Moms Should Remember “Then” Before Voting in the 2024 Presidential Election
Looking back can reveal quite the mixed bag.
I like to tell my kids that I used to be cool before they came along.
Is it true? Maybe… maybe not.
Regardless, the past is essential, and our stories can’t be told without it. All our experiences make up the fabric of who we become and what we believe. Our college season and its adventures created curiosity and cunning in our lives. Our mom-years make us battle-proven from wrangling toddlers and training teens to drive.
The same is true of our politicians.
Do you know the back story of Trump and Harris?
Could you pass this quiz?
- What is Kamala Harris’ middle name?
- How many siblings does Donald Trump have?
- Do you know the name of Kamala’s first book?
- How many seasons were there of Trump’s reality TV show, The Apprentice?
Maybe these are pretty trivial, but We the People, need to have clear-eyed knowledge of our candidate’s backgrounds, credentials – successes and failures – because we’re counting on one of them to come through for the American people and on a more personal level, for our families – during a contentious, dangerous, and divided era in our nation’s history.
For the next three weeks, we will take a deeper dive into the candidates and issues in this Presidential election season; this week focused on the background of Donald J. Trump and Kamala D. Harris, their personal histories, and their previous years in the White House.
There’s no way to cover all the details, so we’ll share highlights from both.
Kamala Devi Harris
Before becoming the Democratic candidate in this year’s race, she’s been serving as Vice President for three and a half years. We’re going back to the beginning, though.
Kamala was born on October 20, 1964, so she will celebrate the big 6-0 later this month. Her mom, an Indian immigrant, Shyamala Gopalan, was an accomplished biomedical scientist, and her dad, Jamaican-American Donald J. Harris, is an economist and emeritus professor at Stanford University. Kamala also has a beloved sister, Maya, who spoke at this year’s Democratic Convention in Chicago.
Harris attended Howard University, earning a degree in economics and political science. She then gained her law degree at the University of California’s Hastings School of Law. She passed the bar on her second try – and joined a prestigious group, each of whom didn’t make it on their first attempt: Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. Impressive company, and a little more trivia for you.
She became the District Attorney in San Francisco where she introduced her philosophy, Smart on Crime, also the title of a book she penned with Joan O’C. Hamilton. Hers was a “modern” approach to justice, hoping to repair the flaws of traditionally held thought on jurisprudence by creating a new plan to help criminals find a way forward to become productive members of society rather than remaining stuck in a penal system that didn’t work.
Her “Back on Track” philosophy had some successes to boast about; however, a report released several weeks ago by The Heritage Foundation challenges this ideology and outlines some very different stories from Harris’ time as DA.1
Harris vowed never to seek the death penalty – no matter what. She kept her promise even in some very horrific cases, including in the sentencing of Edwin Ramos, an illegal alien and MS-13 gang member who was found guilty of killing a father and his two boys as they were coming home from a picnic. Though the widow pled for Harris to consider the death penalty – she refused.
The recent report also revealed a string of “fire-sale deals” for some homicide cases Harris needed to clear from the books. She “refused to seek appropriate punishments even for those who committed unconscionable acts,” according to The Heritage Foundation’s report.
Alexander Izaguirre had been arrested for dealing cocaine when Harris’ “Back on Track” program granted him freedom. Four months later, he attacked Amanda Keifer, snatching her purse and fleeing in an SUV. Instead of driving away, he turned the vehicle around. He attempted to run over his terrified victim, and reportedly, Izaquirre was seen laughing as he steered toward her. After Amanda jumped onto another car to avoid being killed, she was thrown to the ground, sustaining a skull fracture. When speaking with the LA Times, Harris said, “The immigration issue, as it relates to the Izaguirre case, obviously is a huge kind of pimple on the face of this program.”
The success of Harris’ time as DA may have mixed reviews, however, it must have helped form the views she holds today on crime and justice.
She also served as California’s attorney general and later became a US Senator, championing causes like abortion rights, climate change, and police reform. Harris passionately desires to seek equity for marginalized groups like the LGBTQ community and unfettered abortion.
She is historic as the first black female vice-president of the United States, serving alongside President Joe Biden.
Donald John Trump
He was born to Fred and Mary Trump in Queens, New York, on June 14, 1946. His dad was the son of German immigrant parents. He made his fortune in the construction and real estate development business. Donald Trump had two sisters, Maryanne and Elizabeth, and two brothers, Fred and Robert. He attended the New York Military Academy, later earning a degree in economics from the prestigious Wharton School of Finance.
Following his father’s footsteps, Trump took over his dad’s business in 1971, giving it a new name: The Trump Organization. Trump used his negotiating prowess to build an even more massive real estate empire, including hotel holdings, 16 golf courses, and luxury residential properties in the US and abroad. He’s authored more than a dozen books, including the most well-known and studied, The Art of the Deal. Though that title was released 30 years ago, MarketWatch reports that sales of that book may have earned Trump as much as $1 million this past year.
With many successes, Trump has also known the sting of defeat, with several of his properties filing for bankruptcy in the late 90s. His struggles prompted another book, The Art of the Comeback, written with Kate Bohner, which is now reportedly selling on Amazon for $900 per copy. So, if you have one gathering dust somewhere, perhaps that will mark the beginning of your own fortune.
Trump starred in a wildly successful reality TV show, The Apprentice. He earned more than 200 million dollars for his role over 14 seasons. His famous line from that series, “You’re Fired,” has recently been reprised for this year’s Presidential Campaign, aimed first at Biden – now at Harris.
According to him, Trump decided to run for the highest office in the land in 2015 out of concern for our nation. He defeated Hillary Clinton even after her campaign’s documented attempt to win by paying for a false dossier to convince Americans that he was compromised by the Russians. The plot was later discredited and became known as “The Russia Hoax.”2
Currently, Trump’s net worth is $4.3 billion.
President Trump’s First Term in Office
As we look back to predict what a future Trump term may look like, let’s assess his first four years in the Oval Office.
Donald Trump served as our 45th President, having made many promises on the campaign trail, earning him the win. Let’s face it: we’ve heard other candidates promise and then fail, and in his case, I’m not sure how many of us were confident about what would happen when this business mogul/reality TV star took charge. However, the Trump administration hit the ground running, and one by one – promises were kept.
With an ambitious plan in place, he was also faced with many who doubted and even hated him. Trump was criticized for a harsh tone on Twitter and for giving his opponents nicknames as Clinton lamented her loss, claiming that he wasn’t a legitimate president because the election was “stolen.” His administration was plagued with ongoing attacks and two impeachments (one happening even after he left office), but “the Donald” didn’t let it slow his progress.
Trump’s administration is credited with defeating the terror group ISIS and brokering a peace deal in the Middle East, The Abraham Accords. He also made trade deals with many nations to create a more favorable economic environment for American companies. He enacted new strategies to secure the border and oversaw more than 450 miles of border wall construction.
Trump made it a point to bulk up the military decisively and decrease regulation to help the US become energy independent. Gas prices were under two dollars per gallon as American citizens and corporations enjoyed tax cuts in 2017. Despite the Congressional Budget Office’s doom and gloom prediction that Trump’s strategy would cost the country $1.1 trillion in lost tax revenue, the tax cuts saw revenues increase by more than $550 billion.3
Individual income rose, and unemployment hit record lows before the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. The Trump years saw lower prescription drug costs and reformed veteran’s healthcare availability and quality. The interest rate for a 30-year mortgage hovered around 4%, with inflation at 1.8% in 2019.
Eggs averaged $1.40 per dozen that year.
Kamala Harris’ First Term in Office
It’s worth considering the priorities of Harris’ first 3.5 years in power as she makes her bid for the highest office in our nation. With President Biden, she helped open doors to usher in a very different American future.
One of the first acts of the Biden/Harris administration involved ending Trump policies for the border. They halted wall construction and signaled to the world that the border was open. How many have entered with their policies is unknown – some say 10 million, some say as many as 20 million. A recent report revealed that more than 13,000 murderers and 15,000 rapists have been allowed to enter the country. Critics of that report stress that not all of these came in under border czar Harris’ watch – however, given the overwhelming numbers, it’s likely that many did.
She and Biden took office during the COVID-19 pandemic. They had the jump-start in strategy from Trump and took an aggressive stance toward battling the spread of the disease. Though many now conclude that the extensive business and school shutdowns were excessive, and now we know that masks are less than effective, the nation faced a pandemic for the first time in a hundred years. Biden/Harris enacted the $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan to restart the economy and fight the pandemic. It paid for a widespread vaccine and testing program and to “help reopen schools,” however, no one’s quite sure where all of the money went.
The administration invested in infrastructure, boasting the upgrade of roads and public transit and spreading the joy of high-speed internet from sea to shining sea. Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first black woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, fulfilling Biden’s promise to appoint a female of color to that high court.
Biden and Harris added to manufacturing with the Chips and Science Act. They expanded help to veterans exposed to toxins during their service. They made same-sex marriage the law of the land and pardoned all those imprisoned for marijuana possession.4
Harris and Biden returned America to the Paris Climate Accord on their first day in office, something Trump had ended during his term. The US participation in that endeavor costs American taxpayers roughly $3 billion annually. (It was difficult to locate a definitive figure; however, that was the US commitment in 2016, which may be higher now).
The administration promised to cancel student loan debt for millions of Americans, but this was defeated by a Supreme Court decision. However, Biden found some workarounds to do it to a lesser degree.
Some would say the crowning piece of legislation was The Inflation Reduction Act. Harris boasts that hers was the deciding vote. Though promising (in the name) to reduce inflation, Harris’ own bio at whitehouse.gov hails it as “the largest investment ever in tackling the climate crisis.” The misnamed bill has been credited by its critics for actually increasing inflation.5
The Biden/Harris administration openly and enthusiastically embraces all things woke, with Harris publicly promoting the concepts involved in gender ideology, CRT, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. To them, it is a virtuous effort to introduce a new and more inclusive society.
Inflation is currently falling from its Biden/Harris high of 7% in 2021, though groceries and housing remain at record highs. Gas averages around $3.20 per gallon, down a bit from its highest price (in history) of $5.02 in 2022. Rates hover around 7% for a 30-year, fixed mortgage.
Eggs are roughly $3.20 per dozen right now.
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That’s our look at the early lives and first terms of Trump and Harris. Whether you love one or the other – or dislike both – we strongly urge you to get involved and vote in this pivotal election. Check out MomVote to learn more and get involved. As you do, look at both candidates – what they’ve done, what they promise to do, and what you believe is best. Moms are the backbone of the voting public. We stand for the future of our families and our nation.
Next week, we’ll look at the present situation in our nation and world to consider who will best address the challenges we face in this volatile time for our country.
Podcast Note: This week, we welcome author and counselor Pamela Garfield-Jaeger as she shares her groundbreaking work in her book A Practical Response to Gender Distress. With so many families facing gender struggles with their kids, teens, and young adults, you won’t want to miss our discussion of this timely subject.
1 heritage.org “Kamala Harris’s Pro-Crime Policies”
2 youtube.com “Russian Collusion and the Death of Journalism”
3 heritage.org “The Numbers are In: Trump’s Tax Cuts Paid Off”
4 joebiden.com “We’ve Delivered on Our Promises”
5 oversight.house.gov “Inflation Reduction Act Hearing Report”
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