There might be some things they can agree on but ultimately Trump and Biden are not advocating for the same things

Elections are right around the corner which means that “we, the people” are looking critically at the two candidates, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, to decide which will be the president of the United States for the next four years. These two might have some things they can agree on, but that does not outweigh the stark contrast between them.
In regards to the COVID-19, it is clear that Trump has a different approach than Biden. They both support expanding testing and development of a safe vaccine, but Trump has stated that he is against the implementation of mask mandates nationwide whereas Biden supports it.
Additionally, Biden has said that he plans to reverse the withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) if elected into the office which would contradict Trump’s decision of pulling out of the World Health Organization in order to reallocate its funds to other health organizations. The issue of coronavirus is one of the most prevalent at this time, so the two candidates’ public disagreement on how to deal with it proves to show how different they would handle further public concerns down the line if elected.
Thomas McCarthy of the Civil Discourse club states that Trump’s and Biden’s opinions differing or not depends on which policy is being discussed but that they ultimately do have some similar views which make them less different than we are led to believe. This is true to some extent as both do have some similar policies about trade and the economy such as agreeing on made in American policies and certain trade deals. This does not however prove that they are similar as with every policy they do agree on there are multiple others they have opposing opinions on. These include the push to raise minimum wage and funding of family leave which Biden supports and Trump does not. These opposing views become even more evident when looking at their policies regarding taxation, as Trump supports the reduction of spending on Social Security and lowering of corporate tax rate which Biden does not.
Social issues further highlight the differences between the two candidates. When discussing healthcare Biden has said that he supports Medicare for all and a public health insurance option for government-financed care while Trump does not. On the issue of abortion, Trump does not support the use of public funding for abortions while Biden does.
The issue of climate change is also one that they are very divisive on. Trump has stated that people like himself “have high intelligence but we [are] not necessarily such believers” (wide-range interview 2018) when asked about climate change. Biden on the other hand does believe that climate change exists. As president, he plans to rejoin the Paris Agreement (which Trump left in 2017) and work towards helping the planet with a plan that pushes for sustainable infrastructure in a move for a clean energy future.
On the topic of education, which is pertinent and related to Woodbridge High students as we work our way towards our futures, Biden has said that he supports making public college tuition-free for families that make less than $125,000 a year which Trump has stated is part of a socialist agenda and does not support.
Trump and Biden do not only differ in their policies but also in their political experience. Biden served as the democratic state senator for Delaware from 1973 to 2009 and served as vice president under the Obama administration. Trump on the other hand was a businessman before becoming president. Their political experience does in fact set them apart as being a politician is very different from leading a business. This may be a reason for their contrasting approaches to how they present themselves publicly. Politically engaged Woodbridge student, Delphine Boitano, believes Trump deals with the current political climate less gracefully than Biden does. Experience in dealing with political chaos might be a skill that Biden gained during his many years as a politician, years of experience that Trump does not possess.
These differences between them reflect the qualities that Americans must decide between this November in order to choose who they want to lead them. It is important for both sides of an issue to be discussed to ensure that all Americans are represented in the government.
If both candidates really did believe mostly the same things then there would be no need for opposing political parties. Regardless of who wins, this upcoming election will prove to be an important historical moment for the United States.

This presidential race should not be determined on emotion alone
Americans had the pleasure of tuning into an embarrassing and nearly comedic presidential debate last Tuesday, a product of societal disconnect resulting from the virus and near complete ignorance of policy.
President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden fell fool to the divisiveness of their parties advanced by the media and other social outlets.
Despite the understanding of many including the youth population, Trump and Biden are both centrist candidates who back their parties but also fully promote the idea of Trumpism, an underlining nationalist-populist ideology favored in the current western world.
For example, Biden is known for creating compromises during his time in legislature. Biden, who is a democrat, not only garnered support from the Republicans to help launch a stimulus bill following the Great Recession but he also organized many of its efforts.
Likewise, Trump appeals to many working class unionized voters, who, for years, backed Democrat candidates, as he helped create the lowest unemployment rate in the nation’s history during his first term, 3.5% according to ABC news (Oct 2019). The president also championed the First Step Act, an important piece of legislation for criminal justice reform, where consensus can be found between the opposing parties.
In other policy areas, the candidates have failed to work with their parties, instead offering new solutions. Trump has focused on mending the Affordable Care Act through a free-market strategy because he has not yet found a new plan suitable for the American people. Biden, instead of socializing medicine, plans on maintaining Obamacare with privatized policies while expanding healthcare in a socialized manner for Medicaid recipients.
This also rings true as both candidates back economic plans with a focus on infrastructure development and purchasing American made goods. Biden would work under a loose and watered down version of the Green New Deal while Trump would cut regulations. In either situation, multinational companies will adjust to global environmental sustainability standards and pass the cost on to consumers, many of which are currently students.
There are only a few matters of policy the candidates actually differ on, including abortion, immigration and climate change. These decisions will affect how the teenagers of today view human life, rationality and environmental stewardship for years to come.
Both leaders have set respectable goals, at many times pulling away from party platforms that embrace radical ideals. Joe Biden calls himself the democratic party, inferring that his platform is the party’s platform; while Donald Trump is redefining the Republican electorate.
The American system must always rotate back to centrism and the truth. Both Biden and Trump will move through the negative narratives and lies to bring this country to more prosperity and centristic unity.
With the only threats looming being common-placed radicalism, it’s crucial to avoid the ideological extremism of Hitler or Kalergi; we should all stand for moral principles like respect for human dignity and tolerance.
As American popular opinion shifts toward radicalism, a more polarizing election may be on tap for 2024. Wait until the potential Pence Cotton and Harris Ocasio-Cortez tickets; one could only wish for a candidate like Trump of Biden.