2 weeks Ago By By BENJAMIN GONZALEZ SHS Student Writer
This upcoming election is historic in various ways, from Joseph R. Biden’s bowing out of the race later than any other incumbent nominee, Donald Trump being one of the very few presidential candidates to run for a second non-consecutive term, and Kamala Harris — the first woman of color to be nominated as the democratic party’s presidential nominee. Both major party candidates — Kamala Harris and Donald Trump — have vastly different plans, proposals, and policies promised if they are elected.
Southwest High School students have varying opinions on the upcoming election this November. However, one sentiment remains the same among many students: the stakes and polarization seen in this election cycle are higher than ever. For that reason, Nickolas Santana, a government teacher at SHS, said elections matter so that every opinion can be heard.
“We are the world's oldest democracy and so every little person has a voice — that is very important — very Jeffersonian,” Santana said. “We all have an equal amount of power in the voting booth, so it is important we use that power.” Santana also said that it was important for people to learn about government to make decisions on any issue without taking a politician’s words at face value.
Some students at SHS, like 12th-grade student Bayne Bernal, agreed with Santana’s sentiment. Bernal said if he could vote this election cycle, he would vote for Harris because of her policy proposals. “I would definitely say (this election cycle) is one of the more polarized ones we’ve ever had; it is very divided between Trump and Harris,” Bernal said.
“I’m going to say it will be a closer election than these past two elections, but I would vote for Kamala Harris, that is for sure. She is definitely the least scandalous considering Trump’s convictions, and I know she wants to help young families with child tax credits. I also know she is big on small businesses and a good amount of unions support her.
” According to Harris’s website, she supports a child tax credit, which provides a $6,000 tax cut to families with newborns that incrementally decreases as the child ages. Harris also proposes expanding the startup expense tax deduction for new businesses from $5,000 to $50,000. Many union groups, such as the California Professional Firefighters Union, have endorsed Harris.
Some groups, however, have refused to endorse a candidate at the national level, such as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Other students, like junior Joshua Ibarra, said he would vote for Trump because he said he believes the economy is a more pressing issue that his community has struggled with, particularly regarding getting a house. “I feel like now it is harder for people to buy houses and I think that is one of the main things people are struggling with now,” Ibarra said.
“A lot of people have been having a hard time since (prices) have gone up.” According to the official Republican Party Platform linked on Trump's website, The GOP proposes to lower the cost of housing by opening up limited portions of federal land and cutting regulations that raise housing prices. Dash Eugenio, a sophomore at SHS, said that if he were old enough to vote, he would vote for a third party because he thinks the two-party system is terrible for politics.
“If I had to vote I would probably choose Libertarian because I think the two-party system is very stupid and leads to more division in the country than was intended,” Eugenio said. “I think that the two-party system, which the Founding Fathers detested, has actually driven a huge gap in our country, which you kind of are seeing with all the assassination attempts.” According to a study conducted by Jesse Shapiro, a professor at Brown University, political polarization has increased across the nation faster than in Canada, Germany, Australia, or the United Kingdom.
While some people seem to feel this polarization at SHS, Social Science Department Head Cindy Garcia said she tries to maintain a civil classroom by being non-partisan and allowing students to express their opinions. “I always tell my students that they will never know what political party I am affiliated with because that is unimportant,” said Garcia. “As a history teacher, I am here to give both sides and present each candidate.
It is up to the student to decide what political party best affiliates with them and their values. I prefer to give them information and allow them to explore where they stand on issues.”.
