One way or another: One question, two opposing viewpoints

Donald Trump speaking to supporters at an immigration policy speech at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona on August 31, 2016. (Photo Courtesy of Gage Skidmore/ Flickr)

Democracy’s holiday wish: Trump should not run for president

Opinion by Natalie Metcalf, Valley Life Editor

There is one political move democrats and republicans can agree on –– Donald Trump's third campaign should be nonexistent.

Former President Trump is running once again. As much as this presidential campaign is not a surprise, it is concerning. With the former president in the running, democracy will be threatened. Democrats have been against Trump since 2016, but when prominent faces of the republican party chose not to help Trump in his campaign –– citizens of the United States should be wary. The former president has been rejected by his daughter, Ivanka Trump and Robert Mercer, a major benefactor in Trump’s 2016 election campaign.

Trump's record shows the American people he is unfit to earn the title of president for a second term. The former president has been under the impeachment process twice; once in December 2019, and the second time a week before his four-year term ended. Trump is the first president to be impeached twice, meaning he is clearly unfit to lead the United States.

In 2019, Trump was placed under impeachment after the house of representatives found unlawful solicitation from Ukraine in his re-election campaign.

The second impeachment was brought upon Trump on Jan. 13 2021. The house of representatives impeached the former president for inciting the attack on the capitol in Washington DC. Jan. 6 is a shocking and historical moment in United States history. The impeachable president is currently under investigation for inciting the insurrection at the US capitol building.

On Jan. 6, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the capitol building, resulting in five deaths. Trump’s campaigning in the 2024 election is dangerous to American democracy, as his supporters have shown their strengths can harm the country.

The only way Trump’s supporters can be fed false information is through the former president himself. Even though the former president admitted losing in the 2020 election –– a year late –– Trump still spread false election results to his supporters; sparking a fire that led to Jan. 6.

Former President Trump is a danger to democracy. His lies have led to deadly actions, but worse attacks and bigger threats will be made if Trump does not stop his presidential campaign.

After the political shift of 2016, in which republicans named Trump the face of their political party, democracy is at stake more than ever.

But progress was made in this year's midterm election, proving that voting is the best course of action in the flux of power among political leaders. In Los Angeles, voter turnout increased by 44 percent in the midterm election.

Trump needs to quit his campaign, as he is unfit to govern the American people. With his involvement in false election results, the Jan. 6 insurrection and impeachable offenses, the former president is harmful to democracy.

For this holiday season, American citizens should wish for Trump’s campaign resignation.

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Christmas gift: Trump announces third run for president

Opinion by Sayeh Saadat, Staff Writer

Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, announced his candidacy on Nov. 16 for the 2024 presidential election. He is determined to win the presidency, and this time around, he will not let it slip through his fingers like the much contested 2020 elections.

Despite the less than desired result of the midterms, republicans took control of the house. This means they will have their day in court; something they were denied in 2020 after they objected to the election results. But their objections fell on deaf ears and created unprecedented chaos in the days following the November election. Little did Americans know, the country and the world was about to fall into such misery that made the election chaos look like a day in Disneyland. Joe Biden’s presidency has been an abject failure. Trump vowed to fix it.

His best weapon against the current president in the 2024 rematch will be the great economy he created versus Biden’s miserable economy. The moment Biden entered the oval office, inflation began to head north. Trump has a great track record when it comes to harnessing inflation. His brilliant record of creating jobs, and the lowest unemployment numbers in the history of America, especially among women, African Americans and Hispanics speaks volume of his ability to stimulate America’s economy once again.

Trump’s opponents should not forget the fact that during his presidency, America became energy independent for the first time in seventy years. Not only that, but America became an oil exporting country thanks to his energy policies. Compare that to the current administration’s hostility towards oil production. Americans can see why the fuel prices are so high, and as a result everything costs more, even though the country is still heavily dependent on Chinese manufacturing forces.

When it comes to foreign policy, there is absolutely no one in either party who could emulate Trump’s unwavering firmness. Under his leadership, America was respected by friends and feared by enemies. It was Trump who brokered the Abraham Accord, a historical peace between Israel and Arab nations of UAE and Bahrain, It was Trump who took out two of America’s fiercest enemies, Ghasem Soleymani and Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. There were no attacks from America’s enemies on American soil, American embassies abroad or American citizens. America was safe. Americans were safe. Because we had a strong and brave president who was willing to defend us regardless.

Donald Trump has made the right decision to run again. He is the biggest star of the republican party next to Ronald Reagan. He loves America. He has millions of devoted followers who have never abandoned him. He has the right vision for America. He has a proven track record of four years in the office to show for. He is what America needs.