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Lately with Layne: Harris is the lesser of two evils
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Lately with Layne: Harris is the lesser of two evils

The 2024 election is once again a battle in voters’ minds to choose the lesser evil. Just as in the last two presidential elections, many individuals are far from fully aligning with all of the positions of both candidates. However, the support for Vice President Kamala Harris on both sides of the political spectrum proves that she is the lesser of two evils.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) pledged his support for Harris, despite their disagreements over the war in Gaza. Sanders explained that even though Harris unfairly supports Israel, she continues to advocate for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, something former President Donald Trump does not do.

This war, and foreign policy in general, is top of mind for many voters. Sanders’ recent video showed his passion and anger toward the war while supporting Harris, filling a void for many voters more progressive than Harris.

Many voters may feel unethical or simply wrong to vote for a candidate who is not directly working to end this war, but Sanders summed up this notion perfectly: Harris’ position on the war in Gaza is bad, but Trump’s is even worse.

Building on maintaining a democratic society, several Republicans have supported Harris, citing Trump as a threat to democracy as a whole. Most notably, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) not only supported Harris, but also campaigned with her. In a powerful and holistic way statementLiz Cheney said, “As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this issue. And because of the danger that Donald Trump represents, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, I will vote for Kamala Harris. »

With that, former Vice President Dick Cheney also cited Trump as a threat to democracy. “In our nation’s 248-year history, no individual has ever posed a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” Dick Cheney said in a statement. statement. He joined his daughter in supporting the idea of ​​putting the Constitution and the country above partisanship, adding that Trump should never be put in power again. The Cheneys’ support perfectly represents the fact that conservative values ​​do not match the threat Trump poses to democracy.

Both presidential candidates have been criticized for their character and general rhetoric, which is especially important in such a divisive and polarizing election. However, Republicans supported Harris because she is overall a better person than Trump.

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wrote in a Policy op-ed: “Power is intoxicating, and based on Trump’s rhetoric and conduct, it seems unlikely that he will respect the power of the presidency in any case; rather, he would abuse it for personal and political purposes, not on behalf of the American people. It is respectable and refreshing to see that Republicans are aware of Trump’s pitfalls when it comes to character and values.

Despite support from the other side, the economy is Trump’s main buzzword keeping his campaign alive. Mark Cuban, who supported Trump during his first term campaign, approved Harris’ economic plans.

The billionaire, who in theory should support Trump for his pro-wealth tax policy, is well-versed in the economy and its effects on businesses. This endorsement directly targets upper-class Trump supporters who have fallen for Trump’s “plan economy concept.”

Support for Harris from people who currently disagree with her, do not align with the Democratic Party, or have not supported Trump in the past shows her higher moral stance on Trump. On a wide range of issues — from the war in Gaza to the state of democracy to the economy — she has proven at least better than Trump among those who generally disagree with her.

Layne Rey is a journalism student at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The post office. What are your thoughts? Let Layne know by tweeting him @laynerey12.