What Engages US Voters: Price Tags and Abortion

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, with all due respect. The presidential election in the USA is not just about the person, but also about the issues. The economy, migration, and the abortion issue are topics that voters care about. Here is a guide to the questions being discussed:

» Published: October 21 2024

What Engages US Voters: Price Tags and Abortion
Photo: Nam Y Huh/AP/TT

Share this article

The Economy

"It's the economy, stupid" (It's about the economy, stupid). Star strategist James Carville's phrase was coined during Bill Clinton's successful election campaign in 1992 and has rarely been truer. After the covid pandemic, the economic wheels are rolling relatively well in the USA, but prices have risen and the specter of inflation has a psychological grip on many. As many as 81 percent of voters say that the economy is very important when they vote, according to the Pew Research Center.

Republican Trump wants to strengthen domestic production, and thereby create jobs, through tariffs on certain imported goods. He advocates for broad tax cuts and was the first to propose that tips should not be taxed.

Harris has promised economic support to those buying their first home, as well as an expanded form of child allowance. She has also proposed a price ceiling on a range of daily goods.

.

Border Security and Immigration

Strengthened border security was Donald Trump's flagship issue in the 2016 election, with his main promise being a border wall against Mexico. Both parties now believe that borders need to be strengthened and tougher measures taken against illegal migration. However, such a bill was voted down in Congress last spring, allegedly because Trump did not want his party colleagues to give the White House a victory.

If Harris becomes president, she plans to push through the bill. If Trump wins, he has promised to deport over 10 million undocumented migrants, unclear how.

.

Healthcare and Abortion

Abortion is deeply contested in the USA, spanning religion, women's rights, and poverty reduction. Between 1973 and 2022, abortion rights were nationally protected through the Supreme Court's ruling in Roe v. Wade, which established that free abortion is part of the constitutionally protected right to privacy. In 2022, Roe v. Wade was repealed and the issue was sent back to the states.

In the 2016 election, many anti-abortion voters voted for Trump because he promised to appoint conservative Supreme Court judges who could undermine abortion rights. Trump now says it is right that states decide on the issue, but that he would not sign a national abortion ban.

Harris, on the other hand, has made abortion her issue and promised to reintroduce abortion rights nationally.

.

Democracy and Election Security

Many voters still remember the deadly storming of the Capitol in 2021, as well as Trump's many lawsuits where he falsely claimed that voter fraud occurred in the previous presidential election. A large proportion of Trump's loyal so-called Maga-voters believe him, and in some right-wing extremist groups, there is a willingness to contest the election result, both legally and with violence, according to researchers.

.

Bubbling Under: Healthcare, Wars in the World, Violent Crime, and Climate Change.

The following political issues are crucial when Americans vote in the presidential election on November 5. Percentage of voters who consider the issue very important:

The Economy: 81

Healthcare: 65

Appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court: 63

Foreign Policy: 62

Violent Crime: 61

Immigration: 61

Gun Laws: 56

Abortion: 51

Equality: 37

Climate Change: 37

Source: Pew Research Center

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Two Boys Fatally Stabbed in Melbourne Suburbs
1 MIN READ

Two Boys Fatally Stabbed in Melbourne Suburbs

Russian Attack on Ukraine's Sumy Region Leaves One Dead, Several Injured
1 MIN READ

Russian Attack on Ukraine's Sumy Region Leaves One Dead, Several Injured

Chicago Leaders Condemn Trump's Threats as "Repulsive"
2 MIN READ

Chicago Leaders Condemn Trump's Threats as "Repulsive"

Loose Cable Caused Fatal Lisbon Funicular Crash, Investigators Say
1 MIN READ

Loose Cable Caused Fatal Lisbon Funicular Crash, Investigators Say

Family Calls for Health Minister Kennedy's Resignation Over Vaccine Stance
2 MIN READ

Family Calls for Health Minister Kennedy's Resignation Over Vaccine Stance

Car Crashes into French Pizzeria Patio Leaving One Dead
1 MIN READ

Car Crashes into French Pizzeria Patio Leaving One Dead

Over 425 Arrested at Pro-Palestinian Protest in London
1 MIN READ

Over 425 Arrested at Pro-Palestinian Protest in London

Over 50 Killed in Boko Haram Attack in Northeastern Nigeria
2 MIN READ

Over 50 Killed in Boko Haram Attack in Northeastern Nigeria

Hippopotamus Capsizes Boat in Ivory Coast: Eleven Missing
1 MIN READ

Hippopotamus Capsizes Boat in Ivory Coast: Eleven Missing

$1 Million Reward Offered for Capture of Armed Police Killer in Australia
1 MIN READ

$1 Million Reward Offered for Capture of Armed Police Killer in Australia

Gaza Toddler Shamm Finds New Hope with Treatment in Italy
2 MIN READ

Gaza Toddler Shamm Finds New Hope with Treatment in Italy

Russia Boosts Drone Production to 2,700 Monthly
1 MIN READ

Russia Boosts Drone Production to 2,700 Monthly

Hamas Threat to Israel: Analysts Say Eradication Unlikely
7 MIN READ

Hamas Threat to Israel: Analysts Say Eradication Unlikely

Thousands Gather in Milan to Honor Fashion Icon Giorgio Armani
1 MIN READ

Thousands Gather in Milan to Honor Fashion Icon Giorgio Armani

Zelensky Rejects Putin's Moscow Meeting Invitation
1 MIN READ

Zelensky Rejects Putin's Moscow Meeting Invitation

Israel Calls for Evacuation to Contested Humanitarian Zone in Gaza
2 MIN READ

Israel Calls for Evacuation to Contested Humanitarian Zone in Gaza

Norway Election Poll: Red-Greens Lead as Høyre Faces Historic Low
2 MIN READ

Norway Election Poll: Red-Greens Lead as Høyre Faces Historic Low

Large Shark Attack in Sydney Leaves Surfer Dead
1 MIN READ

Large Shark Attack in Sydney Leaves Surfer Dead

Europe Faces Autumn Crisis Amid Trump Tensions
3 MIN READ

Europe Faces Autumn Crisis Amid Trump Tensions

Trump Proposes Hosting Next G20 Summit at His Miami Golf Club
2 MIN READ

Trump Proposes Hosting Next G20 Summit at His Miami Golf Club