Washington, Nov 5 2024-
US Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump offer two starkly different visions for the country with much at stake — from pocketbook economic issues and reproductive rights to the strength of the country’s global alliances and existential questions about the future of American democracy and the planet.
More than 78 million American voters had already cast their ballot by Monday morning, on the eve of Election Day as Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump crisscrossed the seven battleground states with their closing remarks.
As they compete for the White House, both candidates have laid out their plans in speeches, campaign ads, and media interviews. Most of it amounts to a wish list, sketched out in broad strokes and lacking concrete details about how they would be implemented or paid for. Several of Trump’s proposals raise legal questions, while some of Harris’s would probably require Democratic control of Congress.
At stake in 2024 is the future of the country, according to both Harris and Trump.
Harris has argued that the country’s Constitution is under threat by Trump’s fascistic tendencies and disregard for the rule of the law.
Trump has argued that there will be no country left for Americans because of Harris’s radical Left agenda.
Harris has woven her campaign around the promise of “turning the page” on the divisiveness inflicted on the country by the former President, who, she has said, if re-elected will impose a national abortion ban, ending women’s right to reproductive freedom. She has also promised a package of economic policies to help the middle class, cracking down on price gouging, and encouraging housing.
The former President’s poll agenda is premised on the promise of improving the economy by ending inflation, which has been the top issue in this election. The Harris campaign is most vulnerable on these issues. He has also vowed to finish illegal immigration, especially through the southern border.
The former President has also threatened to use tariff hikes to prevent American manufacturers from moving operations abroad.
The seven battleground states — they are so-called because they can go either way unlike solidly Democratic and Republican states — are Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.
The contest between Harris and Trump is tight even in these states. Harris leads Trump in Michigan (47.9 per cent to 47.1 per cent), Wisconsin (48.2 per cent to 47.3 per cent) and is even with Trump in Pennsylvania (47.7 per cent to 47.9 per cent) and trails Trump in North Carolina (47.2 per cent to 48.4 per cent), Georgia (47.2 per cent to 48.4 per cent), Arizona (46.5 per cent to 49.0 per cent, and Nevada (47.3 per cent to 47.8 per cent). (Agency)
