Early voting begins soon in most states. Check your voter registration or find out how to register.
There are clear differences between the two major U.S. party candidates. Here we break down where each one stands on the key issues.
Disclaimer: we are not policy wonks by any means, but we turned to those who are to source this information and have linked to our sources both in the text and below each section. Underlined text is linked so source material.
“Across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights: the freedom to vote, the freedom to be safe from gun violence, the freedom to live without fear of bigotry and hate, the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride, the freedom to learn and acknowledge our true and full history as America — and the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.
And these are not only basic freedoms and rights. These are the pillars of our liberty, the essence of our democracy, and the promise of America.”
“Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians. I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again, we'll have it fixed so good you're not going to have to vote.”
(Excerpt from Donald J. Trump’s remarks at at Turning Point Action's The Believers Summit 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., July 26, 2024)
Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, leading to a decrease in purchasing power. It is measured by indexes such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI). Inflation affects us in the following ways:
Cost of Living: Inflation directly affects the cost of living by increasing the prices of essential goods and services like food, housing, and healthcare.
Savings and Investments: High inflation can erode the value of savings and reduce the real returns on investments.
Wages and Employment: If wages do not keep pace with inflation, workers' real incomes decline, affecting their quality of life.
Economic Stability: Voters are concerned about inflation because it can lead to economic instability, affecting jobs, business profitability, and overall economic growth.
Below is a comparison of Harris's and Trump's strategies to combat inflation.
Lowering Costs and the Deficit: Reducing costs for families and lower the federal deficit by ensuring that large corporations and the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share of taxes.
Energy Costs: Releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, promoting biofuels, and pushing for clean energy investments and vehicle tax credits. These measures are intended to lower energy bills and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
Prescription Drug and Healthcare Costs: Reducing healthcare costs by fixing the "family glitch" in the Affordable Care Act, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping insulin costs, and penalizing drug companies that increase prices faster than inflation.
Food Prices: Partnering with state attorneys general to tackle price gouging, urging grocery chains to lower prices, and improving programs like SNAP to provide more aid to low-income families.
Infrastructure and Supply Chains: Addressing supply chain issues and reducing the cost of everyday goods by implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, investing in domestic manufacturing, and working to resolve bottlenecks at ports.
Tariffs on Trade Partners: Imposing higher tariffs on imports from countries like China to reduce the trade deficit and protect American jobs. Critics argue this could lead to higher prices for consumers and escalate trade wars.
Corporate Tax Rate Reduction: Lowering the corporate tax rate to encourage investment and economic growth. This approach is based on the belief that lower taxes will stimulate business expansion and job creation, which echoes Reagan's "Trickle Down Economics."
Energy Policies: Trump advocates for increasing domestic energy production by reducing regulations on fossil fuel industries. He believes this will lower energy costs and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Trump's mantra is, "Drill baby, drill!" (See Climate Change below for what this means for global warming.)
Regulatory Rollbacks: Trump plans to continue his agenda of reducing government regulations, which he argues stifle business growth and contribute to higher costs. (See Climate Change below.)
No Taxes on Tips: Trump has proposed eliminating taxes on tips for service workers as a means to increase their take-home pay and stimulate consumer spending.
Federal Reserve Influence: Trump has criticized the Federal Reserve’s policies and suggested that he would appoint officials who favor lower interest rates, which he believes would spur economic growth.
Why this matters
Kamala Harris supports the Biden administration's approach to combating inflation through measures like lowering healthcare and energy costs, investing in infrastructure, and addressing supply chain issues. In contrast, Donald Trump proposes combating inflation by imposing tariffs on trade partners, reducing corporate taxes, and increasing domestic energy production to lower costs.
Reproductive rights are about the legal right to contraception, abortion, fertility treatment, reproductive health, and access to information about one's reproductive body. Reproductive rights secure people's freedom to decide about their body's capacities to reproduce or not. Reproductive rights also secure people's right to proper healthcare while pregnant, such as when an abortion is necessary for the health of the mother and in the case of an nonviable fetus.
Support Choice:
President Biden has called on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade.
The Biden administration has taken action to:
Protect access to abortion, including FDA-approved medication abortion,
Defend access to emergency medical care
Support the ability to travel for reproductive care
Strengthen access to high-quality, affordable contraception
Safeguard the privacy of patients and health care providers
Ensure access to accurate information and legal resources
Taken action to protect the rights of pregnant women in the workplace, including by requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant and breastfeeding workers and those who have recently given birth and at last joining other advanced economies by enacting paid sick days and universal paid family and medical leave.
Fully Support IVF
Biden has said that doctors should decide when it comes to late stage abortions and the safety of the mother.
Biden has pledged to restore the law under Roe in his second term. He said, “The idea of turning abortion laws back to the states is like saying we are going to turn civil rights back to the states.”
Support the sale of Mifepristone, commonly called Plan B pill, a medical. Support making it widely available via virtual visit. Medication abortion accounts for 63% of all abortions.
Support Family Rights:
Fully Support IVF
Ban Abortion:
Overturned the federal protection to reproductive rights known as Roe v. Wade allowing states to ban abortion. Project 2025 calls for a federal ban on abortion.
Working to ban medication abortion pills
Have banned abortion via state law in 20 Republican controlled states
Ban Contraception:
Senate Republicans have twice blocked the Right to Contraception Act —once in 2022 and again in 2023.
Limit Family Rights:
Stigmatizes single parenthood, and makes cuts to social support for single parents and children in single-parent families. To incentivize marriage, it punishes people that don't get married.
Defines "stable family" as Father, mother, children only (Project 2025 page 451)
JD Vance and many in Republican leadership have stated that they want no-fault divorce to be illegal and stated that even in situations of "violent" marriage divorce should be denied.
The Life at Conception Act – 125 total Republican sponsors in the House, including House Speaker Mike Johnson – defines the term “human being” to include “all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.” Alabama Supreme Court decided frozen embryos used in IVF are children and those who destroy them can be held liable for wrongful death. This foreshadows a ban on IVF.
Trump says women should be punished for having an abortion but no punishment for the man that caused the pregnancy.
June 2023 -- “We have to be strong and powerful. That’s why when I’m re-elected, I will continue to fight against the demented late-term abortionists in the Democrat Party who believe in unlimited abortion on demand and even executing babies after birth,” Trump said at the Faith & Freedom Coalition Gala in Washington, D.C., bragging that he was proud to be “the most pro-life president” in U.S. history. SOURCE
Why this matters
Many woman in our country have lost the right to control thier own bodies. According to the CDC One in five women in the United States experiences completed or attempted rape during their lifetime. Since state abortion bans were triggered in June 2022 by the repeal of Roe v. Wade, women have died, been permanently harmed by complications of pregnancy, children as young as 10 have been forced to carry a pregnancy and give birth.
References
Human Rights Crisis: Abortion in the United States After Dobbs
JD Vance And Project 2025 Want To Use This 19th Century Law To Ban Abortion—Without Congress
Wants every child to have access to a quality K-12 education
Made changes to Title IX regulations to protect LGBTQ+ students
Supports universal preschool
Worked to slash student loan debt
Worked to expand Pell Grants for college students
Believes education is a public good and should not have a for profit motive and so believes federal funds should not be used for private for profit charter schools
Wants to abolish the US Department of Education
Federal government will cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children
Reversing the April 2024 changes to Title IX regulation that aims to protect LGBTQ+ students (in fact this has already begun as of July 2,2024 the Department of Education is enjoined by federal courts from enforcing these regulations in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming)
Champion the first amendment rights to pray and teach the bible in school.
Restore parental rights in public education.
Create the American Academy free online college funded by taxing the endowments of private colleges
Reinstating the 1776 Commission that Trump created during his last term which used historical revision as its basis. It calls for a “patriotic education”, defends against charges that America’s founding was tainted by slavery, likens progressivism to facism.
Weaponize the college accreditation process.
Banning books that mention topics ranging from slavery ("critical race theory") to sexual behavior of any kind. Reclassification of any LBGTQ+ content as pornography and creating laws to arrest anyone that creates or "distributes" said content.
TRUMP QUOTES ON EDUCATION:
“We spend more money on higher education than any other country and yet they are turning our students into communists and terrorists and sympathizers of many many diversities."
“Our secret weapon will be the college accreditation system.”
“We will reclaim colleges from the radical left.”
Why this matters
Education is one of the most powerful tools for reinforcing democracy. Anyone in America can get an education and move up in their financial and social status. That's "The American Dream" and it's fundamental to our national identity. If everyone has access to education and the ability to rise on their own, including women and minorities, then we become capable of creating a fair and inclusive society.
References
FACT SHEET: President Biden to Catalyze Global Climate Action throught the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (The White House)
FACT SHEET: President Biden's Executive Actions on Climate to Address Extreme Heat and Boost Offshore Wind (The White House)
A Guidebook to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (The White House)
Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook (The White House)
President Biden and VP Harris continue to build on, strengthen and protect Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, signing laws such as the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums.
The Inflation Reduction Act gave Medicare the power to negotiate prices on drugs. And the American Rescue Plan made Obamacare more affordable. Biden believes that health care is a RIGHT not a PRIVILEGE.
President Biden continues to fight the COVID Epidemic. The Biden administration organized thousands of free vaccination clinics across the country and opened test-to treat sites. And sent out free COVID tests to households.
One of the first acts of the Trump administration in 2017 was to try to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA, commonly known as Obamacare). John McCain, prominent Republican, was the deciding vote that prevented the repeal. In 2023, on Truth Social, he said he was seriously looking into alternatives. However, more recently he has said that he is not looking to scrap Obamacare all together but that he wants to make it better. On May 22nd 2024 he said, “I'm not running to terminate the ACA, as crooked Joe Biden says all over the place. It’s much too expensive now and it is not very good. We’re going to make it better. In other words we are going to make it much, much better.
Across coverage groups, a total of 45 million Americans are enrolled in coverage related to the ACA, the highest total on record. The ACA bans health insurance providers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or cancer. It allows young adults to stay on parent's health insurance until age 25. This was did not exist before the ACA and would go away with repeal of the ACA.
A group of right wing think tanks have written a manifesto or blueprint called Project 2025, The Health Care section of this document was written by a former Trump appointee in the Health and Human services department, named Roger Severino. They believe that a family structure is ONLY between a male and female. Project 2025 health document includes the following points:
Repeal Medicare drug negotiations
Allow Federal healthcare providers to deny gender affirming care.
Restrict medicaid access by adding work requirements
Eliminate ACA coverage of morning after pill, ‘Ella’.
Why this matters
45 Million Americans depend on the Affordable Care Act health insurance to provide low income families and those with pre-existing conditions with affordable healthcare. If Republicans gain control of Congress, they and the health insurance lobby will have their way and 45 million Americans will lose their healthcare. In the first quareter of 2021, pharmaceutical companies, trade groups and private hospitals spent $92 million on lobbying Republicans to repeal the ACA.
References
McCain Votes No, Dealing Potential Death Blow To Republican Health Care Efforts
Open Secrets - Following the money in Politics
Climate change is the significant variation of average weather conditions becoming, for example, warmer, wetter, or drier—over several decades or longer. It is the longer-term trend that differentiates climate change from natural weather variability. The world at large accepts that since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. The Republican party does not believe it is caused by human behavior and until recently denied that it was happening at all.
The Biden-Harris administration has taken an aggressive stance on climate change, emphasizing the need to address the climate crisis through a comprehensive strategy involving regulation, international cooperation, and investment in clean energy.
Key Actions:
Rejoining the Paris Agreement: On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, signaling a renewed commitment to global climate efforts.
Emissions Targets: Biden has set ambitious goals to achieve a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. This includes significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to clean energy.
Legislation and Funding: The administration has passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes the largest federal investment in climate and clean energy in U.S. history. Additionally, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides substantial funding for climate resilience, renewable energy projects, and infrastructure improvements.
Environmental Justice: Biden's climate policies prioritize environmental justice, aiming to deliver 40% of overall benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities through the Justice40 initiative.
Global Leadership: Biden has reinstated the U.S. as a leader in international climate diplomacy by hosting summits and participating actively in global climate negotiations.
Rationale:
The Biden administration views climate change as an existential threat that requires urgent and comprehensive action. The policies are designed to mitigate climate impacts, promote sustainable development, create green jobs, and enhance U.S. leadership in global climate initiatives.
The Trump administration's stance on climate change was characterized by a focus on deregulation and prioritizing economic growth, particularly through support of the fossil fuel industry. Trump rolled back numerous environmental protections to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses.
Key Actions:
Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, arguing it disadvantaged the U.S. economy and workers.
Regulatory Rollbacks: The administration reversed over 100 environmental regulations, including rules on emissions from power plants, vehicle fuel efficiency standards, and protections for waterways.
Promotion of Fossil Fuels: There was significant support for the coal industry and expansion of oil and gas drilling, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore areas.
Rationale:
Trump argued that environmental regulations were excessive and hindered economic growth and energy independence. His policies aimed to boost jobs in traditional energy sectors and reduce government oversight.
Why this matters
The Trump administration's climate policies were largely focused on deregulation and supporting traditional energy industries, often at the expense of environmental protections. In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration has adopted a proactive approach to combating climate change, with significant investments in clean energy, stringent emissions targets, and a strong emphasis on environmental justice and international cooperation.
References
FACT SHEET: President Biden to Catalyze Global Climate Action throught the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (The White House)
FACT SHEET: President Biden's Executive Actions on Climate to Address Extreme Heat and Boost Offshore Wind (The White House)
A Guidebook to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (The White House)
Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook (The White House)
The purpose of environmental law is to protect human health, preserve the environment for present and future generations, and ensure sustainable development. Environmental laws are implemented and enforced by various government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States.
The Biden-Harris administration prioritizes climate action and environmental protection through various regulatory measures and international commitments:
Rejoining the Paris Agreement: One of President Biden's first actions was to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, signaling a recommitment to international efforts to combat climate change.
Strengthening Emissions Standards: The administration has aimed to restore and strengthen emissions standards for vehicles and power plants. This includes proposing new rules to cut greenhouse gas emissions and setting ambitious targets for transitioning to electric vehicles.
Clean Energy Investments: Biden's climate plan includes significant investments in clean energy infrastructure, such as wind, solar, and electric vehicle charging networks. The administration's goal is to achieve a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
Revoking Trump-era Deregulations: The Biden administration has been reviewing and reversing many of Trump's deregulatory actions. This includes reinstating protections under the Clean Water Act and reversing rollbacks on methane emissions standards for the oil and gas industry.
Focus on Environmental Justice: Biden has placed a strong emphasis on environmental justice, aiming to address the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on disadvantaged communities. This includes the Justice40 initiative, which seeks to ensure that 40% of the benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy reach disadvantaged communities.
The Trump administration focused on deregulation, aiming to reduce what it saw as burdensome rules that hindered economic growth and energy independence. Over Trump's four-year term, his administration rolled back nearly 100 environmental regulations and rules. Key actions included:
Reversal of the Clean Power Plan: The Trump administration replaced the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, which aimed to reduce carbon emissions from power plants, with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. The ACE rule significantly weakened emissions targets and focused on efficiency improvements rather than setting strict emissions limits.
Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement: Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, arguing that it disadvantaged American workers and industries. This move was part of a broader skepticism about the scientific consensus on climate change within his administration.
Relaxation of Vehicle Emissions Standards: The administration rolled back fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, which were set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. The new standards were projected to increase carbon emissions by an additional billion tons over the vehicles' lifetimes.
Expanding Fossil Fuel Development: The Trump administration promoted oil, gas, and coal development, including opening up federal lands and offshore areas for drilling. This included plans to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and expanding offshore oil and gas leasing.
Rolling Back Clean Water Protections: The administration repealed the Clean Water Rule, which expanded federal protections for waterways and wetlands, arguing that it was overly restrictive for landowners and developers.
Why this matters
Environmental regulation is meant to protect the environment, not only to preserve the natural world but also to protect human health. Environmental laws are designed to address various environmental concerns that can directly or indirectly impact human health, such as air pollution, water pollution, and dangerous waste.
While the Trump administration prioritized deregulation and fossil fuel development, the Biden-Harris administration is focused on stringent environmental regulations, international climate commitments, and investments in renewable energy and environmental justice.
Promoting freedom and democracy and protecting human rights around the world are central to U.S. foreign policy. The values captured in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other global and regional commitments are consistent with the values upon which the United States was founded centuries ago. - US Dept of State
The Biden administration has restored America's global standing. It has strengthened the State Department and its mission to promote democracy worldwide, renewed America's commitment to global humanitarian efforts, and ended the country's longest war in Afghanistan. The administration rejoined the Paris Climate Accord and assured the United Nations and NATO members that the United States values its leadership role and remains committed to its allies. Additionally, it led NATO allies in supporting Ukraine against unprovoked Russian aggression.
Democrats recognize that all human beings are entitled to freedom, peace, and justice and are committed to a properly staffed and funded foreign service that promotes democracy and human rights around the world.
NATO:
Fully support the strategic deterrence established after WW2 to ensure a peaceful world through co-operation and share political and military goals for peace.
Generally speaking, it has advocated for a more militaristic foreign policy. Under Trump, the State Department, who's mission is to use diplomacy to strengthen our ties abroad, was cut by 25% while military spending increased 18%. Much of the military budget goes to black box vendors like Lockheed Martin and Boeing in addition to various weapons manufacturers not to military personnel, their families, or veteran healthcare.
NATO:
Wants to leave NATO
Stated he would encouraged Russia to attack our NATO allies if they "don't pay up... are delinquent" NATO countries agree to spend 2% of their national GDP on military defense. They do not pay the US anything. Trump has been corrected repeatedly for 8 years but still states the false concepts today.
Former Assistant to President Trump for National Security Affairs, Ambassador John Bolton, says Trump "doesn't have a philosophy, doesn't do policy"
Why this matters:
Democrats aim to rejuvenate American diplomacy, ensuring that the United States remains a key global power and a steadfast advocate for peace and prosperity, which keeps us safer at home and around the world.
The United States should lead when the safety and well-being of Americans are at risk, collaborating closely with our allies and partners. The Trump Administration has repeatedly abandoned this role, leaving America's position vacant and our interests vulnerable. Trump views every interaction as a transaction and if there is no personal gain for him he has no interest. That spells disaster for our country and our allies.
In 2022 the US GDP was 25.22% of world economy, compared to 24.18% average during Trump administration. This is lower than the historical average of 28.74% due to a more competitive and interconnected world economy.
Infrastructure Investment
Supports substantial investment in infrastructure, including roads, bridges, broadband, and public transit.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) was signed into law in November 2021, allocating $1.2 trillion for infrastructure improvements.
Tax Policy
Advocates for increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthy while maintaining or reducing taxes for middle and lower-income earners.
Proposals include raising the corporate tax rate to 28% and increasing the top individual income tax rate for those earning over $400,000 annually.
Climate Change and Green Energy
Prioritizes transitioning to clean energy, reducing carbon emissions, and investing in green technology.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes significant investments in renewable energy and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40% by 2030.
Economic Equity and Support for Workers
Supports increasing the minimum wage, expanding labor rights, and improving job training programs.
The administration has proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and has taken steps to strengthen union protections and labor standards.
Healthcare
Expanding access to affordable healthcare and reducing prescription drug costs.
Proposals include allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies to reduce out-of-pocket costs for consumers.
Childcare and Education
Supports increased funding for childcare, pre-K education, and community colleges.
Proposals include universal pre-K for all three- and four-year-olds and two years of free community college for all Americans.
Housing
Address housing affordability and homelessness through increased funding and policy initiatives.
The American Rescue Plan includes $27.4 billion for emergency rental assistance and measures to address homelessness and housing insecurity.
Tax Cuts 2.0
Proposes further tax cuts, including making the individual tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent and potentially lowering the top marginal tax rate.
Corporations and the the wealthiest 1% benefitted the most from TCJA, receiving a large share of the overall tax cuts.
Regulatory Reform
Trump has consistently emphasized the importance of deregulation, citing the reduction of federal regulations during his first term and plans to continue this approach.
Deregulation can lead to higher emissions of pollutants into the air, water, and soil and contribute to accelerated climate change.
Trade Policies
Maintain a tough stance on China, renegotiate trade deals to favor American interests, and possibly re-impose tariffs to protect U.S. industries.
Aggressive trade policies and tariffs could lead to trade wars, impacting global trade and supply chains.
Energy Independence
Expand fossil fuel production, roll back environmental regulations, and support energy infrastructure projects.
Deregulation and reduced environmental protections could lead to increased pollution and accelerated climate change.
Healthcare Reform
Trump has repeatedly called for the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), though specifics of the new plan remain to be detailed.
Immigration Policies
Implement stricter immigration policies including reducing legal immigration and enhancing border security to protect American jobs. This could also lead to labor shortages in key sectors, affecting productivity and economic growth.
During his presidency, Trump separated children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a "zero tolerance" policy and tried to end the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, which provided temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants who arrived as children.
Infrastructure Investment
Propose significant infrastructure investments to improve roads, bridges, and other public works.
Education Reform
Promote school choice and expand charter schools and voucher programs to provide more educational options for parents and students.
Why this matters
Trump's economic policies emphasize environmental deregulation that will result in long-term health costs, environmental damage, and accelerated climate change. His aggressive trade policies and tariffs will lead to higher costs for businesses and consumers, as well as potential retaliatory tariffs from other countries. The consumer will suffer these increased costs. Restrictive immigration policies could impact labor markets and industries reliant on immigrant workers, such as farms and food processing plants.
In contrast, Harris's positions emphasize investment in infrastructure, clean energy, and social programs that aim to address long-term societal needs and reduce inequality. Additionally, her approach focuses on a more balanced and equitable tax system and increased regulatory oversight to mitigate environmental and public health risks. Under the Biden /Harris administration America has seen the largest increase in the manufacturing sector in a generation. We've seen 15 million jobs created since they took office.
Labor unions and their members have long played a key role in shaping the conditions and dynamics of the U.S. labor force. Weekends, workplace safety, health insurance, vacation days, paid sick leave, and retirement benefits are just a few of the lasting achievements made by unions in the United States. Unions first emerged in the U.S. in response to the changing social and economic fabric of the country in light of the Industrial Revolution, and were granted legal protections in the 1930s under the New Deal. The share of workers who were members of unions in the U.S. peaked in 1954 but has been trending downward ever since.
The Democratic platform strongly supports labor unions, viewing them as essential to building and maintaining a strong middle class and ensuring fair working conditions. The platform emphasizes making it easier for workers to organize and join unions, both in the public and private sectors. Democrats acknowledge that many benefits taken for granted today, such as the 40-hour work week, minimum wage, health insurance, paid leave, and pensions, were achieved through the efforts of labor unions.
Key points in the Democratic platform include:
Supporting Workers' Rights: The platform commits to protecting and strengthening the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively. This includes opposing "right-to-work" laws and advocating for legislation that supports unionization efforts.
Economic Security and Job Creation: Democrats plan to create good-paying union jobs through significant investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and public transportation. They emphasize the need for job creation that includes strong labor protections and fair wages.
Wage and Benefits Enhancements: The platform calls for raising the minimum wage, expanding overtime rules, and improving benefits such as paid sick leave and family leave. There is also a focus on ensuring fair pay for all workers and addressing wage theft and worker misclassification.
Training and Apprenticeships: Democrats advocate for expanding access to high-quality training and apprenticeship programs, which can help workers advance their careers and secure better-paying jobs.
Retirement Security: Protecting and enhancing retirement security for workers is a priority, including defending Social Security and Medicare.
These policies reflect the Democratic Party's belief that labor unions are vital to promoting economic fairness and creating a more equitable distribution of wealth in society.
The "Mandate for Leadership 2025," part of Project 2025, proposes several significant changes that would impact labor unions and worker protections. The plan emphasizes reducing the power of unions and altering federal labor regulations to favor employers. Here are some key points:
Reduction in Labor Protections: The mandate suggests that Congress pass legislation allowing states to opt-out of certain federal labor laws, such as the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This could lead to a "race-to-the-bottom" where states compete to offer the least labor protections, thereby weakening union power and worker rights.
Budget Cuts and Personnel Freezes: There are recommendations to cut budgets for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Department of Labor, alongside implementing hiring freezes for career officials. These measures would limit the ability of these agencies to enforce labor laws effectively.
Non-Union Employee Involvement Organizations (EIOs): The plan includes the creation of non-union "employee involvement organizations," which are seen as tools for employers to bypass traditional unions. These EIOs would lack the power to engage in collective bargaining, thus undermining union influence.
Elimination of Card Check: The mandate seeks to eliminate the "card check" process, which allows workers to form a union if a majority signs authorization forms. Instead, it mandates secret ballot elections, a process that can be manipulated by employers to delay or obstruct unionization efforts.
Rollback of Biden-Era NLRB Rulings: The mandate aims to reverse recent NLRB rulings that have been favorable to unions, such as those requiring employers to recognize unions immediately if they are found to have violated labor laws during election campaigns.
Overall, the "Mandate for Leadership 2025" would significantly weaken the ability of labor unions to organize and protect workers, while enhancing employer control over labor relations.
Why this matters
When workers join unions, their wages rise, and their working conditions improve. But more than 50 years of efforts to block access to unions have taken a heavy toll on workers’ rights. Employers have been exploiting weaknesses in U.S. labor law for decades, and federal and state policy have failed to prevent this. We can do better and a Democrat controlled House and Senate could make that happen.