberal judges like Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Health Care and Prescription Drugs
Biden, who was vice president when the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. The law, also known as "Obamacare," has extended coverage to 45 million people through subsidies, insurance mandates, and Medicaid expansion, continues to face conservative opposition.
Democratic Party aims to extend ACA provisions and ensure young adults can stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26. However, if policies change, this age limit could be lowered, affecting many young Americans' health coverage.
The Democratic Party also wants to extend Affordable Care Act provisions and empower Medicare to negotiate more prescription drugs.
Donald Trump throughout his four year president fought unsuccessfully to revoke or dismantle the law — through legislation and executive action and endorsing lawsuits to wipe it out.
In November, Trump called for revisiting plans to "terminate" the ACA.
Taxes
Trump's 2017 tax cuts expire at the end of next year, and he has called for extending them; Biden has called for raising taxes on families earning over $400,000 to fund various priorities.
A series of Trump tax cuts, which Republicans passed on a party-line basis in 2017, expire at the end of 2025.
Congress and the winner of the election will decide what happens to them.
Trump has stated his plans to continue "extending the Trump tax cuts" if he is elected, according to a Trump campaign official. That would preserve lower rates across the income spectrum, with the biggest benefits for top earners. Which lower taxes for everyone, especially the wealthy.
Biden administration has criticized these cuts, calling them favors for the rich, and wants to raise taxes on big companies and wealthy individuals.
Biden promises tax breaks for families and essential workers, and he plans a minimum tax for billionaires. If Trump's tax cuts end, deductions for state and local taxes could come back. Republicans mostly want to keep these deductions capped at $10,000, while Democrats generally want to remove the cap.
Women's Healthcare
The Democratic Party supports federal protections for abortion rights, advocating for the Women’s Health Protection Act to ensure access to abortion across all states and remove unnecessary barriers.
Trump opposes federal abortion protections, previously endorsing nationwide restrictions but now suggesting the issue should be left to states due to Republican divisions. He appointed three Supreme Court justices aiming to overturn Roe v. Wade, a goal fulfilled in June of 2022.
This shift has sparked disagreement among GOP members and anti-abortion advocates.
Abortion rights also impact mortality rates during childbirth.
Biden's stance aims to protect reproductive rights nationwide, while Trump's approach focuses on state-level decisions, reflecting ongoing party debates and differing views on federal legislation.
Global health statistics from the OECD and the World Health Organization (WHO) show that the United States has higher mortality rates compared to other wealthy countries.
Debt
In 2017 Donald Trump reduced taxes for corporations and individuals, which was intended to stimulate economic growth.
The idea to give out stimulus checks and loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic was a plan made by both the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration. At that time The Democrats were the majority in of the House of Representatives in Congress. The Senate was controlled by Republicans.
The legislation for these economic relief measures were passed by Congress, and President Trump signed the bills into law.
Donald Trump advocated for reopening businesses and schools quickly, expressing concerns about the economic impact of lockdowns and restrictions.
Democrats generally support expanding loan forgiveness programs and making higher education more affordable.
The Republican Party tends to prioritize reducing federal involvement in student loans and promoting market-based solutions.
The Democratic Party has shown strong concern over the issue of crippling student loan debt, advocating for reforms and relief measures.
President Joe Biden has taken steps to address this, including eliminating $9.5 billion in student loan debt for borrowers.
Trade
Trump is proposing a 10% tariff on all imports, which Biden's White House opposes, arguing it could increase inflation by raising prices on goods imported into the U.S.
Trump, long a skeptic of U.S. trade deals, has proposed to impose a 10% tariff on all imported goods if he returns to the White House. He recently told Fox News that it could be 60% — or potentially “more than that” — on imports of Chinese goods.
Biden opposes that idea. In a memo over the weekend, the White House slammed the idea of "across-the-board tariffs that would raise taxes and prices by $1,500 per American family,"
Gas prices are rising because more people are driving, oil costs are higher, and refineries are undergoing regular maintenance," according to a AAA news release. AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross added, "Recent attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure by Ukraine and growing tensions in the Middle East have also pushed oil prices up."
Biden pushed boosting domestic manufacturing through federal investments in semiconductors and electric vehicles.
Foreign Policy and NATO
Biden has given Billions of dollars to Ukraine in order to aid their war against Russia and believes this is strengthening NATO to defend against countries like Russia and China.
Biden supports maintaining America's "Traditional" role in world affairs.
Trump is skeptical about aiding Ukraine and has criticized NATO, preferring a more non-interventionist approach.
Trump has also suggested letting Russia take action against NATO countries that don't pay their dues
Everyone is on the ballot this year. Vote like you have something to save, because you do! Let's make our voices heard for a better future together.
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