The Drumbeat

by L Dagis

Who did you vote for? No, I didn’t mean to invade your privacy. I just want to know if you voted against my rights or with my rights. Now not all people see it as that. You may hear, “I voted for my family and for better gas prices,” or “I voted so I can be protected when I walk to the store.” Politics are a very serious topic and should be private but when it comes to choosing a president who is friends with a fascist: a misogynistic and racist man, or a feminist: for the people and dedicated to women, you would think the obvious answer would be the ‘for the people’ woman, who in this case is Kamala Harris. 

Donald J. Trump has promised America that he would bring down gas prices, but soon it will be quite the opposite. As stated in this article, “President Donald Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” pledge is well known, but drivers may end up paying more at the pump in the coming months despite his plans to lift U.S. oil production” (Seafong). That’s not the only thing he has promised. He also promised how he wants to bring down the prices of groceries. Donald J Trump’s own words were, “When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One.” He has failed to do so and he has failed to even try to take action to it. Senator Cory Booker stated, “S*** that ain’t true, that’s just what you saw. Since day one of Donald Trump’s presidency, prices are up, not down,” (Booker Senate).

You voted for a politician who has only spoken lies and gave you broken promises since his first presidency. His first presidential election, where people said his first year was “the best America has had,” was still under Obama’s administration’s economy and taxes. As soon as Trump started to call orders, America went under again. You are trusting a man with the whole country of America but turn a blind eye to his six bankruptcies. That is mind-blowing to think about. Trump has more than 4,000 legal actions. And you still think he should be the president of the United States? 

When sworn in at an inauguration, there is a ‘tradition’ where the president puts their hand on the Bible. Now, it is not a requirement to put your hand on the Bible when being sworn in, but doing so is exercising that you will carry out any official powers or duties. You are also supposed to recite Article Five, Clause 3 of the Constitution, which is, “I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Donald Trump didn’t seem to show much interest in doing so.

Donald Trump also says that he is a Christian. He has made his own ‘Bible’. This is blasphemous. It’s offensive to ‘God’ to make your own Bible or to see equal or better than him. An article I read went through Trump’s actions and went through the Bible verses and listed the discrepancies. He points out, “Trump’s emphasis on personal wealth, material success, and luxury contracts with biblical values of humanity, contentment, and generosity,” (Timothy M. Andrews).  

Kamala Harris promised to invest in green energy, she promised mortgage assistance for first-time home buyers, and planned to create “an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed,” (BBC). That was only some of her economic plans. Her other plans for taxes were to make a cut to the middle class that would benefit more than 100 million American citizens. Even though we never got to see the United States under a Harris presidency, based on her predecessors it’s clear the steps she would have taken and how it would go at least in a better direction than how the U.S. is now.

Harris has even agreed with Trump’s formal administration officials that called him a ‘fascist’. Harris has made reference that another term of Trump could be dangerous to the US, “But in the closing weeks of the 2024 campaign, she increasingly has framed the prospect of another Trump term as ‘dangerous’” (AP news). 

Now let me ask you this question again: who did you vote for? Only this time, take in the fact that these are a very small proportion of Harris’ plans and a small proportion of Trump’s lies. You can make your own opinions on this debate but keep in mind: this is with or against human rights. What do you see now, seeing the points that were brought up? Do you feel confident in your vote, or are you having second guesses about your choice?