Though foreign politics may seem distant & uninteresting, it’s undeniable that whether the keys to the White House go to Biden or back to Trump; that we live our lives may significantly change in one of two distinct directions. Trump will, of course, put America first & keep the wheels of commerce turning, while Biden will re-enter the Paris Climate Accord, and put in place social safety nets to catch those who have fallen through the cracks.
During the first presidential debate on the 29th of September, both Biden & Trump were asked about their views on climate change, and how they’d tackle it. Biden has been stern on his vision of a more environmentally conscious nation, with the goal of pushing two trillion dollars into renewable energy production & modernising infrastructure. This starkly contrasted Trump, who admitted that humanity does play a role in climate change for the first time in this debate, and as such producing no such plan for easing the strain on the environment. In fact, Trump’s focus is on the expansion of oil & gas production in the US, including on the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Focusing simply on the environment, Biden is the clear winner for Earth, and could be the change we need to ignite a lasting passion to save our planet.
Though those of us watching from abroad may not be able to vote, it’s important to at least know how each path will directly affect your life. Whoever wins this race could be more influential in your future than the leader of your own country. Trump has been president for four years now, and what have we been able to see? A conflict in Iran was a hair’s breadth away from being sparked, the crumbling global ecosystem was thrown under the rug, and now the coronavirus pandemic has been left to spread across the country, just like the wildfires earlier this year. Despite the xenophobic rhetoric of the administration, Mexican firefighters swarmed to California to help with this crisis, showing that empathy has no borders.
On a personal note, I wasn’t totally against Trump when he got into office. Though I was only 13 at the time, I thought that he had his heart set with the American people, and though he may have held a cold shoulder to the rest of the world, he’d do the best for his citizens. Needless to say, it was a great shock when the Trump Foundation had been revealed to have siphoned money intended for charity to its own bank account; on the orders of Donald himself. On the other side, Biden is showing his age, that speech where he ended up talking about how his kids love his hairy legs, well that shouldn’t have happened. So both candidates may not be perfect, but at the end of the day one of them is going to be president. On that note, let me ask you a question: Who do you want leading the free world?
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