Two months before the election, the time for the long-awaited face-off is approaching: the televised duel between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump will take place this Tuesday, September 10 on the American channel ABC. A decisive moment in the race for the White House for the candidates, who will try at all costs to defend their program. Among the emblematic measures, the restoration of the right to abortion for Kamala Harris, or the controversial immigration policy of Donald Trump.
Opposing economic programs
If there is one issue on which the candidates disagree, it is the economy. For her part, the Vice President of the United States remains true to her mantra: “fighting” for the middle class. With this in mind, if Kamala Harris succeeds in occupying the Oval Office, the candidate plans to create a tax credit for births. The goal: to promote the purchasing power of families, and more particularly that of young parents from the middle and working classes. Thanks to this measure, the latter could obtain a credit of up to $6,000 in the first year of their child’s life. A year particularly known for being expensive due to the many associated expenses. In addition, in the absence of a federal law regulating paid maternity and paternity leave in the United States, many Americans are forced to take time off work to take care of their newborn, to the detriment of maintaining their salary.
Donald Trump’s economic program is focused on a completely different dimension and wants to reconnect with his lifelong love: protectionist policy. The 45th President of the United States hopes to introduce customs duties of more than 10% on all imports. A measure that would be effective from the first day of his term, with the aim of financing “a large tax cut for the middle class, the upper class, the business class”. During his first term, Donald Trump had applied customs duties of 25%, notably on imports of Chinese steel. To assert Washington’s supremacy, the Republican also intends to make his country “the world capital of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies”.
Tighten migration policy
While Donald Trump has made the thorny issue of immigration one of his favorite campaign themes, the Democrat in charge of the illegal immigration file at the Mexican border since 2021 is struggling to assert her positions. During her first television interview for CNN as a candidate, Kamala Harris took the opportunity to clarify one of the sensitive subjects of the campaign, affirming that she would lead a firm policy and promising “consequences” for people entering the United States illegally. In the past, the candidate’s more progressive positions on immigration had sown doubt among future voters. This is why the American vice president was keen to assure that “her values have not changed”.
On the Trumpist side, no surprises. The one who made the wall between the United States and Mexico his main fight, defends a very firm position on immigration. Among the measures cited, the billionaire promised to launch “the largest expulsion operation” of migrants, accusing them of “poisoning the blood of the country”. To achieve this, the candidate does not rule out “using the army” and opening new detention camps to carry out these expulsions.
Abortion at the heart of the presidential election
The Democratic candidate has made abortion rights her hobbyhorse. After the Supreme Court, shaped by her Republican opponent, ended federal protection of the right to abortion, Kamala Harris mobilized alongside the Democrats, calling for the reinstatement of the provisions of the Roe v Wade jurisprudence. A long-standing fight for the vice president, who as California attorney general from 2011 to 2017, had fought the deceptive practices of certain anti-abortion activists. With an assertive position, Kamala Harris intends to win precious votes against her opponent.
An opponent who, contrary to his habits, is more ambiguous on the subject. While he likes to point out that the cancellation of the federal right to abortion is partly due to him, Donald Trump is more imprecise about the future of voluntary termination of pregnancy in the country. “You have to follow your soul and conscience on this issue, but don’t forget that you also have to win elections,” he declared, promising that his “administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.” A confused speech allowing the billionaire not to campaign on an unpopular promise to ban abortion across the country as the religious right would like.
Alongside Israel
Often criticized for her lack of knowledge on international issues, Kamala Harris could not, however, omit current conflicts. The candidate promised that she would stand “firmly by Ukraine’s side,” not making “friends with dictators.” The Democrat also reiterated her support for Israel’s right “to defend itself” and answered “no” to the question of whether she would suspend American arms deliveries to the country.
The Republican is more ambitious and believes he is able to “settle the war in Ukraine in 24 hours”. All this without detailing what he considers to be “a very precise plan to stop Ukraine and Russia” in order to maintain the “surprise”. Regarding the conflict in the Middle East, Donald Trump immediately posed as an absolute defender of Israel, qualifying his remarks since then by stating that he is not “exactly sure that I love the way” Israel is conducting its offensive in Gaza. A debate that promises to be lively, both because of Donald Trump’s explosive character and the expected speech by Kamala Harris.