Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump

The US presidential election pitting Kamala Harris against Donald Trump will be one of the most closely watched political events in the world. The choice of the leader who will lead the United States in the coming years will have significant implications not only for national politics, but also for international politics due to the position the United States takes on the global political chessboard. Especially in a complex geopolitical period, the choice of one candidate over another can lead to important consequences in various contexts: for example, in relations with other major world powers such as Russia and China, in the complex network of tensions experienced by countries at war, such as Israel and Iran, or on the balance sheet within important international organizations such as NATO. An electoral process that concerns us Italians, but can be complex and nuanced for those who do not live in the United States. So here are a few key points to keep in mind to keep an informed eye on the American election. When will the elections take place? In the United States, Presidential Election Day is held every four years and falls on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In 2024, this date is November 5. On this occasion, millions of American voters go to the polls to express their preference for the nation’s next leader, who will take the reins of the country for the next four years. Some states allow early voting several weeks before Election Day. This allows voters to vote more flexibly and often helps increase turnout. There is also the option to vote by mail, a system that has expanded significantly especially since the COVID-19 pandemic as it avoids long lines and encourages greater participation. Who are the candidates? The primary elections (internal party elections) held in 2024 resulted in voters choosing two primary candidates: one from the Democratic Party and one from the Republican Party: – Kamala Harris (Democratic Party): The current Vice President of the United States, Harris has solid career in the Democratic Party, experience as a senator and attorney general of California. She is the first woman and the first person of African-American and Indian-American descent to serve as vice president. Her candidacy is supported by the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and voters who want continuity of social and environmental projects already initiated by the Biden-Harris administration. – Donald Trump (Republican Party): Former US President, he already led the country from 2017 to 2021. He is a polarizing figure, beloved by a large electoral base who value his nationalist and conservative positions, while at the same time being heavily contested for his radical politics and often incendiary remarks. Trump represents a direction of the Republican Party focused on protecting American identity and returning to traditional values. In addition to these two main candidates, other minor parties may also nominate candidates. However, the United States has a two-party system, so candidates from other factions, such as the Greens or the Libertarian Party, rarely receive enough support to significantly influence the results. How do you vote? Americans can vote in a variety of ways: – In-person voting: Many voters physically go to the polls on Election Day, where they can vote at electronic or traditional ballot drop boxes. – Early voting: A widespread practice in many states, allowing voters to cast ballots weeks before the official Election Day. This system is designed to facilitate participation and reduce pressure on polling stations. – Vote by mail: Used more and more, especially after the pandemic. Voting by mail allows voters to cast ballots from home, avoiding crowds at polling places. The method has been the subject of controversy, with supporters saying it makes voting more accessible, while opponents such as Trump himself have raised concerns about the possibility of election fraud. Kamala Harris’s Agenda Kamala Harris proposes an agenda aimed at modernizing the United States and making American society “more inclusive and sustainable.” Among the main points of her program: – Health care reform: Harris wants to expand access to public health care and make health care universal, moving closer to a model similar to Europe. Her proposals include creating a stronger version of “Medicare for All” to provide health care to the most vulnerable and lower costs of essential drugs. – Fighting climate change: Harris is a champion of an ambitious green agenda that includes significant investment in renewable energy, a transition away from coal and oil, and the creation of green jobs to support that transition. The goal is to reduce emissions by 2050 and make the United States a leader in the fight against climate change. – Civil rights and social justice: Always close to African American communities and an advocate for minority inclusion, Harris has promoted a range of measures to reduce racial, gender and sexual orientation inequalities. Her agenda includes strengthening anti-discrimination laws, supporting marginalized communities and reforming the justice system to combat social injustice. – Education and universities: Harris proposes lowering the cost of higher education and supporting public universities by making education more affordable and encouraging loan forgiveness programs for students experiencing financial hardship. Donald Trump’s Agenda Trump seeks to return to the policies that characterized his presidency, promoting a political and economic model based on the principle of “America First.” Central planks of his agenda include: – The economy: Trump wants to cut taxes on businesses and individuals while seeking to revive the economy through deregulatory measures and boosting domestic production. His approach favors economic growth based on free and less regulated markets. – Immigration: Trump maintains a hard line on immigration, proposing to continue construction of a wall on the border with Mexico and tighten border controls. The goal is to limit illegal immigration and strengthen national security. – Foreign Policy: Trump believes the United States should reduce its involvement in international affairs and focus on domestic issues. He often criticized international agreements that were considered unfavorable to the United States and promoted a foreign relations policy based on bilateral agreements. – Safety and crime: Trump supports expanding law enforcement powers to fight crime in major cities. He wants to give states more autonomy to enact social control measures and increase police presence in urban areas. What is the Electoral College? In the United States, the president is not directly elected by the citizens, but through a system called the Electoral College. Each state has a certain number of “electors” based on its population. For example, California, the most populous state, has 55 electors, while less populous states such as Vermont have only 3. There are 538 electors in total, and a candidate must win at least 270 to become president. What are oscillating states? Swing states, or “battleground states,” are those states that do not have stable political preferences and may change parties from one election to another. They are critical to the outcome of the contest, as small shifts in the votes in these states can determine the winner. Among the most important are Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona. Candidates are spending a lot of resources in these states to try to win their votes. When do the results come? Vote counting in the US presidential election is carried out in a specific order, depending on the country’s time zones. The East Coast states close polls first, followed by the Central, Mountain, and finally the West Coast states. This process means that the first results start coming in around 19:00 (Eastern time, 1:00 a.m. in Italy), but in many cases the final results only become clear late in the evening or the next day. In recent elections, some key states, especially swing states, took several days to complete vote counting due to the high volume of early voting and mail-in voting. What do the polls say? The latest polls on the Harris-Trump race in the 2024 presidential election show a very tight race nationally. Harris has a slight lead in national polls, with a lead ranging from 1 to 2 percentage points, depending on sources, while Trump is slightly ahead in some key states that will decide the contest. In particular, Trump is leading in states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona, while Harris has a slight lead in Michigan and Wisconsin. Overall, opinions remain divided on both candidates, with Harris increasing her popularity since being confirmed as the Democratic nominee, while Trump maintains a strong base of support among Republican voters.