Amidst the U.S.'s involvement with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, a rise in conservatism and years of drastic increases in inflation, the 2024 presidential election proves dire as 55% of polled Americans say "The [U.S. Government] system needs major changes."
During the 2016 election, voters' disapproval of candidates was at an all-time high, with 20% of Americans feeling unfavorable toward both former President Clinton and former President Trump. After President Joe Biden joined the ballot in 2020, unfavorability for both candidates decreased to 13%, with Democratic voters feeling strongly about electing a more-moderate Biden.
Polls for the upcoming election show another drastic fall in approval ratings, with now 25% of Americans feeling unfavorable toward Biden and Trump, and 49% of voters saying they would rather replace both candidates on the ballot.
The past two elections have felt like choosing the best of two worst-case-scenario candidates. Trump, now impeached and convicted, wants to be "a dictator on day one,"which would likely threaten many civil liberties as propositions of Project 2025 circulate.
Project 2025 is possibly the most frightening policy plan the Republican Party has put forth in the past decade. Promises include defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (p. 246), extending Christian-based policies into public education (p. 333) and other extreme conservative changes.
Any American who considers themselves an informed voter should read and understand the policies that make up Project 2025 and the people who have written and supported the program.
Although Trump claims he has nothing to do with Project 2025, the manifesto references his presidency as a blueprint dozens of times (p. 20, 45, 49, 57, 58, 59, etc.) and 16 of the writers served under him during his presidency.
Biden, whose approval ratings have dropped 18 percentage points since the beginning of his presidency, is thought to be losing his ability to effectively lead the nation. While he may not seem like the worst candidate, recent public appearances and debates have voters questioning Biden's decline in mental fortitude.
Luckily for Democrats, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate to take his place. Going forward, age and previous presidential work will no longer be weaknesses for the Democratic party's candidate.
Although there were doubts at first, Harris is slowly garnering more excitement and popularity, especially from Democratic voters. She has not yet publicly announced many stances or favored policies since her nomination, however, her track record may prove she is a more progressive candidate than Biden.
As California's Attorney General, she defended legal same-sex marriages in the state and officiated the first same-sex marriage after the repeal of Proposition 8 in 2013. Harris scored a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Congressional Scorecard in 2016, measured by politicians' work to defend LGBTQIA+ rights.
Harris has also been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund's CEO, Alexis McGill Johnson, who said last week, "Vice President Kamala Harris is the only person running for president that we can trust to protect access to abortion."
In addition to human rights campaigns, Harris has previously spoken about plans to combat climate change by investing in clean energy systems and putting over $12 billion in clean energy funding in lower-income communities.
Since Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, America has, for the first time since 2008, been given a decent and non-elderly candidate. With Harris's progressive promises and mostly clean background, she will likely secure the majority of Democratic votes.
Within 24 hours of her officially joining the race, Harris's campaign raised $81 million. A week later, the campaign has raised over $200 million. With these numbers in only eight days, it is looking like Kamala Harris may become the first female U.S. president in history, and we need her now more than ever.
Kenzie Shuman is a sophomore studying Journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Kenzie know by emailing her at ms667222@ohio.edu or messaging her on Instagram @zieshuman.
