How will we be remembered?
Former President Donald Trump has put his own interests above the lives and future of the American people. Will we be the generation that allows him to do so, or the one that stops our country’s slide into extremism?
Trump has divided us, mocked science, fueled hate and threatened the ideals on which the United States is built. Vice President Kamala Harris’ policies are occasionally vague, and although she cannot claim perfection, she brings the courage and integrity Trump lacks.
Come Nov. 5, there is no doubt that the course of history will change. We stand at a crossroads where each American’s voice has the power to shape the future of our country.
To the 102 Summit students who can vote, consider this:
Trump’s campaign is built on fear. He tells people what to be afraid of and who to blame for it. Instead of taking responsibility for the challenges plaguing our country, he condemns immigrants, marginalized groups and any person who shares beliefs different from his own. However, he fails to recognize that immigrants form the foundation of our country, and without them, our national unity, as well as the economy that Trump has promised to improve, are at risk.
In addition to preventing the children of undocumented immigrants born on U.S. soil from gaining citizenship to the country, revoking the visas of foreign university students known to be involved in pro-Palestine protests and continuing construction of the notorious Border Wall, Trump has recently promised to carry out the largest mass deportation in American history.
According to his running mate, JD Vance, Trump’s administration would deport one million people per year, a number almost beyond comprehension. CBS estimated that this operation could cost up to $88 billion, burdening taxpayers and pulling government funding from other necessary departments. Even more shocking is the potential blow caused by the removal of migrant workers from industries such as agriculture and construction. A study conducted by the American Immigration Council found that without migrants performing these essential roles, national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could decrease by $1.7 trillion.
Harris, on the other hand, plans to secure the border using more moderate policies, end family separation and create an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Trump’s healthcare “plan” is a clumsy concept bent on tearing down structures already in place, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Additionally, Trump has promised to place Ronald F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal anti-vaccine advocate, in charge of health agencies, including the CDC. This would surely limit, or dissolve, our vaccine access, leading to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases including measles, pertussis and even polio.
Trump’s past decisions regarding public health, such as disbanding the White House pandemic response team in 2018, left America vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to more loss of American life as the pandemic progressed. With Trump and, by extension, Kennedy (or someone like him) in charge, America will be left unprotected from future public health crises.
Although Trump is not staunchly anti-abortion, a second Trump presidency will still influence reproductive rights. After all, it was the three Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justices that created a conservative majority and led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
If Justices Thomas or Alito, who are both in their 70s, retire under a Trump presidency, Trump could appoint two more justices sharing his political beliefs. However, if Harris were elected, she would have the opportunity to reestablish balance on the Court, potentially leading to the reinstatement of Roe v. Wade and further expansions to reproductive freedom.
Abortion is more than a choice—it is a necessity, one Harris values and respects. Whether or not you value fetal personhood, abortion restrictions have placed mothers’ lives at risk, even in cases where the fetus already has no chance of survival. What message does this convey to the women around you? That their bodies are meaningless beyond the purpose of creating new ones?
Beyond domestic affairs, Trump’s international relations are tense, unpredictable and pose a risk to governments across the globe. In the past, Trump has insulted our allies, shaken hands with dictators such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un and allegedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2018. Separation from NATO would deprive our country of valuable political and military alliances and jeopardize America’s position on the world stage.
In contrast to Trump’s foreign policy, Harris aspires to unite nations, provide aid to struggling countries such as Ukraine and negotiate a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas War.
As teens, we often feel powerless when it comes to politics. But whether or not we have the ability to vote, we can still make a difference. By speaking up and voicing our opinions on the future of our country, we can influence those around us and spread awareness about the issues we care about.
It is for these reasons that the Summit Pinnacle endorses Vice President Harris for President. We may be a small, student paper, but we refuse to remain silent as history is made, and we encourage you to do the same.
