Photo courtesy of Library of Congress

The upcoming US presidential election is approaching, and there is an influx of information – some of which is false – about each of the two most popular candidates on the internet. As the political divide deepens in America, voters look for the information they need to support their choices. A thorough understanding of each candidate's policies is necessary to make an educated decision on which candidate to support. Off Radar compiled a simple guide/starter pack of facts about the presidential candidates' policies and controversies. 

The Democratic Candidate: Vice President Kamala Harris  

On July 21, Incumbent President Joe Biden resigned from the 2024 election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him on the Democratic ticket. As other high profile Democrats endorse her, Harris seems to be America’s new democratic nominee. Here’s where she stands on America’s most pressing issues: 

Abortion: Harris supports protecting Roe v. Wade, which was overturned in 2022. 

Climate Change: Harris supported Biden’s climate efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Moreover, prior to her position as vice president, as a senator she was an early co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, Representative Ocasio Cortez’s blueprint for transitioning the country to 100% clean energy. In 2023, she said, “It is clear that the clock is not just ticking, it is banging.”

Economic Policy: Harris supports funding for small businesses, keeping auto supply chains in America, and tax credits for lower-income families. During the last presidential campaign, she opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and said she would have voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) due to its lack of protection for American workers. Harris said, “I would not have voted for NAFTA because I believe we can do a better job to protect American workers.”

Immigration: Harris supports addressing the root causes of immigration in Latin American countries and funded pledges to support these communities. This past March, Harris said, “We are very clear, and I think most Americans are clear, that we have a broken immigration system, and we need to fix it.”

Palestine/Israel: Harris calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. She supports a two-state solution. 

Incarceration: Harris calls for ending mandatory minimum sentences and the death penalty. 

Controversies: Harris served as a prosecutor, district attorney, and state attorney general in California before being elected to the Senate. While Harris argues that she has progressive views on prison reform, she comes under harsh scrutiny due to her previous position as a prosecutor by progressive supporters and politicians alike. Despite this scrutiny, Harris’ 2016 presidential campaign released a criminal justice reform plan supporting the progressive ideals she claims to support.

The Republican Candidate: Former President Donald Trump

Despite his scandalous career involving alleged sexual assaults and controversial tweets, Former President Donald Trump remains popular amongst the Republican party after his presidential term and reelection campaign in 2020 – leading him to snag the party's nomination. Known for his catchphrase, "Make America Great Again," he single-handedly redefined and continues to serve as the figurehead of what it means to be a modern-day Republican. Here are his stances on America's most important issues: 

Abortion: While in office, Trump effectively overturned Roe v Wade, leaving abortion rights up to each individual state. In doing so, he limited many women's access to safe and legal abortion.

Climate Change: During his presidency, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement and overturned several of Obama-era environmental regulations. These policies, such as the Clean Power Plan, sought to reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy.  He referred to climate change as a “hoax.”

Economic Policy: During his presidency, Trump preached building up the U.S. economy through tax cuts, increasing import tariffs, and repealing the Affordable Care Act, previously signed into law by President Obama, in an attempt to remove the federal government’s influence in healthcare. 

Immigration: Trump described migrants as, “poisoning the blood of our country.” He supports a strong crackdown on immigration, and had the slogan “Build the Wall,” during his 2016 presidential campaign. 

Palestine/Israel: Trump is relatively quiet about the war in Gaza, but enacted several pro-Israel policies while formerly in office. Regarding the war and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said, "I want him to finish it up and get it done quickly. You got to get it done quickly,"

Incarceration: While in office, Trump signed The First Step Act into law. This act aimed to solve American mass incarceration, an issue that until that point was pushed aside.  

Controversies: Trump is the first ever President to be impeached twice. In 2020, after losing the election, Trump refused to concede, claiming the election was rigged against him. His use of Twitter (or X) is deemed controversial due to the unedited nature of the content. Moreover, this past May, a jury found the former President guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a hush money payment to an adult film star.