This summer’s weather has been scorching hot, but it is not the only thing boiling in America: the 2024 election has almost arrived, and many Americans have already expressed their immediate concerns surrounding the candidates involved and the country’s not-so- sunny outlook on the political future.
Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have never truly seen eye to eye, their power struggles fueling their constant battles. Their conflicts were once again brought to light at the recent presidential debate on June 27, where both contenders spent more time arguing with each other rather than answering important questions. While Trump addressed how he believed the United States (U.S.) thrived under his presidency and how the nation is suffering under Biden’s rule, Biden stumbled through the function with similar talk directed at Trump; the two disagreed on nearly every topic, and they never failed to let the other know. This event embarrassed and troubled Americans, their worries only increasing when there was an assassination attempt directed at Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., just a few weeks later.
“[The events] have been wild. Election years are always crazy, but this one will probably go down in history as one of the most eventful,” Willow Ivester, freshman, said.
As the political drama progresses, many citizens have noticed issues regarding Biden’s health. Over the past few years during Biden’s presidency, Biden has been seen freezing, tripping and stumbling over words at multiple events, his age (81) the culprit. Despite his previous comment that ‘he will only drop out of the presidential race if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells him to do so,’ Biden receded on Jul. 21. Taking his place is none other than Vice President Kamala Harris, who, if she should win, will become the U.S.’s first African American Asian president and the first female one, at that.
“The ailments [Biden] has developed definitely had an effect on his presidency,” Nicholas Wright, sophomore, said.
Trump is infamous for many things, his criminal record and his behavior towards other candidates being some of his more well-known aspects. Trump is the first U.S. president to be a convicted felon; even so, he is still eligible to run. On various occurrences he has shown immature behavior towards competitors and others including journalists and Harris, even going as far as talking negatively about Harris’s ethnicity. Trump, Biden and Harris have collectively thrown America into a frenzy, leaving many citizens to wonder if they should even vote at all.
“There is a general unhappiness about the direction the country is headed, as well as the current state of politics, combined with the perception that neither main party candidate is doing much to help that problem, or even wants to,” Grant Davis Reeher, political science professor at Syracuse University, said.
This summer’s political events have shown that it is a scary time for America. Though it may seem the country is becoming more divided as the clock ticks toward election day, it is imperative that citizens stick together and stand up against the struggle.
