The camera turns to the empty podium. The room becomes quiet. Out walk the two candidates, poised to be the next president. The future of America—and of Ladue—is on stage.
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, two candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, faced off in their first, and maybe only, debate in front of millions of television viewers across the country. Both aimed at presenting their agendas and attacking their opponent with the intent of resonating with American citizens. Here in Ladue, many of the topics they discussed hit home, but their opinions about them differed tremendously.
The discussion opened on the topic of the economy. People across the country, including in St. Louis, have watched prices of everyday goods rise since the onslaught of COVID-19, as well as home prices, which have increased by many thousands in St. Louis County. Harris opened by promising to provide $25,000 for first time home buyers and a tax cut for child care, targeting middle class families. She also mentioned small businesses, citing a plan to provide a $50,000 tax deduction for startups, which she called the “backbone of America’s economy.” Under her Vice Presidency, small business applications reached an all-time high, according to Pew Research. Trump started by criticizing the rate of inflation, which has remained high throughout Harris’ Vice Presidency. He also mentioned his plan to impose tariffs on other countries where many goods are manufactured. Trump identified what he believed to be the source of inflation by saying “bad (illegal) immigration is the worst thing that can happen to our economy.”
The conversation then switched to medical care, a hot topic for people across the country, and a constant debate here in Missouri, where abortion was recently made illegal. Trump said he kept Obama Care while he was in office during his first term but wished to improve it, saying it was “too expensive.” However, he did not seem to have a particular plan. He attacked Harris’ stances on the government’s role in medical insurance, which he argued to be too large. Harris said under her Vice Presidency she has set maximum costs for how much seniors have to pay for prescription medication. She criticized Trump’s abortion plan, calling it “immoral.”
As violence remains a large issue, including in St. Louis, the candidates spent plentiful time talking about national security. Trump cited the millions of illegal immigrants crossing the border, claiming they have caused lots of problems. Harris referenced a recent bill she signed to increase security at the border. When asked about the violence on Jan. 6th, 2020, the former President said he was not responsible for it and did not answer the question of whether he accepts the results from his past election.
Another point worth mentioning is the lack of relevant topics addressed. Education, which is very important to not just the Ladue community but to everyone in the country, is an issue that both sides, for different reasons, view to be under attack. While policy changes regarding public schools are taking place in Missouri, as well as other states, no questions were brought to the candidates about education. An additional topic that weighs heavily on young citizens’ minds, such as those at the high school, is climate change. Ladue’s newsmagazine, Panorama, reported in their April issue that 57% of the student body thinks that the government is “responsible for stopping climate change.” Yet, all but a minute was spent on this concern. Harris reported that she “invested a trillion dollars in(to) a clean energy economy,” and attacked Trump for previously calling climate change a “hoax.” Both candidates voiced support for fracking, a known environmental hazard.
The election in November will have profound effects on national policy and, undoubtedly, Ladue. This debate may have given us a preview into what is to come.
Sources
- https://www.bls.gov/charts/consumer-price-index/consumer-price-index-average-price-data.htm
- https://www.redfin.com/county/1695/MO/St-Louis-County/housing-market
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/22/a-look-at-small-businesses-in-the-us/
- https://laduepublications.com/dousing-the-flame/ and poll within
- https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/10/politics/speaking-times-harris-trump-debate-dg/index.html
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/09/11/harris-trump-presidential-debate-tv-ratings/75180950007/
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/11/fact-check-presidential-debate-harris-trump/
