NOVEMBER 2024 VOTER GUIDE
PRESIDENT
What Is The President of the United States?
The President of the United States (POTUS) is responsible for representing the country on an international stage, and for protecting our national interests both domestically and abroad
The President is responsible for setting national policy and for controlling things like the country’s economy and developmental priorities
The President is responsible for leading their political party and setting the tone for national conversations on all issues
The President is paid $400,000 annually and can serve a maximum of two four-year terms
Why You Should Care
The contrast between the Democrats’ and Republicans’ messaging in this election couldn’t be more different. Kamala Harris is a genuinely inspiring candidate who stands for continued economic growth, expanding civil rights, and even repping San Francisco in the Oval Office. On the other hand, Donald Trump is promising to implement disastrous domestic and international policies such as deporting migrants en masse, stripping away voting rights, and continuing the Republicans’ war on reproductive freedom. This presidential election is a choice between progress and regression, between a future for American democracy and a country that starts backsliding into authoritarianism.
Our Vision for this Office
In a normal election year, the President of the United States should exemplify what it means to be an elected official: pragmatic, results-driven, and willing to compromise in the name of creating the best possible solutions for big problems. But this year, we unfortunately also need someone who believes in the fundamentals of American democracy: the right to vote, the peaceful transfer of power, and the responsibility to protect our rights and put the country before themselves (or our adversaries).
✅ Kamala Harris
The vibe shift since Joe Biden passed the torch to Kamala Harris has been stunning. Since taking over as the Democratic candidate for president, Harris has energized voters, unified a divided base, and finally hit on a winning message: Donald Trump and the MAGA movement are not fit for office, and want to drag America backwards.
It’s genuinely exciting, because Harris is exactly the right person for this critical moment in American democracy. Her focus, leadership, and ability to clearly communicate her policy goals are the perfect counterpoint to Donald Trump’s promises to dismantle democracy. The chaos, incompetence, and corruption of the first Trump administration wasn’t that long ago, but quite a few Americans seem to have already forgotten what a disaster his presidency was, and the existential threat he poses to the country.
In stark contrast to Trump, Kamala Harris is a true public servant, someone who’s worked for everything she’s achieved. A Bay Area native, Harris started her career in San Francisco, working her way up from District Attorney of San Francisco, to Attorney General of California, to the US Senate, all the way to the White House as the nation’s first woman Vice President.
At every stop, Harris has led on the issues and delivered wins for constituents. As San Francisco’s District Attorney, Harris was a focused prosecutor, maintaining a high conviction rate for violent crime, who resisted political pressure to keep her campaign promises to never seek the death penalty. As California’s Attorney General, Harris secured big payouts from mortgage companies for residents who were defrauded in the Great Recession, and worked to introduce the Homeowner Bill of Rights, one of the nation’s strongest protections against aggressive foreclosure tactics. As the Junior Senator from California, Harris stood out for her ability to interrogate public officials for their misdeeds, and stand as a symbol of Democratic strength in turbulent times.
And as Joe Biden’s Vice President, Kamala Harris has advanced the national Democratic agenda in less public, but no less effective ways. She’s had to preside over a divided Senate, and she’s broken more tied votes than any other Vice President in history. She advanced numerous federal judges out of a deadlocked, 50-50 Senate, and was a critical part of passing landmark legislation like the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act.
But really, we’re all so, so sick of Donald Trump. We’ve been stuck with his nonsense for a decade now, and didn’t realize how badly we needed Kamala Harris’ energy and enthusiasm until she took over in July. Donald Trump is rapidly, publicly deteriorating, and the Republican Party has no clear successor. It’s time for a fresh start. Crack open a coconut water, vote for Kamala Harris in November, and you may never have to think about Donald Trump as a politician again.
Paid for by TogetherSF Action. Not authorized by any candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate. Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.
