Election 2020 - Know Your Candidates

With the 2020 Presidential Election drawing near, it is important for voters to be informed on who will be on the ballot. With election week taking place on Nov. 3, we take a closer look at the canadines campaign platforms.

 On the Democratic side the presidential candidate is former Vice President Joe Biden, with running partner California Senator Kamala Harris running for Vice President. For the Republican side we have our current 45th President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence running for reelection. 

Every four years we see candidates from both sides of our party system running for election or running for reelection. During what is known as the ‘campaign season’ or the time leading up to the general election, we see all candidates traveling around the United States to deliver presentations at special events and speeches at party rallies. These speeches and presentations are where the American voters first glimpse what each candidate is campaigning for or ‘promising’ if elected to office. 

The Democratic candidate, former Vice President Biden, has been involved in politics for over 40 years and served as Vice President of the United States for eight years with the 44th President of the United States Barrack Obama. During this election season Biden has campaigned for equal rights, Covid-19 relief and response, the American economy, and climate change. After being accused of having no support for fracking, Biden rebutted in an article in the New York Times stating that he only, “committed to a ban on fracking on federal land,” as reported by Glenn Thrush.

Another major focus of the 2020 election is Biden’s stance on raising taxes.  Biden has stated the tax raise will only apply to individuals with an annual income above $400 thousand, and it would raise the overall tax revenue substantially.  On the topic of Covid-19, Biden is calling for the creation of a national standard.  As stated in an article written by Glenn Thrush at the New York Times, this standard would be used to determine the length and conditions of potential shutdowns, if cases continue to rise, to contain the spread of the virus in the near future.

The Republican candidate, President Donald J. Trump, is a businessman who first broke into politics when he began his campaign for the 2016 presidential election.  Throughout his campaign, President Trump has expressed total support for fracking (Glenn Thrush, NY Times) as well as a push to defund planned parenthood and make abortion illegal in the United States.  He also has questioned other sources of energy, such as wind power over fossil fuels.  In terms of Covid-19 and how it is being handled, President Trump has continuously advocated to fully reopening schools and businesses sooner rather than later to stimulate the economy and allow people to return to their places of work.

In his last four years in office, President Trump has delivered on numerous promises that outlined his 2016  winning campaign.  These accomplishments include, but are not limited to, tax cuts, reshaping the judiciary, and cutting federal regulations.  Trump has also “partially delivered” on many others, such as bringing troops home and trade deals and continues working on these issues, according to an article published by BBC News.

Biden is currently leading President Trump in the national polls (51.8% of votes), but this does not guarantee a win for him and the Democratic party the night of Nov. 3.  There are many so called “swing states” that are still up for grabs for either candidate, and this is because not every state holds the same number of electoral votes.  As of Oct. 23, Biden is winning Florida (48.8%), Pennsylvania (50.1%), Michigan (50.2%), North Carolina (49.3%), Arizona (48.9%), and Wisconsin (50.7%).  On the contrary, Trump is winning in Ohio (48.4%) and Iowa (47.3%), but these numbers still have the potential to change as reported by Ashley Kirk, a writer for The Guardian. 

It is so important for everyone planning on voting this election year to stay educated on the candidates on the ballot.  The more information gathered before voting, the more valuable the vote will feel.  Stay up to date and stay informed on the topics and policies that each candidate supports and presents to the nation. Most importantly, VOTE!

Courtesy Image from newsx.com