On November 6, former President and Republican candidate Donald J. Trump was re-elected for his second term, winning the election over Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump will be inaugurated in January of 2025.
One thing that came as a shock to the nation following Trump’s election was the shift in the minority vote. The president-elect received 43 percent of the total Latino vote, according to Associated Press voter surveys. Compared to 2020, that represents an eight-point gain.
This shift in political alignment can also be applied to Mt. Eden’s Latino population, as the biggest demographic that voted for Trump in the school’s mock election was Latino men. However, this could be because Latino men represent the largest voter group at Mt. Eden.
The ratio between Democratic and Republican voters at Mt. Eden displays an unexpected amount of support for the Republican party. For most students in Mt. Eden, the policies Trump promised to pass during his second term will likely be to their detriment.
As a school with 96.6% minority enrollment—a mainly 60% Hispanic and 29% Asian/Pacific Islander population—Trump’s promise to begin the largest deportation of immigrants in American history should be concerning. With such a large population of students with immigrant backgrounds, the results of such an operation will inevitably cause families to be torn apart.
Trump aims to dismantle the Education Department, the department which provides billions of dollars in scholarships for low-income students to afford higher education. Though it’s unlikely that Trump would manage to execute such a plan, cutting financial aid would very much limit opportunities for the 69% of students at Mt. Eden who are considered low-income.
Also concerning economics, Trump’s aim for tariffs could have a negative, disproportionate impact on the lower class. Though tariffs and trade restrictions may protect some domestic industries and create jobs for workers, they’ll also lead to higher prices for consumer goods, which tend to impact low-class Americans more intensely than high-class Americans.
Another one of Trump’s goals is to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Lower-income Americans—the majority of Mt. Eden students—reliant on Medicaid expansion could face reduced access to affordable healthcare.
Trump’s reputation as a businessman may confuse many to believe that he’ll be exceptional at boosting the nation’s economy. Though this may be true, the ones who would truly receive economic prosperity will be high-class Americans and corporations as a result of tariffs, tax cuts, immigration-restricted healthcare, and educational program cuts. This would not benefit the diverse and economically disadvantaged majority of students in Mt. Eden, who rely on financial aid for education and healthcare, as well as non-restrictive immigration laws.
