With the 2024 presidential election looming, tensions are rising all over.
Everyone has their own views and feelings on the election, whether those have to do with the candidates and their platforms, voting, media coverage, etc. Some of those are more controversial than others.
Here at the opinion section, we don’t shy from controversy. So without further ado, here are the opinion staff’s hottest takes on the 2024 election.
Olivia Langlan – Stop calling her Kamala
“I’m voting for Kamala.”
I’ve heard it countless times. Obviously, the support is appreciated but this statement has some possibly unintentional undertones.
Male politicians are referred to by their last names in a professional and cultural setting. Referring to Kamala Harris as “Kamala” is truly disrespectful. It’s like belittling a grown woman by calling her a “girl.”
I understand that being on a first-name basis with the presidential candidate could be a political strategy, but it poses a double standard. All the male presidents and candidates are referred to by their last names.
It’s “Harris.” Put some respect on her name.
Sarah Koegler – There isn’t a third option
When looking at the ballot this year, I can understand where a third option may be enticing.
On one side, there is a felon who wants to make himself richer and more powerful. On the other is our current vice president, who many people felt did not accomplish much.
With the set-up of our two-party system, there is sadly no third choice in this election—it’s Harris or the felon. This sucks because with this system, many communities feel underrepresented.
The idea of having to settle for the lesser of two evils is not the most appealing idea, but with so many serious topics on the ballot for this year I urge you to not look at weighing the cons, but weighing the possible freedoms and choices there are to be taken away.
Lucas Martineau – We deserve better than a “vibes” election
The real solutions offered by both candidates opt for digitally marketable taglines over genuine policy proposals, with our choices being the “concepts of a plan” or “joy.”
This is a far cry from the quantitative political science education that I’m being taught every week in class, and now as a senior, I’m terrified that vibes will determine who will lead this country as I enter the job market.
So, UVM students: please don’t let some inappropriate laughing or ending the tax on Zyns decide your vote in what is one of the most important elections in modern American history.
Instead, use what you are learning in your research methods classes, your meticulous labs and sometimes boring stats lectures to make an informed decision of where you want to take this country, forward or backward.
Pravar Mukkala – The average voter
The average voter knows nothing. Kamala: a communist. Trump: the savior. Biden: our great nation’s sleepy president who’s done nothing since he was elected. None of this is true, of course.
When you look at what the most important policy or topic is to potential voters, as Jim Carville once said, “it’s the economy, stupid.” The economy is a fickle topic, one voters waffle on all the time, and for good reason—it’s highly situational.
When voters view the economy as receding, regardless of whether it actually is, they are likely to swing to the opposite party in hopes of change, according to a Nov. 23, 2023 New York Times article—not that the presidency has much power over the economy, anyways.
But by doing this, many fail to realize that there are many other issues that are at stake.
When the electorate of a small town in Pennsylvania swings right because they see Bidenomics as the cause of an allegedly failing economy, they put human lives at stake in Gaza, in Ukraine and in the United States.
When the electorate of a suburban town in Georgia swings right because they think the Biden campaign is ignoring victims of Hurricane Helene, they are falling prey to a conservative misinformation campaign.
You should be able to detect the lies that are thrown at you from both sides. Inform yourself, read the news and pay attention.
When you think of the average voter, think of every other voter who lies below that middle line, that would lie left of the median on a bell curve. And I’m telling you, try your best not to be like them.
Ayelet Kaminski – I don’t want to vote for the same person as Liz Cheney, actually
Okay, okay, before you come for me, the only states I can vote in are Vermont and Connecticut. Both of which haven’t gone red since Bush Sr.
I just don’t really understand why the Democrats are more preoccupied kissing ass to Bush era Republicans—like, truly evil people—than listening to their own constituents.
Oh yeah, because they care more about sending bombs to Israel than aid to their own citizens impacted by Hurricane Helene. No wonder Harris’s policies resonate with so many Republicans—they’re straight out of 2005.
The messaging is clear: we’re not going back to 2016. You know, when Democratic candidates pushed for such outdated ideas such as immigrants being welcome in the United States, Medicare-for-all and the Green New Deal. Now Harris’s platform is all about “how can we strengthen border security” and “we love fracking.”
Politicians are meant to serve the needs of their constituents, not the other way around. And I don’t know when that became such a hot take.
Max Akom – Bring back propaganda
Whichever candidate is elected to office, we will need some propaganda to make it more palatable.
If Trump wins, then we should refer to him as the “leader of the free world” for a nice Cold War throwback. After all, it helped our grandparents’ generation ignore their moronic presidents, like Reagan.
It helps distance us from him. Donald Trump wouldn’t be the American president, rather the leader of this whole “free world” thing that we are only somewhat attached to.
Harris is already the candidate of joy. This is a strange method of propaganda, but I believe it’s strange enough to be worth keeping for the time being.
