Biden v. trump 2.o
The Political World Turned Upside Down…
Things have changed dramatically in the presidential race just before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Joe Biden, who campaigned throughout the presidential primary season and racked up more than enough delegates to secure his party’s nomination for a second term in the White House, dropped out and handed the torch to his Vice President, Kamala Harris.
Following the historical development, Harris quickly shored up her unexpected candidacy with the party faithful and was nominated instead of Biden, who gracefully exited the stage having solidly endorsed his once-running mate.
Donald Trump’s campaign, coming off a very successful national nominating convention in Wisconsin and much national goodwill gained after a frightening assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, had to re-calibrate for a new opponent and seemed to have lost its momentum after the July 21st surprise Biden announcement. Biden’s withdrawal followed a disastrous June 27th Atlanta debate in which the current president appeared to confirm that age was indeed an issue in the race for the White House in 2024.
The 2024 presidential race, in which Trump was starting to dominate over Biden, is back to being a competitive campaign with anyone’s guess right now who might win 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What is known, however, is how the two presidential candidates differ on the issues, not to mention their choice of running mates: First-term Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance for Trump and two-term Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for Harris.
On taxes - Trump wants to give corporations a more significant tax break, reducing it from 21% to 15%, and provide a better tax situation for wealthy individuals. Harris wants to raise taxes on corporations from 21% to 28% and tax the rich more than at current rates, including a tax on unrealized income for people with a net worth greater than $100 million. Both candidates support eliminating the tax on tips, favor expanding the child tax credit, and want sizable tariffs on imported goods.
On the federal budget –Both candidates have proposed programs that will increase the current national debt and annual deficits by even greater margins and do not appear to be concerned about the impact on future generations of Americans.
On household matters – Both candidates discuss how they will benefit the working- and middle-class. Harris wants a $25,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and a national fund to build more housing. The Vice President proposes a $7,000 tax credit for babies born to first-time parents. Harris also advocates for price controls on food, rent, and other expenses, while Trump opposes the Democrat’s price control proposal.
On healthcare – Trump supports Florida’s six-week ban on abortion and says that states should decide their abortion restrictions as opposed to the federal government. However, Trump regularly takes credit for three Supreme Court appointments that overturned Roe v. Wade, which has allowed several states to severely restrict a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions in that regard. Harris favors federally codifying reproductive rights for women. Trump has long wanted to end the Affordable Care Act, while Harris wants to strengthen the program and its subsidies. In past statements, Harris has expressed support for a one-payer healthcare syst
On retirement – Both candidates say they oppose cuts in seniors’ Social Security and Medicare benefits today, although both candidates have previously expressed support for reductions in the program.
On benefiting business - Both candidates say they want to expand industrial capacity in the United States. Harris is proposing an up to $50,000 tax credit for new companies that meet specific criteria to support entrepreneurs in America.
On immigration – This one is tough to assess because Trump opposed a bipartisan Senate fix that would have tightened asylum standards and increased the number of border agents and immigration judges, even though the former president says almost daily that we have a severe crisis in America’s southern border. Harris, who has previously been in favor of decriminalizing illegal immigration and providing amnesty to those migrants, says she favors comprehensive immigration reform. Trump has said on numerous occasions that he will mass deport illegal immigrants in the United States if elected to a second term.
On reparations – Harris is trying to low-key this issue but has expressed support for reparations on previous occasions, including her run for the presidency in 2020. Trump opposes reparations.
On the environment and energy, Trump believes climate change is a hoax, while Harris has long supported the Green New Deal. Trump favors more drilling for oil, including on federal land, along with tax breaks for gas and coal and no wind subsidies or federal support for electric vehicles. Harris says she will not oppose fracking, which is a reversal of her earlier position advocating a ban on fracking.
On the Second Amendment – Harris supports a ban on assault weapons, high-capacity magazine limitations, and universal background checks. Trump opposes them.
On LGBTQ+ rights – Trump has generally been supportive of these rights, although he opposes transgender procedures for young people or transgender males participating in women’s sports. Harris is a strong proponent of all these rights.
On foreign affairs – Trump is raising questions about NATO’s effectiveness, while Harris contends that improving NATO relations has been one of the Biden-Harris Administration’s crowning achievements. Trump says he will end the Israel-Hamas War as well as the Russia-Ukraine War, allowing Russia to keep land it has taken from Ukraine. Both candidates are concerned about the power of a rising China. Trump, however, continues to express admiration for Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s autocratic ruler, Viktor Orbán, among others.
On civil service employees -Trump strongly supports the ability to fire civil service employees whom he deems unsupportive of his agenda. Harris opposes that and favors an increase in the federal minimum wage.
On the rule of law – Harris strongly embraces the rule of law in America. At the same time, Trump often criticizes and seeks to avoid many elements, especially those related to his own legal challenges on possessing top secret documents, absolute presidential immunity, election interference, and more.
On constitutional matters - Harris has so far consistently supported the United States Constitution, while Trump favors ignoring Congress’s power of the purse, oversight authority, emoluments clause, and election provisions. Trump would also pardon January 6th felons, while Harris would not.
Voters will have an obvious choice of candidates to support on the November 5th general election ballot.
Thomas will keep you posted.
Note: Below was the original story before Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
America is saying None of the Above Please …
It is already an interesting presidential election season with the better part of it to go before Americans cast their general election ballots.
Many Americans who are planning to vote do not want to see Joe Biden or Donald Trump run again.
According to an NBC News poll earlier this year, 70% of Americans believe Biden should not run for re-election. Fifty-one percent (51%) of Democrats say just that.
Sixty percent (60%) of Americans, including a third of Republicans, say Trump should not run for president.
That is a lot of folks saying can we have someone else to vote for, please?
Thomas invites you to read: Rise Up Independents?
American democracy is threatened, and the outcome of the November 5th, 2024, decision is inarguably critical to our nation’s future.
Do we get a dictator for president, or do we get a Vice President should the old guy die during his term?
Dilemmas, dilemmas.
No doubt, Biden v. Trump 2.0 will be another epic match-up.
Both candidates have well-known strengths and apparent weaknesses. Serious weaknesses make this race too close to call at the moment.
Who will win? Who can win? What will it take? Are we ready for it?
Will a third-party candidate tip the balance one way or another?
Former President Donald J. Trump
45 has been on a roll of late.
He is Tweeting, or Xing, up a storm, accusing opponents of being felons, murderers, sleaze balls, crackpots, and worse, if you can believe it.
Trump appears to be following his 2016 successful divide and conquer campaign plan. The 2016 election does not seem to be over for President Trump. Nor the 2020 election that Trump knowingly tells voters was stolen from him even though more than sixty courts of law, some of whom were led by Trump or other Republican presidents’ appointees, said that was not and is not valid.
The former President and his team have most recently accused the incumbent president, Joe Biden, of nefarious personal enrichment from dealings with China and others and his son Hunter’s involvement in Ukraine. Republican congressional investigations in the U.S. House of Representatives are looking into what then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, may or may not have done to leverage the office upon which the senior Biden served. Impeachment is on their lips.
It is not clear yet whether there is fire where there is smoke on the Biden front. However, the Biden campaign will eventually need to answer for this issue in 2024 if they want to keep the White House from Republicans in 2025.
Such are the times.
But is this America’s “great” era after his first bite of the apple in term one, and what are President Trump’s strengths and weaknesses as November 2024 approaches?
Former President Trump’s Strengths:
A wealth of donations and a deep campaign talent pool that keeps coming despite the many legal challenges Trump is facing today.
A solid and remarkably consistent base of Republican Party support over time.
U.S. Senate and U.S. House GOP unwilling to hold POTUS 45 accountable for constitutional transgression.
An economy humming thanks to significant deficit spending before COVID-19 handicapped the American economy.
Surviving two impeachments in the United States Senate.
Trump rallies that continue to be very well attended and impressively supported.
A Supreme Court now decidedly conservative and pro-Trump because of his three appointments to the high bench.
Former President Trump’s Weaknesses:
He has lost the power of incumbency and the bully pulpit of the White House.
Two successful impeachments by the U.S. House of Representatives, only the third president in U.S. history and the first ever to have been impeached twice.
Many federal and state indictments for criminal and civil infractions in at least four jurisdictions - the first American president to have been criminally indicted.
More than 20,000-plus documented lies and embellishments since first announcing for president on the escalator at Trump Tower in 2016.
Failure to establish an alternative affordable healthcare access program after successfully gutting Obamacare.
Failure to offer a viable infrastructure bill despite many “Infrastructure Weeks” as proclaimed to be coming by his White House.
38.6 million unemployed Americans during his first term, rivaling the unemployment rate during the Great Depression.
Too many American deaths to record from COVID-19 and his denial of the pandemic.
$25 trillion added to the national debt and more than one trillion dollars in deficit spending in Fiscal Year 2020, his last full year in office.
A divided political party controls the United States Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and deals with at least five competing factions within the Republican Conference alone.
Former President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush and their more palatable presidential legacies.
Sexual abuse allegations, court-determined liable decisions, and confirmed infidelities with his spouses.
A host of former aides who are now convicted or imprisoned felons.
A reputation for being racist and misogynistic.
Poor business practices and a history of being irrationally litigious.
During his term in office, he experienced high key staff turnover through dramatic firings in susceptible positions such as Attorney General, Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, and more.
Emoluments charges and self-enrichment allegations.
To win in November:
Former President Trump will need to control his off-script moments better, whether when giving a speech to one of his infamous rallies or when Tweeting to his legions of followers.
Provide a consistent, not confusing, not contradicting message when stumping for term two that will leave voters with a noticeably clear understanding of why they should vote for the GOP standard bearer.
Although these would appear to be simple tasks to accomplish to win in November, these are nevertheless huge disciplines President Trump may not be able to follow.
President Joe Biden
The 46th President of the United States has won a string of electoral victories that make him a formidable candidate, such as defeating the Socialist Democrat Bernie Sanders in the final match-ups for the Democratic Nomination for President in 2020.
Twenty-eight major Democratic candidates were running against Biden for the chance to take on “King” Trump. Nonetheless, the nomination race was over before the convention in the summer of 2020, which was terrific.
Biden has been campaigning from the basement of his home since the coronavirus shut down America. Some claimed this hurt Biden’s chances of beating Trump, while others argued that Biden benefited from being able to lay low while Trump self-destructed in his handling of the health crisis.
We all know the answer to that debate today.
President Joe Biden’s Strengths:
Three years of managing many crises, from war to inflation to Republican control of the U.S. House.
The legacy of serving as the number 2 in the Barack Obama Administration.
Decades of service in the United States Senate, where he built up many relationships with foreign heads of state that have benefited his presidency.
More registered Democrats than Republicans in the United States today.
Political Independents who previously supported Donald J. Trump in 2016 and somewhat in 2020, but less likely in 2024.
President Joe Biden’s Weaknesses:
His advanced age of 80 and feeble appearance.
Inflation and war in Ukraine and Israel.
Decades of service in the United States Senate.
Serving as Vice President to President Barack Obama.
Hunter Biden’s business practices.
The Anita Hill testimony
Previous crushing unsuccessful runs for President in 1988 and 2088.
To win in November:
President Biden must decide whether to keep Kamala Harris as a Vice Presidential partner.
Guard against making more politically charged gaffes when speaking, interviewing, or just plain talking.
Hold his Democratic base, including the very progressive, while simultaneously winning over a substantial number of Independents and elderly who supported candidate Trump in 2016 and Biden somewhat in 2020.
Clear up the controversial issues surrounding Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine and China.
And not act his age, moving slowly as he walks, talks falls off his bike, or trips on a ceremonial stage.
Like former President Trump, these tasks to win in November 2024 may be easier said than done for the Democratic standard bearer.
The 2024 Race
The winner of the 2024 race for the White House will come down to the following political elements:
Who is more empathetic than the average American can identify with on November 5, 2024?
Who is more believable and trustable on the economy, can slay inflation, manage the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars, provide access to affordable healthcare, jobs generation, ethics, transparency, spending, personal enrichment, capability, morality, and more?
Who will win Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin?
IT’S A RACE!
Donald J. Trump Thomas Rank: F
Joseph R. Biden Thomas Rank: C
Keep an eye on this space. We will let you know how these issues develop as America prepares to go to the polls this November.