Election issues: Clinton vs. Trump

ONE OR THE OTHER — After Nov. 8, either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States of America. (Wikimedia Commons)

 
Economy
Clinton wants to boost the economic growth by giving tax cuts to the middle class, small business and fund scientific research. In addition, she wants to help women enter the workforce by requiring companies to pay for family leave. She plans to create fair growth in the economy by raising the minimum wage up to $15, increasing workers’ benefits and lowering college costs. Hillary also supports long-term growth by combating quarterly capitalism. She plans to raise taxes, mostly on the wealthy, to pay for her new programs. More specifically, these short-term capital gains taxes are from those earning $400,000 or more a year, who are the top 0.5 percent of taxpayers and would bear 90 percent of the increased tax burden.

Speaking about the economy, Trump wants to lower the corporate tax rate to bring back corporate funds that are kept overseas to avoid the high U.S. tax rate. Trump also wants to increase the GDP by making it cheaper to manufacture in the U.S. In addition to cutting the corporate tax rate, Trump wants to severely cut back on the amount of regulation the U.S. imposes on business in order to cut back on government expenditures and increase business revenues and profits. Trump has used his business experience as clear evidence of his economic know how and ability to improve the GDP.

Foreign Policy
Clinton hopes to combat terrorism with improved intelligence instead of troops. She believes we should provide support by working with Arab nations and sharing intelligence with European allies to coordinate air attacks. Clinton’s approach toward Iran shows that she is not too concerned with their nuclear efforts, especially its involvement in Syria. Furthermore, Hillary’s relationship with Vladimir Putin remains cold, because of the recent suspicious cyber-security between Russia and the Democratic National Committee email server. Clinton also wants to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba, calling for an end to the trade embargo with their nation.

Trump wants to force NATO members to pay their fair share of the protection that they are receiving from the U.S. but also work with other nations, like Russia, to combat terrorism in the Middle East and around the globe. Trump favors a more isolationist stance, and is decidedly against “nation-building” and involvement in foreign wars. Trump is also very much against North American Free Trade Agreement, Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: trade agreements that he argues will export U.S. jobs to competing nations and economies.

Health Care
Clinton has supported Obamacare since it was created, and not only does she want to maintain it but also expand on it. While the Affordable Care Act was a valuable step toward improving universal health care, Clinton also wants to expand Medicaid in states that have refused to do so and additionally provide undocumented immigrants access to affordable health care. She supports the creation of public access within Obamacare to compete against private insurers.

Trump is vehemently opposed to ObamaCare. He has vowed to repeal ObamaCare if elected and has said that the entire thing was a fraud. Trump also would like to reform the Veteran Administration to provide better care to veterans. Trump would create a mental health division within the VA to reduce veteran suicide rates, a nationwide epidemic. Trump argues that we should focus on getting the biggest bang for our buck regarding healthcare instead of public healthcare.

Immigration
Clinton wants to protect the undocumented immigrants from deportation and even help them accommodate into American society. More specifically, she claims the U.S.-Mexico border is not a problem, and in fact seems to be a pretty secure system. Instead, she focuses on comprehensive immigration reform that leads to citizenship. With the issues of deportation, Clinton focuses on arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants who “pose a violent threat to public safety,” according to the Democratic nominee’s immigration platform. She supports both the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Actions for Parents of Americans (DAPA), which both protect undocumented immigrants who meet certain criteria from deportation.

Trump entered the 2016 presidential race with his bombastic comments pertaining to the immigration occurring on the Southern Border. His views on illegal immigration brought him to the forefront of the Republican primary, and his tough stance forced other candidates to better justify their positions. Trump’s planned policies echo his words: he plans to use anti-immigration legislation to promote jobs for disenfranchised citizens of the U.S. rather than illegal aliens. Trump has called amnesty unfair to those who are waiting and who have waited to become fully fledged citizens.

Remember to vote on or before Nov. 8!