Income taxes, student loan forgiveness, and gun safety are three topics that greatly impact young voters in high school and college. As the election enters its final stretch, young voters are a prime target for both candidates.
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Economics: Income taxes and the federal minimum wage |
Kamala Harris has touted many pro-worker policies such as raising the federal minimum wage to $15, no tax on tips, and worker protections for both part-time and full-time employees. Economists’ opinions on raising the minimum wage are mixed, some say it will increase productivity and strengthen low-income communities while others say it will increase unemployment and inflation. Most high school and young adult jobs hinge directly on these issues. Harris’ platform also calls for tax credits for first-time homeowners and new parents. |
Donald Trump has the same view on not taxing tips, but his views on raising the federal minimum wage are unclear due to question dodging in many situations. On the podcast The Joe Rogan Experience on October 25, Trump brought up abolishing the Federal Income Tax, timestamp 41:15. His plan would instead place high tariffs on foreign goods to make up for lost federal money. While this plan would increase the amount of money that goes into workers’ pockets, it would also greatly increase the cost of many goods. |
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Student Loans |
Under President Biden, Harris praised his student loan forgiveness plans and programs. Many of these plans have been blocked by lawsuits from Republican-led states. However, almost 140 billion dollars in debt was wiped away for 4 million borrowers. While Harris highlights other non-college paths Americans take, her platform calls for further expansion of debt forgiveness programs. |
Donald Trump has criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to forgive students for their debt. The majority of Republican platforms, including the Trump-Vance ticket, do not support student loan forgiveness. One of Trump’s answers to questions on student debt forgiveness is an income-based payment plan. This plan would limit the required payments based on a debtor’s income. |
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Gun Control |
Kamala Harris has recently stated she is a gun owner. She has supported red-flag laws that restrict gun ownership for people who might harm themselves or others. She also opposes allowing concealed carry in schools. After the Apalachee High School in Georgia shooting, she called it “outrageous” that America still has a serious gun problem vowing to help fix it. |
Donald Trump is opposed to background checks and red flag laws. Trump has supported concealed carry by teachers in schools. After one of the deadliest shootings in modern America in which 58 people died, the Trump administration attempted to ban bump stocks; however, six Supreme Court justices, three of which were Trump appointees, struck down the ban. |
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