My home state is Maryland, and I represent the Republican Party. My campaign slogan is “It’s always been a matter of trust”. It is a line from the theme song I will use, called “A Matter of Trust” by Billy Joel. I chose this song because I do believe that it is a matter of trust nowadays. Trust in one nation, in our fellow citizens and in our power to make their lives better is one of the most important things in the current circumstances.
I would select Tulsi Gabbard to be my Vice Presidential Running Mate, because I agree with her on many issues, such as election integrity and her populist, anti-war agenda. Moreover, this decision would allow me to appeal to Democrats and Republicans, as well as Democratic and Republican leaders. I believe that this is especially important because of the current political polarization.
Two domestic policy issues that my campaign is advocating are education and gun ownership. According to the Pew Research Center survey, “only half of American adults think colleges and universities are having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country these days, and about four-in-ten (38%) say they are having a negative impact” (August, 2020, par. 3). Another survey has shown a 7% decline in the number of Americans who favor stricter gun laws since December 2019 (Pew Research Center, May, 2021).
- Students in educational institutions all across the country do not acquire the skills that can guarantee they will get a job in the future; therefore, the system needs to adapt to the changes of the modern world.
- As per the Constitution, it is important for the government to protect the gun ownership rights of its citizens to enable them to defend themselves.
Two economic issues that my campaign is advocating are taxation and health care insurance coverage. Nearly half of Americans (47%) say they are bothered by the complexity of the federal tax system, while a third say the same about the amount they pay in taxes (Pew Research Center, April, 2021). Surveys have shown that “63% of U.S. adults say the government has the responsibility to provide health care coverage for all” (April, Pew Research Center, 2021).
- It is important to give tax breaks to the citizens, especially since the pandemic has affected small businesses, which, in turn, raised the unemployment rate.
- While I believe that programs like Medicare and Medicaid should be provided and improved further, I also think there is a need for a single-payer health insurance program, which would make healthcare accessible for everyone.
Two foreign policy issues that my campaign is advocating are limiting the influence of China and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. According to the Pew Research Center survey, “nine-in-ten U.S. adults (89%) consider China a competitor or enemy, rather than a partner” (March, 2021, par. 2). Another survey has shown that “about half of adults (49%) say the United States has mostly failed in achieving its goals in Afghanistan” (Pew Research Center, May, 2020).
- Therefore, the US has to develop a more careful policy in relation to China, which would limit its power.
- To end the longest military engagement the USA have had, American troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan.
As a member of the Republican Party, I would choose not to campaign in mainly conservative states, such as Texas and Florida, because the likelihood of getting their votes is high enough. The number of Electoral College votes is high in those states as well, so I would expect them to increase my chances of winning. On the other hand, campaigning in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia would have a better effect because they are currently considered to be the swing states. The number of Electoral Votes for each of these states is quite high, so I have a better chance of winning there.
I believe that I do have a chance to win, and I have formed that opinion as a result of research on polls based models, which have often been used to forecast presidential elections. Polls based models have historically proved to outperform fundamentals based models (Graefe, 2018). I have reasons to believe that I will win the election, because my goals focus on the wellbeing of all citizens and I will use the polling results to prove that they have me favored.
References
Graefe, A. (2018). Predicting elections: Experts, polls, and fundamentals. Judgement and Decision Making, 13(4), 334-344.
Pew Research Center. (2020). More say US has failed than succeeded in Afghanistan war. Web.
Pew Research Center. (2020). Americans have become much less positive about tech companies’ impact on the U.S. Web.
Pew Research Center. (2021). Key facts about Americans and guns. Web.
Pew Research Center. (2021). Top tax frustrations for Americans: The feeling that some corporations, wealthy people don’t pay fair share. Web.
Pew Research Center. (2021). Most Americans support tough stance toward China on human rights, economic issues. Web.