By LIO KAMMUELLER
On October 1, 2024, vice presidential nominees Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Republican Senator JD Vance met on the debate stage for the only vice presidential debate of the election cycle. The conversations focused heavily on the plans and policies each candidate and their running mates will pursue if elected to office this November. Here’s a breakdown of what topics were covered and what the candidates had to say.
Walz and Vance shared similar opinions on the Israeli conflict when asked if they would support preemptive strikes in Iran, with Walz stating “Israel’s ability to be able to defend itself is absolutely fundamental,” and Vance agreeing that “It is up to Israel what they think they need to do to keep their country safe.” They both supported the idea that the United States should maintain a position of leadership in the Middle East and protect its allies, including Israel. Vance did not comment on Israel’s actions in Palestine over the past year. Walz’s only mentions of Palestine were a reminder of the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas last year, and a call for “ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza” with no elaboration on how that should be done.
Discussing climate change, Walz acknowledged that it is a real problem and the U.S. should work towards reducing our impact. His policies would include investments in the production of clean energy while maintaining investments in natural gas and oil. He called out former President Trump for his previous statements that climate change is a “hoax.” While Vance did not directly deny the impact of human carbon emissions on the global climate, he did say, “Let’s just say that’s true, just for the sake of argument, so we’re not arguing about weird science.” His plan to reduce these emissions was based on doing as much manufacturing and energy production within the U.S. as possible, not relying on production that is done in foreign countries such as China, and investing more in energy sources like natural gas and nuclear facilities.
On the topic of immigration, specifically across the U.S.-Mexico border, Vance advocated for mass deportations and mentioned his support for a border wall. He claimed that “Kamala Harris’s wide open southern border” is allowing migrants into the country, bringing in fentanyl, driving up housing prices, and taking jobs from American citizens. Walz criticized Vance’s viewpoint as dehumanizing and demonizing migrants rather than trying to solve immigration issues. He argued in favor of working to make housing more affordable rather than blaming high costs on migrants and addressing the problem through mass deportations. Fact checks after the debate confirmed that Kamala Harris supports President Biden’s crackdowns on border crossings and asylum for migrants.
Walz’s responses to questions about gun violence and firearm restrictions shared a similar sentiment, claiming that the problem “just is the guns” and that this problem should be addressed directly. He clarified that he does support the Second Amendment and does not intend to take people’s firearms away. He is a gun owner himself, but safety, especially that of children, should be the priority. He also stated his support for increased background checks, red flag laws, and a ban on assault weapons. Vance agreed that gun violence in the U.S. is a serious problem, but proposed different policies to tackle the issue. He advocated for increased security in schools to keep students safe, such as employing more school resource officers, making doors and windows “stronger,” and making doors “lock better.” Referencing the issue of gun violence in cities, Vance also showed support to “empower law enforcement … and take gun offenders off the streets.”
The candidate’s conversation about abortion highlighted their conflicting viewpoints of states’ rights versus human rights. Vance stated that he does not support a national abortion ban, but argued that it should be a state-by-state decision that is left up to voters. He claimed that the Democratic Party’s stance is radical and pro-abortion. Walz responded that Democrats are pro-freedom, not pro-abortion, and called for the restoration of Roe versus Wade. He disagreed with Vance’s idea that abortion laws should be decided by the states because access to abortion is a human right that should not be determined by where a person lives. He argued in favor of letting individuals and their doctors make medical decisions, including the decision to have an abortion. Walz also denied claims made by Trump that he supports abortion up to the ninth month of pregnancy.
The final topic of the debate was the future of U.S. democracy following the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection. Walz emphasized the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and honoring the results of the upcoming election, sharing his concerns about the violence of January 6 and Trump’s failure to acknowledge that he lost the election. When Walz asked Vance directly if Trump lost the 2020 election, Vance responded, “I’m focused on the future.” Vance turned the conversation towards the topic of censorship by Democrats, particularly on online platforms, which he argued is the current threat to our democracy that should be discussed.
The 2024 presidential election will be this November 5. Visit www.vote.gov to learn how to register in your state.
Featured Image by Anna Moneymaker
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