Because the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, set to start on Tuesday, 5 November, Arab Individuals are navigating a posh political panorama.
The upcoming election is crucial for Arab Individuals, because the winner will craft the nation’s civil rights, immigration, international relations insurance policies. Present crises, together with conflicts within the Center East — specifically the Palestine-Israel warfare — and home financial instability, which amplifies the urgency of voters’ selections.
The candidates’ proposed insurance policies (Presidential Plans) might reshape key points for the neighborhood, whereas a rising consciousness of the necessity for illustration enhances the importance of their votes.
On this context, Arab Individuals face a pivotal determination between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former Republican and former President Donald Trump.
Every candidate’s insurance policies carry vital implications for the Arab American neighborhood, the place ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises are on the forefront of public discourse.
Kamala Harris has crafted her marketing campaign round urgent home points, positioning herself as a champion for working households. Her agenda features a dedication to addressing inflation, which has posed vital challenges for a lot of Individuals lately.
Harris has promised to implement measures geared toward decreasing meals and housing prices, pledging to ban overcharging on important items.
These insurance policies will resonate with many citizens who’re struggling to make ends meet amid rising prices of dwelling, notably in city areas with massive Arab American populations.
Furthermore, Harris’s administration has made strides in healthcare by capping insulin costs at USD 35 (EGP 1,707) and lowering prescription drug prices.
Nonetheless, the complexities of her international coverage, particularly relating to U.S. help for Israel, have created a big rift between her and many citizens locally.
Harris has been criticized for her unwavering backing of Israel throughout its army operations in Gaza, which have resulted in substantial civilian casualties.
This sense of involvement within the struggling of Palestinians has led to discouragement amongst some Arab Individuals who really feel that their considerations will not be adequately addressed inside the present administration.
In stark distinction, Donald Trump gives a unique imaginative and prescient for America, one which appeals to a phase of Arab Individuals who prioritize nationalistic and isolationist insurance policies.
His marketing campaign slogan, “Make America Nice Once more,” resonates with voters who’re drawn to his guarantees of ending what he describes as countless wars and bringing American troops house.
Trump’s international coverage is characterised by a reluctance to have interaction in worldwide conflicts, which some voters interpret as a dedication to lowering American army involvement overseas. This angle is especially interesting to those that are weary of the U.S.’ long-standing army engagements within the Center East.
Nonetheless, Trump’s historical past of polarizing and inflammatory language relating to Muslims poses a big hurdle for his marketing campaign.
Many Arab Individuals keep in mind his name for a “complete and full shutdown” of Muslim immigration and his administration’s journey bans focusing on a number of Muslim-majority nations on 7 December 2015.
Regardless of these previous feedback, Trump has managed to safe some help amongst Arab Individuals, notably in Michigan, the place he has garnered endorsements from native Muslim leaders.
These endorsements are sometimes based mostly on his international coverage achievements, together with the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several other Arab nations. This initiative is central to establishing a two-state answer and resonates with many Muslims in Michigan.
To achieve additional insights, we spoke with Arab residents of Milton, Massachusetts, about their voting preferences.
Aly Fakira, a 58-year-old auditor from Lebanon, expressed his help for Jill Stein, the Inexperienced Occasion candidate. He acknowledged that he wouldn’t vote for both Trump or Harris, citing Stein’s acknowledgment of Palestinian rights, which he believes the opposite candidates don’t help. Stein, a Harvard-educated doctor and pioneering environmental well being advocate, champions inexperienced politics and social justice
Khaled Matar, a 70-year-old pc programmer from Egypt, indicated he would vote for Harris, appreciating her give attention to enhancing immigrant rights and monitoring their entry into the nation.
In distinction, Ezz El Din Fadly, a 42-year-old auditor from Jordan, helps Trump as a consequence of his international coverage, which advocates for decreased U.S. army involvement overseas.
Ahmed El Banna, a 57-year-old economics professor from Egypt, additionally plans to vote for Harris, citing her tax reform proposals geared toward elevating new income by way of larger taxes on companies and excessive earners.
Equally, Samir Ragab, a 38-year-old lawyer from Egypt, helps Harris for her “Entrepreneurs & Innovators Coverage Plan,” which goals to bolster small companies and financial progress.
We additionally spoke with Ahmed Amin, a 60-year-old from Egypt with a PhD in chemistry, who expressed his help for Harris, citing her dedication to “supporting girls’s rights.”
When Harris was questioned about her stance on abortion restrictions after viability, Harris responded, “I help Congress restoring Roe v. Wade to uphold the basic proper of girls to make choices about their very own our bodies. It’s that easy.”
Polling knowledge reveals a good race because the election approaches, with Harris holding a slight lead over Trump in numerous surveys.
In Michigan, there’s a focus of the Arab American inhabitants. There, neighborhood members are vocal about their dissatisfaction, typically citing Harris’s failure to suggest concrete modifications relating to U.S. army support to Israel as a major concern.
Whereas Harris could supply some assurances on social points, her international coverage stance has alienated many citizens. Conversely, Trump’s observe file raises alarms about discrimination and civil rights, leaving voters at midnight concerning the potential penalties of their selections.
