Will Democracy Survive

The Trump, Harris Debate

Alexa had invited Anni, Jess, and Father Dunkin to participate in watching the Harris-Trump debate live on her television show and provide post-debate analysis.

On the evening of the debate, Anni, Jess, and Father Dunkin settled into their seats. Across from them, Alexa Smart, dressed in a sleek dark blazer, greeted her audience with her characteristic warm smile.

Alexa began, her voice steady and inviting, "Good evening, everyone, and welcome to The Smart Perspective. I'm Alexa Smart, your host for tonight's show. We've got a special segment for you with my guests: Dr. Anni McGregor, Jessica Alethia, and Father Dunkin. Together, we'll watch and then analyze tonight's debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, separating fact from fiction."

As the debate played on the large screen, the trio watched attentively, taking notes as Harris and Trump exchanged heated points on immigration, the economy, and the Supreme Court. When the debate concluded, Anni was the first to speak.

"Wow, Trump managed to deliver an impressive array of false claims, touching on everything from abortion to the economy," she began. "His statements were riddled with inaccuracies and outright lies, while Harris was much more grounded in truth, though she did slide now and then."

Father Dunkin responded, "I thought Harris was far more dominant than Trump, from beginning to end. She called him 'weak and wrong,' inverting the political cliché that 'strong and wrong' beats 'weak and right.' Harris answered questions, then redirected and baited him on various issues, but she avoided answering other questions concerning the economy and the border."

Jess added, "She got under Trump's skin, something he usually tries to do.  Harris said that people at his rallies leave 'early out of exhaustion and boredom,' painting him as out of touch and a bad businessman for inheriting $400 million 'on a silver platter and then filing for bankruptcy six times,' and chiding him for being 'fired by 81 million people' in the 2020 election and now being 'confused' about losing."

Father Dunkin nodded, ready to dive into specifics. "One claim I'd like to address is Harris's assertion that Trump's proposed tariff plan would result in a 'Trump sales tax' for middle-class families."

Father Dunkin explained that Harris's comments on Trump's proposed 10-20% tariffs on all imports, and an additional 60% on Chinese goods, would cost middle-class families roughly $3,900 annually, depending on the extent of the tariffs. Even a 10% tariff would still amount to a significant burden—closer to $2,500 for many households."

Jess pointed out, "Trump and JD Vance don't seem to understand how tariffs work. Trump said the U.S. took in billions from China as a result of his tariffs, but that's not how tariffs function. A tariff is paid by importing businesses in the U.S. when foreign-made goods arrive at our border, not by the exporting country."

Jess continued, "When the U.S. puts a tariff on an imported good, the cost usually comes out of the American importer's pocket. Tariffs are essentially a tax on people who buy things from foreign businesses."

Next, Father Dunkin focused on Trump's claims about inflation. "Trump said there was 'virtually no inflation' during his presidency, which is categorically false. Inflation during his term was about 7.8%, peaking during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Anni then turned her attention to another repeated claim from Trump. "He once again alleged that migrants arriving in the U.S. are from prisons and mental institutions. This isn't supported by any credible evidence, as numerous fact-checkers have pointed out."

Anni also highlighted Trump's assertion that "Democrats are trying to get illegal immigrants to vote." It's illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, and there's no credible evidence that this has happened in significant numbers, nor is there an effort underway to illegally register undocumented immigrants to vote.