The following article is an opinion piece, and those opinions expressed are those of the authors not of the Peters Township School District.
Even though Trump won the popular vote and republicans control both Houses of Congress, the results of the 2024 presidential election are disappointing to a wide variety of Americans. With distrust over the maintenance of democracy, radical economic policies, and concerns over abortion rights, some Americans are worried about what is in store for the next Trump presidency.
“I am worried about Trump’s dedication to our country,” senior Ava Avampato said, “He encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol on the claim that the election [in 2020] was falsified.”
The democracy of the United States was built upon a foundation that guarantees a peaceful transfer of power and fair elections. Trump’s encouragement of the insurrection on the Capitol in 2021 violated both of these democratic ideals.
“It is extremely important to me that the pillars of American democracy are upheld, and based on Trump’s previous actions, I am worried he will contradict more of the values this country was built on,” stated Avampato.
Avampato is not the only American worried about the future of democracy with Trump as president. According to a poll done by the Associated Press, about half of U.S. voters believe Trump would weaken the democracy in the U.S. “a lot” “or somewhat” as president.
Also, there is no doubt that many of Trump’s economic policies are radical. According to Foreign Affairs magazine, imposing high tariffs on most foreign goods, deporting significant numbers of migrant workers, and increasing presidential discretion over monetary and fiscal policy are some of the most monumental and radical economic policies that Trump promises to enact while president. Trump claims these actions will allow the United States economy to prosper and bring success to American workers. However, in reality, these actions would increase uncertainty, make business more expensive, and reduce the productive capacity of the American economy.
NPR explains that although Trump’s tariffs could potentially raise government revenue, his overall economic plan will most likely expand the federal deficit, increasing the government’s borrowing costs. The fact that Trump’s economic policies are likely to have the opposite effect on the economy than he claims they will perfectly illustrates the worries many Americans have over the state of the economy with him as president.
In addition to the maintenance of democracy and the economy, abortion rights were one of the most heavily focused on issues in this past election by democrats. In fact, a poll done by Pew research found that 67% of Kamala Harris supporters cited abortion to be a main concern of theirs in the election. Much of this concern stems from Trump’s varying stances on abortion throughout his political career.
During his first term as president, he appointed Supreme Court justices who successfully repealed the protections set by Roe v. Wade and he has boasted about this accomplishment on various occasions. According to NBC, while president, he supported a House bill intended to ban abortion nationally after 20 weeks although it ultimately did not pass. Then, in March of this year, he claimed to support a nationwide ban on abortion after 15 weeks’ gestation. Finally, towards the end of his campaign, he supported the idea that abortion rights should be up to the states.
This constant switch up of his position has caused many Americans to worry about what the future of abortion access looks like with him as president.
“Abortion is not murder, but rather can be a life saving medical procedure that is equivalent to any other,” claimed senior Samhitha Santebennur. “The government intervening with abortion is another example of their infringement on women’s rights that has been occurring since this country’s founding.”
Like many other American women, Santebennur is worried about no longer having the right to make decisions about her own body under Trump’s presidency.
“As a woman, I should have the right to choose for myself and my health whether to have an abortion or not. With Trump as president, I am unsure of what my abortion rights are going to be like for my future. Abortion should be a right, not a privilege,” stated Santebennur.
Although it is completely justified to be worried about Trump’s next presidency, the United States has a democracy set in place for a reason. The American people always have the right to express their beliefs and enact change. Even if the results of this election are disappointing, it does not give us reason to lose hope for our country.
Senior and Kamala Harris voter Katie Pazuchanics explained, “The results are the results. All we can do is keep voting every opportunity we get.”
As Americans, we must accept the results of this election and not let our disappointment distract us from continuing to fight for our goals for the future.
