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Cons of a Convict 

A victorious year for Republicans. A devastating defeat for Democrats. Returning back to office for round two is none other than the infamous Donald Trump. Many people believe that Trump will truly “make America great again.” They are completely and utterly convinced that Trump will save our crumbling economy and corrupt society, and he will cleanse us of all of our problems and create an indestructible nation. Consequently, Trump won the popular vote.

While, yes, Trump may have unique advantages that Harris does not possess, I strongly believe that he has a substantially larger number of cons than pros. Trump is not the president that the United States needs. 

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, America’s economy has taken a fatal hit. Issues such as inflation and increased gas prices have plagued the U.S. ever since the pandemic. Trump has publicized his plans to raise tariffs. For those who don’t know what tariffs are, a tariff is a tax imposed on imported and exported goods from a foreign country. Raising tariffs results in the increase of prices for items from external countries because the company has to pass on the cost of tariffs. We can hardly tolerate higher gas prices. I highly doubt U.S. citizens would be ecstatic about having to pay more for imported goods such as pharmaceuticals, vehicles, or electronics. 

Higher tariffs will result in most of our goods being strictly American-made. Some may think that since American companies will make more money because more people are purchasing goods from them, then those companies will receive increased profit and thus result in a better economy. However, this will have the opposite effect. 

If we’ve learned anything from the past, America raising tariffs on other countries will result in them raising tariffs on the U.S.. Ultimately, this will lead to other countries purchasing less from us, or maybe nothing at all. Global trade is essential to a thriving economy. Without receiving any profit from these countries, our economy really does not have much of a chance at improving as some may hypothesize. 

Another lesson we should remember is the Boston Tea Party. American colonists were outraged by the tax on tea and it sparked the American Revolution. I’m not saying that such an occurrence will happen again, but we have no idea what the American people are capable of. Another reason why raising tariffs would be a mistake is simply the fact that other countries have materials that we do not possess in America. How will our economy adapt to the rise in prices of these products, or maybe even the complete absence of them? 

High tariffs can create considerable rifts between countries and they will be less inclined to do business with us. Trump’s plan is likely to result in an even worse economy. 

Another crucial issue that must be addressed is foreign affairs. How will Trump’s plans for his presidency affect our international relations? It is no secret that Trump and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aren’t exactly the bestest of friends. In fact, he had us taken out of NATO during his first term. 

Something I believe we as a country have moved on from way too soon is the war in Ukraine and Russia. Trump intends to pull out from being involved. This begs us to question: Does he plan on creating a bond with Russia, even if it results in upsetting NATO? Withdrawing from the war may result in a slight improvement to the economy. However, it will undoubtedly affect our relationship with Ukraine, and not in a positive way. 

Another one of Trump’s cons are his beliefs on gun control, or the complete lack thereof. He’s determined to maintain citizen’s rights to bear arms, with little to no restrictions on gun possession. I can’t help but fear for the safety of American civilians, especially students. By not placing any limitations on gun rights, we are still faced with the problems of school and public shootings. 

Additionally, Trump plans on continuing the construction of the border. This denies illegal immigrants the ability to migrate into the U.S. There is a right and wrong way of migrating to America, and I believe that it is important that the proper regulations are followed. Although, there are some situations where illegal immigrants simply can not afford to go through the complicated and lengthy process of being able to legally move into America. A reason some immigrants move to America is to attain the “American dream” and escape any evils found in their country. Most immigrants have good intentions for wanting to come to the U.S.