“This is the most important election in our nation’s history.” I’ve heard it; you’ve heard it. It seems that people say it roughly every four years. It’s true that all presidential elections are consequential, but perhaps this election is being blown out of proportion. Or, perhaps not. The future of American culture, identity, and democracy may be on the ballot this November.
Conflict is an inherent, driving force in politics; if everyone agrees on something, it’s not a political issue. These conflicts, however, seem to be getting more polarizing. In his book “,” political scientist Lee Drutman argues that a rise in party nationalization shifted politics in the 1990s. As the parties became more nationally coherent, they solidified different brands; parties were increasingly linked to different moral and cultural values. The nature of America’s all-or-nothing electoral system and the growing polarization of and have created the feeling that the fate of the nation is on the line with every election.
As with seemingly every recent election, the stakes are high. Many see this election, and politics as a whole, as a fight over what it means to be American. Increasingly, politics have become culture-war battles over the values and national identity of America. Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, President Joseph Biden gave a about the “battle for the soul of [America].” Since then, that battle has grown all the more fierce. argue that partisanship is “more acute” than “any time since the Civil War.”
in the 2024 election include abortion access, the economy, immigration, crime and foreign policy. On other cultural issues—gun ownership, racism and affirmative action, LGBTQ+ rights, the role of religion in society and the meaning of marriage and family—voters are also .
For many Republicans and conservatives, who see America (and its culture) headed down a path of “woke” ideology and eroding patriotism, morality, common sense, and traditional values, this election is about “taking the country back,” as some of former President Donald Trump’s campaign signs put it—punishing criminals and undocumented immigrants and protecting the nuclear family, the unborn, and parents’ rights. For many Democrats and liberals, this election comes down to overturning minority rule—Democratic candidates won the popular vote in the past seven of eight presidential elections, but only five have won election—and protecting progressive values, the rights of the marginalized, and democracy from intolerance and conspiracy.
“So… why is this election important?” I hear you wondering. “This is just more of the partisan fighting that elections have entailed since the beginning of the country.” While that is a valid opinion to hold, there may be more to it. Namely, the survival of American democracy. A conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about three in four American adults believe this upcoming election is “vital to the future of U.S. democracy.”
Speaking to , one Democrat voter shared that she had “grave concerns” about the future of democracy in Trump’s hands. Her concerns reflect the concerns of many Americans: Trump’s comments that he would be a “” on day one, his attempt to overturn the results of the “stolen” 2020 election, the way he “embraced” the Jan. 6 rioters, his of revenge on his opponents if reelected, and concerns that he would fill his cabinet with loyalists and use the Supreme Court to overrule freedoms. On the other side, many Americans have concerns about democracy under Kamala Harris. A Republican voter shared that the way the Biden-Harris administration “weaponized” the FBI and the Department of Justice against Trump and its “unconstitutional” attempts to erase student loan debt demonstrated an undermining of democracy.
Political platforms and rhetoric aside, if elected to office, Vice President Kamala Harris would be the first Black woman and Asian person to be President of the United States, ending a long history of male and largely white people holding the position. If elected, former president Donald Trump would be the oldest person and first convicted felon (legitimacy notwithstanding) to hold the office. No matter whether you think this election is important for ideological reasons, it is going to be a historic event regardless of who wins.
All elections are important, perhaps this one especially. If you are eligible, you should and plan to use your voice to influence the course of this nation’s history.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.