As we head toward the 2024 election, the choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump couldn’t be more different.
On one side, we have Kamala Harris, the current vice president and Democratic nominee, ready to take on the big issues, focusing on fairness, inclusion, and some good old-fashioned economic reform.
On the other side, we have Donald Trump, the former president, who’s all in for round two with promises of sweeping tax cuts, tough immigration policies, and a hands-off approach to the tech world.
Let’s break down what these two stand for on the major issues—because, come Election Day, their policies could shape everything from your finances to the environment.
- Harris focuses on helping everyday Americans with rising costs, while Trump promises sweeping tax cuts and immigration crackdowns, which some experts warn could lead to inflation and a recession.
- Harris is balancing security with a humanitarian approach, while Trump is pushing for mass deportations and building more of his signature border wall.
- Harris wants more regulation to keep Big Tech in check and protect consumers, while Trump wants to let businesses innovate freely, even if it means less oversight.
Inflation and Economy
Harris’s Plan to Fight Inflation
Harris has made it clear that her number one goal is to lower costs for regular people.
With prices rising in recent years, especially for food and housing, she wants to take action to help families.
She’s talked about banning stores from overcharging on groceries, helping first-time homebuyers, and increasing the number of houses available to bring prices down.
She also wants to expand tax breaks for families, especially those with kids.
To pay for all this, Harris plans to raise taxes on wealthy individuals and big companies but only on those making over $400,000 a year.
Trump’s Promise to End Inflation
On the other hand, Trump says he will “end inflation” and make life cheaper in America.
His plan involves cutting interest rates (more in the Federal Reserve’s control than the president’s) and deporting undocumented immigrants to ease housing demand.
But he’s also proposing hefty tariffs on imports, which economists say could actually increase prices on clothes, electronics, and pretty much anything made overseas.
Trump’s also doubling down on tax cuts—mostly for the wealthy people.
His 2017 tax cuts primarily benefited high earners, and he wants to extend those.
Experts say this could temporarily boost the economy. However, it might also increase government debt, making things more difficult in the long run.
Immigration
Harris’s Approach to Immigration
Harris has experience on the immigration front.
She’s been working on it since the Biden administration tasked her with addressing the root causes of migration from Central America.
Harris’s game plan involves raising private funds for regional investment, aiming to reduce the need for people to flee their homes in the first place.
It’s a humanitarian approach, but she’s also toughened up her stance—focusing on cracking down on human traffickers.
Thus, she’s a middle-ground candidate here.
Instead of calling for open borders, Harris emphasizes balancing enforcement with a path to citizenship for those already contributing to society.
Of course, it’s not perfect, but it’s a far cry from the aggressive measures we’ve seen from the other side.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Remember the wall? Trump sure hasn’t forgotten about it.
In fact, he’s promising to finish it and tighten border security even more.
He’s also pushing for mass deportations—potentially the largest in U.S. history—which would affect millions of undocumented immigrants.
That’s a pretty big promise, but legal experts are already predicting it would face major challenges in court.
Though Trump’s hardline approach might fire up his base, it’s also worried economists.
Immigrants—both legal and undocumented—are important to the U.S. economy, especially in industries like agriculture, construction, and hospitality.
So, mass deportations could lead to serious labor shortages and, ironically, higher consumer costs.
Taxes
Harris’s Tax Plan
If you make under $400,000 a year, you probably won’t see a tax hike from Harris.
She focuses on the wealthiest Americans and big corporations, pushing for tax fairness and closing loopholes.
She’s also advocating for a modest increase in capital gains taxes (from 23.6% to 28%)—nothing too extreme, but enough to bring in extra revenue.
She wants to use that money to ease the tax burden on lower—and middle-class families, with child tax credits and other breaks to help everyday Americans keep more of their paychecks.
Trump’s Tax Cuts for the Wealthy
As we discussed earlier, Trump’s approach is essentially more tax cuts, especially for the wealthy.
He’s already said he wants to extend his 2017 tax cuts and has floated ideas for further cuts worth trillions.
And paying for these will be done by growing the economy and slapping import tariffs.
However, experts quickly point out that his tax cuts will mostly benefit high-income earners and corporations, and economists predict that this could skyrocket the national deficit.
Harris’s plan also adds to the deficit, but Trump’s by a lot more.
Climate Change and Energy
Harris’s Climate Focus
Harris helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which has funneled billions into renewable energy, electric vehicles, and reducing carbon emissions.
While she’s mainly on the green side, she recently softened her opposition to fracking, which surprised some of her supporters.
Still, her record shows a commitment to reducing America’s carbon footprint and investing in clean energy.
Her goal is a future where renewable energy powers the country and electric vehicles are the norm.
Trump’s Push for Fossil Fuels
Although, Trump, not so much.
During his presidency, he rolled back several environmental protections, and he’s already said he plans to expand oil and gas drilling, even in places like the Arctic.
He’s also not a fan of electric cars, labeling them too expensive and impractical.
He focuses on traditional energy industries—coal, oil, and gas—and is not shy about opposing climate change initiatives.
Tech and AI
Harris’s Vision for Technology
Tech may not be the top issue on everyone’s mind, but it will shape the future.
Harris focuses on striking a balance—she’s for innovation but wants to protect consumers from data breaches and Big Tech’s overreach.
She’s been involved in pushing for broadband access across underserved areas and is also focused on regulating AI to prevent its irresponsible use.
Trump’s Deregulation Drive
Trump is more of a hands-off guy when it comes to technology.
He’s focused on letting businesses grow without too much government intervention.
Harris is focused on regulations to protect consumers and workers, while Trump prefers to let tech giants operate without interference.
One of his biggest tech-related gripes is censorship, and he’s been vocal about how he believes social media platforms have been unfair to him and his supporters.
On AI and cryptocurrency, the two candidates aren’t miles apart—they both seem to agree that while oversight is needed, these industries need room to grow.
Healthcare
Harris on Healthcare
As part of the Biden administration, Harris has worked on lowering the cost of prescription drugs and capping insulin prices at $35.
She supports keeping the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in place and making improvements to help more people access affordable healthcare.
Trump on Healthcare
Trump has long wanted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but he hasn’t been clear on what he would replace it with.
He talks a lot about cutting healthcare costs but hasn’t provided many details on how he would do it.
Gun Control
Harris on Gun Control
Harris supports tighter gun control laws, like expanding background checks and banning assault weapons.
But she’s realistic about the uphill battle ahead, especially since Congress will need to agree to pass any major reforms.
Trump Defending the Second Amendment
Trump, however, is a strong defender of the Second Amendment and promises not to support any new gun restrictions.
He’s got the backing of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and is seen as gun rights are non-negotiable.
Harris or Trump—Your Choice, Your Future
Harris and Trump offer two very different paths for America.
Harris is all about fairness, support for working families, and building on the progress made under Biden.
She aims to balance economic growth with social equity, climate change action, and tech regulation.
On the contrary, Trump is back with promises of tax cuts, deregulation, and hardline immigration policies.
His “America First” approach promotes business growth and reduces government involvement, but it also carries potential risks, such as inflation and economic recession.
Both candidates have their strengths and their controversies, but it’s clear that their policies would take the country in very different directions.
Now, it’s up to you as voters to decide which vision you want to follow.
