2024 Election Coverage: Policy News

Trump’s Policies vs. Harris’ Policies

Next week, Americans will vote in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and decide who will be the president for the next four years. To make an informed decision on whom to vote for, it’s important to understand the prospective policies of each candidate and consider how they align with your views. Below, you can find both Vice President Harris and former President Trump’s policy proposals on certain issues. 

Economic Policy

HARRIS: In her campaign, Vice President Harris has emphasized that she wants to create an “opportunity economy.” Her campaign goals include banning grocery price gouging, constructing millions of new homes, lowering drug prices, canceling billions of dollars of medical debt, and making the child tax credit permanent.  

TRUMP: Former President Trump made many promises on economic policy during his campaign, including a promise to “make inflation vanish completely.” He campaigned on ending taxes on tips, ending taxes on Social Security Income, lowering the corporate tax rate, and increasing tariffs, most of which would actually increase the rate of inflation. 

Immigration Policy 

HARRIS: Vice President Harris believes legislative reform is needed to make the US Immigration system fairer and more efficient. She has emphasized that she will continue prosecuting criminals who attempt to enter the country, including cartels and gangs. She has also campaigned on increasing security and drug detection technology at the border. 

TRUMP: Former President Trump has stated multiple times that he plans to carry out the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history” (Peterson Institute). This would include allowing ICE to raid workplaces, allowing the National Guard to deport unauthorized migrants, and overturning protections for migrant children. He has also said that he will continue building a wall along the border with Mexico, something which he promised would be completed in his first term. 

Policy on Reducing Gun Violence

HARRIS: Vice President Harris has supported reinstating the 1994 ban on assault weapons, as well as a ban on high-capacity magazines. She currently leads the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which aids communities that have been affected by gun violence and works to implement comprehensive safety legislation. If elected, she plans to carry on the firearm policies of the Biden Administration. 

TRUMP: Former President Trump has promised to eliminate all of the Biden Administration’s gun safety regulations. He has supported incentives for teachers to carry firearms, as well as adding metal detectors and armed officers to schools. He continues to emphasize his unconditional support of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. 

Healthcare Policy

HARRIS: Vice President Harris recently promised to extend Medicare coverage to home care and to extend Medicaid coverage to postpartum mothers. She also supports codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade into law, strengthening HIPAA protections, and passing the Equality Act, which would provide protections for LGBTQ+ patients. 

TRUMP: Former President Trump has not stated many specific plans for healthcare, but has expressed his desire to weaken the Affordable Care Act. He believes that decisions on reproductive healthcare should be left up to the states, and has proposed abolishing the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy. 

Climate Change Policy

HARRIS: Vice President Harris has stated that climate change is a serious threat and that the government must take action to address it. She has proposed greater reliance on clean energy sources but does not support ending the production of oil and gas. She plans to continue the environmental policies of the Inflation Reduction Act, which include increased funding for conservation programs, supporting clean energy manufacturing, and tax credits for those who purchase electric vehicles. 

TRUMP: Former President Trump has repeatedly stated that he believes global warming is a “hoax” and has repeatedly mocked those concerned about climate change and rising sea levels. He has said that technologies intended to reduce emissions, including electric vehicles and renewable energy, are negatively affecting the economy and causing gas prices to rise, which is false. He has not outlined any plans for addressing climate change.  

Trump’s Threat to Abolish the Department of Education 

Last month, at a campaign rally in Wisconsin, former President Trump promised to abolish the federal Department of Education. He stated his desire to stop “the abuse of [Americans’] taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth”, and “drain the government education swamp” (CNN). Later, in an interview with Fox News, he mentioned that if “liberal states” like California did not teach curriculum in a way that he liked, he would cut their federal education funding. 

The Department of Education manages the FAFSA (federal student aid program,), the Pell Grant program, and the federal student loan program. It's unclear what would happen to these programs if the Department of Education was abolished, but college students with financial needs would likely face many difficulties if they wanted to attend college. The Department of Education also administers federal funding to elementary, middle, and high schools. This includes Title 1 funds, which help children from low-income families, and funds to meet the needs of students with disabilities. It is also responsible for investigating discrimination in schools and strengthening protections for students of color and LGBTQ+ students. 

Abolishing the Department of Education would mean that funding and rules for education would be completely controlled by individual states. While wealthier states would likely be able to support all of their student's needs, poorer states would likely not be able to provide adequate resources and funding. Standardized curriculums would likely also be eliminated, meaning that many students would have concerning gaps in their education. All of these changes, in turn, would make it much harder for students to pursue higher education, which would widen socioeconomic disparities. Although it's unlikely that Congress would approve Trump’s proposal to eliminate the Department of Education, unless Congress comes under a strong Republican majority, it would result in catastrophic effects for students across the United States.