Trump v. Biden Presidential Debate [06.27]
In the first presidential debate for the upcoming election in November, Donald Trump and Joe Biden clashed over what to do about issues such as inflation, national debt, abortion, immigration, border security, and international conflict. The debate raised questions and criticisms amongst many voters, as both candidates veered off onto random topics such as golf at points, and often seemed disconnected from reality, with Biden sometimes spacing out while answering questions and Trump spreading misleading information.
Chevron Doctrine Overturned in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo [06.28]
In the 2024 case of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-2 decision that, when interpreting ambiguous laws, courts should not have to defer to the opinions of independent agencies, overturning the 1984 case of Chevron U.S.A v. NRDC, which demanded exactly that. For example, courts would no longer have to defer to the opinion of experts in the FDA when interpreting laws that might have to do with food and drug regulation.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett all ruled in favor of the overturning. Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan ruled against. Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson abstained.
Presidential Immunity Granted in Trump v. United States [07.01]
In the 2024 case of Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that former President Trump had absolute immunity for any acts he committed as president that were within his constitutional purview, presumptive immunity for official acts done outside constitutional purview, and no immunity for unofficial acts. This ruling set a precedent that sitting presidents have civil and criminal immunity for their official acts.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett all ruled in favor of Trump. Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson ruled in favor of the United States.
Assassination Attempt on Trump [07.13]
On July 13, during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a shooter killed one attendee, hit Trump in the ear, and wounded two other attendees. The shooter, identified as Thomas Crooks, was registered as a member of the Republic Party at the time of the assassination. His social media presence was characterized by FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate as having “antisemitic and anti-immigration themes.”
Biden Drops Out, Harris Becomes DNC Nominee [07.21 – 08.06]
On July 21, Joe Biden announced that he would no longer be running in the presidential election. The decision was made roughly a month after the debate between former president Donald Trump and Biden. Democrats in Washington D.C. became worried that Biden’s chances at winning were slimming, due to controversial policies regarding Israel and Palestine, and growing concerns over his mental well-being and age. Initially, Biden did not favor this decision and tried he was fit to run—however, he eventually caved, and voluntarily yielded his position. His vice president, Kamala Harris, was chosen to be the new presidential candidate for the Democratic Party through the DNC virtual roll call.
RFK Jr. Drops Out [08.23]
On Aug. 23, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a major independent candidate in the presidential race, dropped out and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Harris v. Trump Presidential Debate [09.10]
On Sept. 10, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump faced off in a presidential debate held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. The two debated the United States economy, the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, and other major issues. Throughout the debate, Trump called into question Harris’s credibility and ethnicity, and this led to more personal blows from both sides. Notably, there was a fact-checker present at the debate that corrected misinformation; though, they were criticized for allowing some misinformation and propaganda to bleed through.
Major Presidential Candidate Profiles:
Claudia De la Cruz
Age: 42 or 43 (youngest candidate)
Party: Party for Socialism and Liberation
Vice President Pick: Karina Garcia
Previous Governmental Experience: none
Platform:
WARNING: these are simply program items, not the full platform outlined by De la Cruz / Garcia. If you are interested in seeing details into these program items, please visit their platform page: https://votesocialist2024.com/our-program
taken directly from their official website:
- Seize the Biggest 100 Corporations, Create A New Economy for the People
- Overthrow the Dictatorship of the Rich—Build a Democracy That Serves the Working Class
- End the Rule of Money and Lock Up the Corrupt Elite
- End All U.S. Aid to Apartheid Israel. End the Genocide and Free Palestine
- Cut the Military Budget by 90%—Peace, Not War with China & Russia!
- End the War on Black America!
- Defend Women’s Rights, Full Equality for LGBTQ People
- Save the Planet from Capitalism
Kamala Devi Harris
Age: 59
Party: Democratic Party
Vice President Pick: Timothy James Walz
Previous Governmental Experience: Attorney General of California (2011 – 2017), California Senator (2017 – 2021), Vice President of the United States (2021 – present)
Platform:
WARNING: these are simply platform items, not the full platform outlined by Harris / Walz. If you are interested in seeing details into these platform items, please visit their platform page: https://kamalaharris.com/issues/
taken directly from their official website:
Build an Opportunity Economy and Lower Costs for Families
- Cut Taxes for Middle Class Families
- Make Rent More Affordable and Home Ownership More Attainable
- Grow Small Businesses and Invest in Entrepreneurs
- Take on Bad Actors and Bring Down Costs
- Strengthen and Bring Down the Cost of Health Care
- Protect and Strengthen Social Security and Medicare
- Support American Innovation and Workers
- Provide a Pathway to the Middle Class Through Quality, Affordable Education
- Invest in Affordable Child Care and Long Term Care
- Lower Energy Costs and Tackle the Climate Crisis
Safeguard Our Fundamental Freedoms
- Restore and Protect Reproductive Freedoms
- Protect Civil Rights and Freedoms
Ensure Safety and Justice For All
- Make Our Communities Safer From Gun Violence and Crime
- Secure Our Borders and Fix Our Broken Immigration System
- Tackle the Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis
- Ensure No One Is Above the Law
Keep America Safe, Secure, and Prosperous
- Stand With Our Allies, Stand Up to Dictators, and Lead on the World Stage
- Invest in America’s Sources of Strength
- Support Service Members, Veterans, Their Families, Caregivers, and Survivors
Jill Ellen Stein
Age: 74
Party: Green Party of the United States
Vice President Pick: Rudolph “Butch” T. Bilal Ware III
Previous Governmental Experience: Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Platform:
WARNING: these are simply platform items, not the full platform outlined by Stein / Ware. If you are interested in seeing details into these platform items, please visit their platform page: https://www.jillstein2024.com/platform
taken directly from their official website:
- People
- Planet
- Peace
Donald John Trump
Age: 78 (oldest candidate)
Party: Republican Party
Vice President Pick: James David “J.D.” Vance
Previous Governmental Experience: 45th President of the United States (2016 – 2020)
Platform:
WARNING: these are simply agenda items, not the full platform outlined by Trump / Vance. If you are interested in seeing details into these agenda items, please visit their platform document: https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*12gfl9t*_gcl_au*ODI1MDYxMTMzLjE3MjU4OTUxNjk.&_ga=2.89484946.806183749.1725984774-2123452360.1725895170
taken directly from their official website:
- Seal the border and stop the migrant invasion
- Carry out the largest deportation operation in american history
- End inflation, and make america affordable again
- Make America the dominant energy producer in the world, by far!
- Stop outsourcing, and turn the United States in a manufacturing superpower
- Large tax cuts for workers, and no tax on tips!
- Defend our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms
- Prevent World War Three, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country—all made in America
- End the weaponization of government against the American people
- Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders
- Rebuild our cities, including Washington D.C., making them safe, clean, and beautiful again
- Strengthen and modernize our military, making it, without question, the strongest and most powerful in the world
- Keep the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency
- Fight for and protect social security and medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age
- Cancel the electric vehicle mandate and cut costly and burdensome regulations
- Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children
- Keep men out of women’s sports
- Deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again
- Secure our elections, including same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship
- Unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success
Cornel Ronald West
Age: 71
Party: Unaffiliated
Vice President Pick: Melina Abdullah
Previous Governmental Experience: none
Platform:
WARNING: these are simply policy pillars, not the full platform outlined by West / Abdullah. If you are interested in seeing details into these policy pillars, please visit their platform page: https://www.cornelwest2024.com/platform
taken directly from their official website:
- Black Maternal Justice
- Child Justice
- Disability Justice
- Economic Justice
- Education Justice
- Elder Justice
- Environmental Justice
- Gender Justice
- Global Justice
- Gun Violence Justice
- Health Justice
- Immigration Justice
- LGBTQIA+ Justice
- Racial Justice
- Transformative Justice
- Voter Justice
- Worker Justice
