While most recent polling averages project the 2024 presidential election as a toss-up, a presidency under Vice President Kamala Harris versus former President Donald Trump could vary drastically in several policy areas. This year, The Badger Herald Editorial Board selected five key issues for students to watch — no matter who takes the presidency this November.
Democracy
The issue: Repeatedly disproven claims of voter fraud leading up to and following the 2020 presidential election culminated in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which Trump was found liable for by the congressional committee investigating the incident. As the election approaches, young voters have become the subject of voter intimidation tactics, making democracy a top issue for many voters this November.
What to watch under Harris: Many Republicans have promoted a “country over party” stance in endorsing Harris for president. Harris has voiced support for the Freedom To Vote Act, which would establish Election Day as a federal holiday and expand voter registration access. She also has voiced support for Supreme Court reform, and overturning the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.
What to watch under Trump: Both Trump and his running mate JD Vance have denied the results of the 2020 election and Trump is still under scrutiny and trial for his actions regarding the Jan. 6 attack. While Trump has repeatedly denied ever reading The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, he has endorsed many of the same policies outlined in the document, including restructuring the federal government. He has expressed intent to surround himself with loyal political appointees by implementing Schedule F.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
The issue: Last winter, University of Wisconsin Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and the Wisconsin State Legislature negotiated a deal that exchanged DEI programming at UW for a new engineering building, among other budget initiatives. The deal was led by Robin Vos and other Republicans in the state legislature in an attempt to dismantle DEI in higher education.
What to watch under Harris: Harris has been a past proponent of DEI initiatives in higher education. When the Supreme Court ruled on Fisher v. University of Texas in 2016, upholding affirmative action and race-based admissions, Harris praised the decision. If elected, Harris plans to increase pathways for Black men to become teachers through collaborations between universities and the Department of Education. Similar programs in Wisconsin, like UW’s minority teacher loan program, have been targeted by Republican legislators and law firms.
What to watch under Trump: Vance introduced the Dismantle DEI Act to Congress on June 12, 2024, as the bill’s main sponsor. The act would eliminate all federal DEI programs and amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 such that education accreditation agencies can no longer encourage higher education institutes to adopt DEI practices. Trump himself has proposed a large-scale “American Academy” available to all citizens where no “wokeness” is allowed.
Humanitarian crisis in Gaza
The issue: For 12 days last spring, Library Mall became the epicenter of student protests over the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Hundreds of students and faculty members participated, attracting national media attention and sparking controversy over the University of Wisconsin’s decision to use police force against nonviolent demonstrators. While protesters reached an agreement with the UW administration to remove tents from Library Mall, for many student voters — particularly those who cast “uninstructed” ballots in the spring primary — Palestinian human rights remain a concern.
What to watch under Harris: Harris seems to be distancing herself from her record under the Biden administration, yet, like Trump, has not provided substantial details on her objectives in Gaza. When pressed during the presidential debate, she emphasized that while “Israel has the right to defend itself, how it does so matters.” Her absence from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s congressional speech this summer, followed by a personal meeting with him the next day, underscores Harris’s political balancing act.
What to watch under Trump: Beyond his debate-stage claim the Gaza conflict “would have never happened” if he were president, there is little clarity in the Republican platform about how Trump would address the crisis in the Middle East. His use of incendiary rhetoric, including calls for unconditional support for Israel and, as his campaign documents state, promises to “deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again,” suggests that voters should not expect a progressive shift in foreign policy under a Trump presidency.
Reproductive rights
The issue: The U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in June 2022, reversing national protections for abortion access protected under Roe v. Wade. The decision passed by a 6-3 vote, with three of the six votes in the majority opinion coming from Trump appointees. As a result, individual states were left to pass their own legislation on reproductive healthcare. Wisconsin, like many other states, had existing “trigger laws,” which automatically banned abortion when Roe was overturned. An 1849 law, interpreted as a ban on abortion, fell into place. But, Dane County Circuit Judge Diane Schlipper ruled in 2023 that the ban referred only to “feticide,” not “consensual abortion.” Limited abortion access has since been restored, but only four clinics are operating in Wisconsin.
What to watch under Harris: Harris has made abortion rights a central aspect of her campaign. In a September interview with CBS, Harris said she supports restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade, codifying abortion protections until about 22 weeks of pregnancy. Harris has not made clear whether she would support additional protections some abortion rights activists have advocated for.
What to watch under Trump: During the September presidential debate, Trump took credit for the Dobbs decision, which he said left reproductive healthcare decisions up to the states. Though Trump shared on the social media platform X on Oct. 1 that he would veto a national abortion ban, the declaration follows a record of false and contradictory statements on abortion and other reproductive healthcare.
Student debt
Issue: After Biden’s student debt relief executive order was overturned, millions of Americans who were previously enrolled in the Revised Pay As You Earn program automatically transferred to Biden’s new program, Saving on a Valuable Education. Seven Republican states filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the program, halting loan forgiveness. By this time, 414,000 borrowers had already been relieved of $5 billion worth of student loans. Eight million borrowers will not receive student loan repayments for at least another 6 months or until the legal situation changes, according to Inside Higher Ed.
What to watch under Harris: The Biden-Harris administration attempted to forgive student debt over the past four years and has remained vocal about their desire to implement income-driven repayment. Under the Biden administration, Harris has relieved $170 billion for five million borrowers, expanded the Pell Grant and relieved student debt for marginalized groups. The Harris-Walz campaign promises to continue Biden’s efforts to relieve the burden of student loan debt, despite ongoing legal challenges.
What to watch under Trump: During his presidency, Trump proposed a $5.6 billion cut to the Department of Education’s federal student aid programs. His budget included the elimination of subsidized student loans and cuts to Public Service Loan Forgiveness and federal work-study programs. Under the Trump administration, borrowers currently receiving benefits may face setbacks in their repayment plans. Trump has opposed student loan forgiveness on the basis that it is unfair to borrowers who have already paid off their debts.
