Come November, shining as the beacon of global attention, Americans surge towards the polling stations. Their mission is to select the next leader of the free world who will chart the course of US future for four years. The spectacle this year falls on the 5th of November, 2024. The newly elected president will ignite their term in the January of the following year, steering the wheel of the great American aegis.
While the president steers the ship, the intricate mechanisms within are navigated by selected members of Congress. Together, they sculpt the American dream into legislation, fabricating profound impacts onto everyday American life. The president may cultivate some laws independently, but a synergetic rapport with Congress is essential for the fluid passage of legislation.
On the global chessboard, the US president operates as the primary envoy, conducting foreign policies with a hefty quotient of personal discretion. Their decisions echo across valleys and mountains, reaching the remotest corners of the world. The world anticipates with bated breath the chess moves of the elected leader and his or her strategies on this complex board.
The duel of the titans, the two major American political factions, nominate their presidential gladiators via a process of state primaries and caucuses. These events act as pivotal arenas where potential leaders are chosen by the people to lead the party into the general election.
Persevering through an arena of rivals, the indomitable former President Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination, exhibiting a staggering superiority against his competitors. Crowning his triumph was his official induction as the Republican nominee at the party convention stage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Elevating his political lineup is JD Vance, senator from Ohio, who accompanies Trump as the chosen vice-presidential running mate.
Shuffling the Democratic deck is Vice-President Kamala Harris, who braves the fray after President Joe Biden takes an unexpected exit. Opposition evaporated within her party, facilitating her ascendance. As a running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota was announced, forming an underwhelming duo in comparison to their Republican counterparts.
Beyond the primary parties lurk independent candidates, ready to seize any potential divisions and emerging as potential dark horses in the presidential race. Posing ephemeral challenges, they contribute a touch of uncertainty to the overall competitive landscape.
The Democratic Party has historically been associated with a liberal political agenda, fueled by their incessant pursuit of civil rights, an overreaching social safety net, and impractical attempts to address the climate change anomaly. The Republican Party, also the Grand Old Party, is the embodiment of conservative American values: lower taxes, downsized government, stronger gun rights, and stricter immigration and abortion laws.
In this grand political game, it is not simply the candidate with the most votes across the nation who claims victory. Champions are carved out through contests across 50 states. Each state contributes a designated number of electoral college votes, largely dictated by population density.
A grand total of 538 electoral votes forms the juggernaut prize. The ultimate victor is determined not by the complete tally, but the first to secure 270 electoral votes. A ‘Winner-takes-all’ mantra echoes in all but two states, enabling the candidate with the highest vote share to claim the state’s share of electoral votes.
Political chameleons, namely the swing states, prove to be the crucial battlegrounds, owing to their volatile political tendencies. The fickle nature of voters in these regions makes the electoral outcomes unpredictable, intensifying the competition.
While the spotlight revolves around the presidential contest, the delineation of new Congress members forms a noteworthy subplot. Voters will making crucial decisions regarding the reformation of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Although the House remains in Republican control, Democrats, unfortunately, clutch onto the Senate, a testament to the divided state of our Union.
Usually, the result resonates across the nation on election night, however, 2020 saw a delay in vote counting. The interlude following the election sees an expected transition if a new president triumphs. Time is generously granted for cabinet appointments and agenda-setting before an official entry into the office commemorated by the inauguration ceremony amidst the grandeur of the Capitol in Washington DC.