Yes Jake Hawkins:
With all of the hatred and hectic activities surrounding this year’s presidential election, a question often brought up is: will my life, in particular, be affected? The simple answer is yes, with a wide range of reasons spanning from major to minor. To start, tax brackets deepening on class will affect salaries, savings and spending capacity. Healthcare programs may also be changed; in terms of coverage and affordability, with these programs potentially getting reduced. These large topics are ones that the youth may not think apply to them as much, which is a valid point. However, education is very real and important to them. Education could be severely impacted, with potential state governing of education being implemented. For some states, this could mean public schools potentially being eliminated. In terms of the environment, climate change could be at an all-time high if not addressed, and if left to continue, could be detrimental to the future of this planet. These powerful, long-lasting effects on the earth will continue to eat away at a better future for the youth of society. The list goes on, with public safety and reproductive rights being a highlight of this election, they will also alter the everyday lives of every individual in America. That being said, with these issues at the forefront of altering people’s lives, President-elect Trump may have a lot of unhappy Americans for the next four years.
No, Emilia Haus:
On Election night, as I was watching Trump begin to win all the key swing states, and eventually become the President-elect, I was immediately upset. I could not help but think of all the possibilities, from not having access to reproductive rights, to rapid worsening of climate change and so on. The fears I had been holding on to for months were one step closer to coming to fruition. This was not a unique sentiment with a poll showing that 56% of people feared that the election could lead to the end of democracy.
The reality is that day-to-day life will not be affected, at least not immediately. For one, there are still two months until Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20. This means that as of now, there are no real-world effects, simply anxieties and dread.
In terms of the economy, in his first presidency, Trump repeatedly failed to pass bills such as repealing the Affordable Health Care Act, as well as an infrastructure bill, with members of his party not supporting these initiatives. Bringing up another key point, that to be passed in the Senate, any bill requires bipartisan support, so even though Republicans hold a majority it will not always be enough. What this proves is that not every goal Trump aims for will be reached and also that these things take time.
With abortion, it is important to know that Trump’s own opinion on the matter has changed repeatedly, from advocating for abortion rights to a national ban to knowing where he currently stands with states selecting their policies. His indecisiveness means that the importance lies mostly in the states, with Florida upholding its six-week ban. While Amendment Four did not pass, conditions did not worsen, and with the large 57.2% support of the bill, it is unlikely that any amendments worsening our conditions will pass. There is still hope in the state of Florida and nationwide.
While these results may feel like the end of the world, we cannot give up hope for our generation and onwards. We will find ways to make sure these results do not affect every aspect of our life, especially not negatively.
