IN the first 2024 Presidential debate, Trump and Harris fail democracy. The Presidential Election is a different ballgame altogether. Debate shows Trump’s MAGA inward looking economic policy. Harris’s Opportunity Economic Agenda is abandonment of American dream. They both lack global vision on immigration and foreign policy. UK (Fixing the Foundation) and the EU (Draghi Europe Plan) are preparing these areas for post globalization world.
In terms of the 2024 Presidential election, it is going to be decided in the handful of the swing states including Michigan, Pennsylvanian and Wisconsin. Like 1824 Presidential Election, Georgia shows fight for democracy in the battle ground states for deciding the election in the House of Representatives with electoral votes instead of popular votes. Two-thirds in US fear violence could follow election including transfer of power on Jan 6, 2025.
Debate failed to give deciding stake to women. Harris colluded with Trump on abortion instead of pledging with 79 million women or 57.5% of US labour force to implement 1963 Equal Pay Act. Working moms get 58 cents for every dollar dads earn. Women work two months for free due to 15% pay gap, which widens after women have children. She gutted global gender equality already stalling or going backwards for 1bn women and girls. Sixty percent of people who work multiple jobs are women. The pay gap deprives women benefit from pension schemes requiring a certain amount and regular jobs with catastrophic consequences for them in old age including shelter, safety and protection against all kinds of abuses. The situation gets worse for working single mothers and their dependents including children. Harris not only failed to address growing child labor in the debate but also gave a free pass to Trump as Republicans continue to erode US child labor rules despite teen deaths.
Both failed to give triple lock guarantee to enforce Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Pension Acts and Banking Act of 1933 (Glass-Steagall). Let workers unionize for have collective bargain leaving after stagnant wages for the last 50 years causing $21000 annual loss to average family and $300bn in revenue. Stagnant wages are shrinking middle class (51% in 2023 from 61% in 1971) which is guardrail of democracy against authoritarianism.
Trump and Harris abandoned American Dream. Modern democracies tax their citizens in exchange for quality public services and social mobility including cost of living. The government of the day protects weak against the strong and held accountable as per the global indices (Nation’s Report Card). Constitution sets the parameters for the balance of power to stop democracy turning into dictatorship. They refused to uphold their democratic obligation to provide quality public healthcare, education and transport for having merit based social mobility of average Americans to fulfill their American dream irrespective of their background.
On cost of living, they refuse to cut 40% prices with the tools available with the state including law enforcement and oversight mechanisms to eliminate corruption. Trump blamed Biden for 30-51% increase in cost of living and Harris rejected his tariffs adding another $4000 to cost of living. She took a U-turn against price gouging. They are protecting lobbyists at the cost of taxpayers. It is gross violation of Biden’s anti-corruption policy stating corruption poses an existential threat to prosperity, security, and democracy – for Americans and for people around the world. When officials steal from their citizens or oligarchs flout the rule of law, honest businesses cannot compete, poverty grows, conflict deepens, and trust in government plummets. In recognition of this grave threat, President Biden established corruption as a core U.S. national security interest and issued the first United States Strategy on Countering Corruption (Fact Sheet: U.S. Leadership in the Fight Against Global Corruption, White House 11 Dec 2023). Obama, Trump and Biden added $22 trillion to national debt of $35 trillion. It was $850bn in 1979. They pass on inflation to poor instead of tax the rich and balancing the budget.
To unite America, Trump and Harris failed to give a balanced immigration policy despite Trump’s proposal to give green card to STEM foreign US graduates to compete globally (Biden’s biggest challenge. According to the Joint Economic Committee report, immigrants are vital to the US economy. With $1.73 trillion disposable income, they paid $500bn in taxes in 2023 (Forbes 15 Nov 2023). The economic prospects are grim with falling fertility rates, aging population and high cost of living including childcare. To revive American Dream, average Americans should be able to afford children, house mortgages, pensions and retirement plan. It is only possible when the economy serves average American instead of Kleptocracy in corporate America at the cost of democracy. Democrats and Republicans need to organize economy instead of blaming the immigrants for their corruption, failed Reaganomics (tax cuts, privatization and de-manufacturing) and high cost of living resulting in illiteracy, poverty and unemployment.
—The writer is senior political analyst based in Islamabad.
