This week, we’re looking at the domestic matters that are top of mind for Americans like the current state of the economy, healthcare and the issue of abortion rights that’s been a frequent flyer in this campaign. We’ll also get you across the candidates’ positions on gun law reforms and climate change – and what they plan to do about all of these things if they’re elected…

We’re talking about policies? How novel…
Lolz… It’s certainly easy to think elections are about the personalities – and for many voters, it is. But many will vote on the big issues, so here we go. 

What’s the biggest issue on the minds of Americans right now?
According to research from the Pew Research Centre – a highly respected think tank – 8 out of 10 registered voters say who’s best placed to manage the economy will be very important to their vote in the coming election. 

That sounds familiar…
Totally. Like many Australians, a lot of Americans are struggling with cost of living pressures after high inflation has seen costs rise by 20% on everyday items like food, petrol and electricity since 2021. 

Is the US economy in trouble?
At the start of the year, there was talk of a recession – but in recent weeks, that’s turned to talk of America sticking a ‘soft landing’. 

What’s a soft landing?
Great question… It’s economic lingo to say they’ve successfully lowered inflation without putting the economy into a tailspin where lots of businesses close and people lose their jobs. 

And they’ve done that?
It’s still a bit early to tell. But they have been tackling high inflation by raising interest rates, and their Federal Reserve, which is the equivalent of our Reserve Bank, recently cut them for the first time in 4 years. Last week, they reported inflation of 2.4% – their lowest rate in more than 3 years – and their jobs market is strong. So it’s looking good there. 

That must be good for the Democrats’ candidate Kamala Harris…
She’s been part of the Biden Administration that’s navigated those tricky waters, but actually the polls show that Americans trust Republican Donald Trump when it comes to the economy. 

Why is that?
It’s kinda like the Coalition v Labor here – in the US, the Democrats get credit for social policy reforms while the Republicans are traditionally seen as the better economic managers. And for many Americans, while the broader economy is looking good, they are still being squeezed by high prices.

How are the candidates saying they’ll fix things?
Harris has focused on easing the financial pinch on everyday things like groceries, housing and the cost of raising families. One of her policies that’s had a lot of airtime is her proposal to increase the amount of the child tax credit.

What’s the child tax credit?
It’s a payment that provides up to $2,000/child to about 40 million families every year. Harris wants to give more low and middle-income families up to $6,000 when they have a new baby to help with expenses. Note: Trump’s plan is to raise it to $5,000 and open it up to all Americans, including high earners. 

What else is Trump planning?
He’s all about bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US and forging ahead with mining and fracking for oil so there’s a reduced reliance on imported energy sources. He also wants to put 10-20% tariffs on heaps of imports to encourage people to buy American.

America First, eh?
Yep, we’ve seen this movie before… And this is particularly aimed at the Midwestern “rust belt” states of Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania – states that will be critical to winning the election. 

Where do the Democrats sit on this?
They also want to support homegrown industries, but their focus is on green energy projects. It’s similar to our Future Made in Australia policy in that they’re offering tax breaks to companies investing in green energy fields and computer chip technologies. 

What other big-ticket issues are Americans concerned about?
Access to affordable healthcare is the number 2 issue for voters – and this time around, it’s all about abortion rights… It’s come to the fore because this will be the first presidential election since the Supreme Court overturned a landmark case you might’ve heard of: Roe v Wade.

Why is that significant?
It’s a case from 1973 that set a legal precedent that protected the rights of women at a federal level if they wanted to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Now, the laws around abortion have been left up to each state – and a lot of Republican-led states moved quickly to pass new legislation banning abortions.

Where do the candidates stand on abortion?
The Democrats are pro-choice, and Harris wants to enshrine women’s right to have an abortion in the Constitution so that it’s guaranteed going forward. She says along with ensuring the health of women, it’s about protecting personal freedoms.

What about Trump and the Republicans?
Pinning down Donald Trump’s position has been harder… He’s ruled out a national abortion ban, and he says it’s up to the individual states to sort out. It’s a dance he’s doing because it could affect his chances in some key states, and he’s responsible for appointing 3 judges to the Supreme Court while he was in office who were pivotal in the overturning of Roe v Wade… 

Where is this playing out?
Great question. All eyes are on Arizona where abortions have been banned after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Joe Biden won its 11 electoral college votes by just 10,000 in 2020 – it was the closest race. One poll says 16% of Arizona voters have this as their most important issue – and most are angry about the law change there. So for Trump, it’s an issue… 

Gun control – there won’t be any real changes, right?
It doesn’t look like it, despite the 2 assassination attempts on Trump during this campaign and a third scare in California earlier this week… He continues to staunchly defend Americans’ right to bear arms. He’s against any changes to gun laws, including raising the legal age to buy a weapon, more thorough background checks or limiting sales of assault-style rifles.

What about Harris?
Harris and her running mate Tim Walz are both gun owners, but they’re vowing to tighten the laws around gun ownership if they’re elected. That’s a song that’s been sung before, so let’s see… 

And climate change?
It’s a top 10 issue overall, but it barely rates for Republican supporters, while about 60% of Democrats say it’s something that will inform their vote. Harris’s focus is on funding for renewable energy projects and continuing Biden’s scheme of offering tax credits and rebates for electric vehicles. But she says she won’t ban fracking, which has upset some environmental groups. 

What’s fracking again?
It’s mining with high-pressure drilling. This issue is particularly key for voters in Pennsylvania (another swing state), where fracking has driven industrial and economic growth – and it’s a state with 19 electoral college votes, so it’s an important one to win. 

Where does Trump sit when it comes to climate change?
When he was in office, Trump rolled back environmental protections and withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement. Biden signed them up again, but Trump has said he’d pull out once more if reelected. He says he wants to make America “the world’s leading producer of oil and gas” with plans to lift restrictions on energy production and expand Arctic drilling. His motto is “drill baby drill.” 

What’s next week?
We’re going to dive into the international issues in the election, so we’ll cover off where the candidates sit on foreign policy, relations with China, immigration and the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Squiz recommends:
Reading: The Pew Research piece we’ve talked about gives some good insights into the top 10 issues that could play a part in the way Americans vote. 

Reading: This state-by-state guide/map to abortion laws across America gives a deeper understanding of what’s changed and how it lines up with the key states the candidates need to win.