As the election is upon us soon, voters need to know what each candidate is bringing to the table before they vote on Nov. 3, Election Day.

     Joe Biden is a 77-year-old man born in Scranton, Pa. However, he currently lives in Wilmington, Del. He was a six-term senator from Delaware,first elected in 1972, and then the United States’ 47th vice president. Joe Biden is a member of the Democratic party. 

     Donald Trump is a 74-year-old man born in New York, N.Y. Before entering politics, he was a businessman and television personality. He is the current president and running for a second term and is a member of the Republican party. 

     Both candidates are very different people, and it is essential to know who you are voting for and what they are willing to do if elected.

     Biden’s signature issue he feels so strongly about is healthcare. He served as Vice president in the Obama administration during the passage of the Affordable Care Act. He feels a personal connection to healthcare because of family tragedies. He supports adding a public option to the Affordable Care Act, but he opposes medicare for all. As far as his thoughts for the cost of legal drugs is to link the overseas prices.

     Biden wants to recover and make our economy better especially after covid-19. Over the past month he has been spreading his visions and ideas about how he will do this. He wants to make Americans enjoy returning to work while also ensuring it is safe to do so. He wants to ensure that everybody is included in rebuilding the economy. Biden wants an economy where Black, Latino, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Native American workers are all involved and welcomed.

     Trump is promising to help revive the economy and vowing to create ten million job opportunities. He also says he is promising to build on the tax cuts he started in his first term. He wants to have more jobs in the U.S. rather than overseas. He says he will “enact fair trade deals” that protect American jobs. Regarding covid-19 he has also placed a lot of hope in finding a vaccine. In his campaign agenda he states how he promises to deliver a Coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year. 

     In the debate from Oct. 22, Trump said. “The cure cannot’ be worse than the problem itself’.”

     Both candidates are trying to persuade people to vote for them by changing taxes. Trump wants to retain the 37% income tax rate on high earners and has hinted at lowering the 22% rate for middle earners to 15% but this has not been officially finalized by his campaign. 

     Reports say candidate Biden will attempt to raise taxes in both New York and California to 60%+. 

     Foran alumni T.J Gentley says, “ One thing about the election that I would change is having decent candidates run for office…. there is no voting for change.”  

     Foran class of 2020 graduate Maddie Marcy is voting for the first time this year and says, “I think it is so important to make sure the LGBTQ+ [community] is not going to get discriminated against. We already have grown as a nation and there is no reason to go back. I believe very strongly that love is love and everyone should be able to love and be with whomever they want. It is so important to be an ally and help their voices and rights to be heard.” Check out this website for more information about each stance on different topics. https://educationvotes.nea.org/presidential-2020/biden-vs-trump/

     Foran History teacher Mr.  Frank Tupka says, “One important topic that needs to be discussed is the creation of jobs in new sectors. What will the job market look like in 10 or 20 years? Where will today’s students be looking for work? What skills do we need to start preparing students with?  Presidential candidates have the unique position of being privy to that type of long range information and the American people need to know how to plan.”

     Tupka also says, “It would be wonderful to see our candidates discuss a vision of the future. America was once a country of visionaries who landed on the moon, fought for the Civil Rights Movement, and embraced technological innovation. It is easy to point out what is wrong, but we need to know what can be right.” 

     Before people come to their final decision on who they will vote for it is crucial  to research and educate yourself on each candidate and what policies they will implement. https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2020/trump-policies-vs-biden-policies/  

     Since important topics are on the line this election such as equal pay, abortion, LGBT adoption rights, police body cameras, gun control, and the environment, it is important to do research. Using a site like isidewith.com will enable you to see all the issues and what they mean and pick what you think in a multiple choice format. This may make it easier to understand which candidate follows issues and has plans that align with one’s own belief system.