design: Nick Allen
Trump
With Nov. 3 swiftly approaching, many people are preparing for the election and what the outcome will mean for the next four years. Many people are also tuning into the campaigns of both candidates, especially President Donald Trump’s.
One of the main things Trump and Vice President Joe Biden are doing differently, in regards to campaigning, is the way they are handling COVID-19.
When comparing campaign styles, U.S. Government teacher John Carmichael said, “President Trump is holding rallies, traveling around the country and largely ignoring COVID-19 protocols.”
His COVID-19 response is far from the only difference between the candidates though, many of their core beliefs differ as well. One of his strong beliefs is that Obamacare needs to be repealed.
“[My people] said the problem is, no matter how well you run Obamacare, it’s a disaster,” Trump said at the Sept. 29 presidential debate. “It’s too expensive. So, we want to get rid of it and give something that’s cheaper and better.”
Biden
Many people are also focused on the challenger, Biden, as he tries to campaign for president.
He’s taking a very different approach to campaigning, in regards to COVID-19, than Trump is.
While campaigning, “Biden is traveling very little, if at all, and is following strict COVID-19 guidelines, which has limited his campaign appearances,” Carmichael said.
As opposed to Trump, one of Biden’s core beliefs is his desire to expand Obamacare. Another position he is taking is the need to fix the issues with the justice system.
“There’s systemic injustice in this country, in education and work and in law enforcement,” Biden said at the Sept. 29 presidential debate. “The vast majority of police officers are good, decent, honorable men and women, but there are some bad apples. And when they occur, when they find them, they have to be sorted out. They have to be held accountable.”
Third party/student info
This year, the Third Party is even less of a national focus than before. Most people are so focused on the two main candidates that little attention is given to other challengers.
In 2016, many people knew about the most popular independent candidates, but this year, most of the attention is being placed solely on Trump and Biden.
“Everybody seems to feel in this election that either you have to stop Donald Trump, which means voting for Joe Biden, or you need to return the president for four more years in office. And so, there is no real third option,” Carmichael said.
Voting in this election is crucial. At Orange, students register to vote in the main gym.
“For three days, I’ve set up a booth in the Main Gym during all lunch periods to help register,” senior and Politico member Grace Wang said. “Students can come by the booth and either ask about the election (polling locations, ballot issues, absentee voting, poll workers) or register to vote!”
But voting isn’t in the only way to be involved in the election and in the political sphere. Many high school students can’t vote, but they shouldn’t let that deter them from getting involved.
“Making sure you’re continuously consuming viable news outlets is an easy and critical duty of American Citizens,” Wang said when asked of ways students could get involved. “Ensuring proper education on topics as well as talking to people with different viewpoints prevents the United States from sliding into further polarization.”
