About the RaceThere is less than one year to go before the 2024 Presidential Election. Some argue that it could be the most influential election of the century. The winner will have the power to change America’s future. The two big parties, the Republicans and Democrats, have already started turning the gears of the campaigning process. Current President Joe Biden looks like the most likely Democratic Nominee. But on the right side, a fray of candidates have thrown themselves into the GOP primary race, hoping to win the hearts and minds of voters. This is important, as only 40% of Americans approve of Biden’s presidency. This gives a republican candidate a chance to take back the white house. But it is not an easy process. The Republican party has to choose one individual, to represent and lead their party into what could be the most tumultuous election ever. As voting for these candidates begins in some states, let’s look at the top candidates and where they stand.
Donald TrumpHe may easily be one of the most famous people alive in the US today. His potential involvement in the historic January 6th Riot and having 4 separate indictments, which no past president has ever had, has vaulted him to the top of American political coverage. But despite this, it hasn’t stopped republican voters from backing the former president, who promises to “Make America Great Again.” His base extends far and deep into the Republican bloc, as more than half of the Republican base supports him. His goal: is to lead our country back to Safety, Prosperity, and Peace. Trump’s extremist views on key republican issues have many Democrats worried. His loud rhetoric on “Crooked Joe Biden” has had many Republicans cheering his name. Trump’s stronghold on the republican party has never been more powerful, with even some people claiming that they’d sacrifice their lives for Trump. But not all Republicans like Trump. There’s a small group of Republicans that could manage to strip the former president of his power and glory. Nikki HaleyBesides Trump, Nikki Haley is the only other candidate who has seen a boost in support. Nikki Haley has proven herself to be a formidable adversary and a strong leader. An Indian American and the only woman in the primary field, she has set herself apart from other candidates. But only polling around 15%, she has a long way to go to overtake Donald Trump. But her support is growing and gaining momentum. With solid debate performances under her belt, many Republicans have been expressing interest in her campaign. Her past experiences in the UN have given her a strong background in dealing with foreign affairs and her unique stance on abortion has appealed to many voters who don’t want Trump. Despite being behind the front-runner, Trump, she has refrained from directly criticizing him. Her background has appealed to many voters, especially women. Ron DesantisOnce thought to be a potential challenger to Trump, Ron Desantis is slowly falling into the shadows. The Florida Governor has been trying to sell himself as a more modern version of Trump without the Trump drama. Unfortunately, his campaign has had a few stumbles as it tries to sway voters back to him. While his landslide win in the 2022 Florida governor’s race showed that he could get the job done, the chances of winning the nomination seem to be diminishing. Donors have been turning towards Nikki Haley. In his time as governor, he has signed controversial bills involving people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. Desantis has been part of Trump’s jokes, such as Trump referring to him as “Desanctimonius”. But Desantis could win if he can break the barrier between him and the voters. Vivek Ramaswamy And there’s Vivek, the newcomer to the political world. Like Trump in 2016, Vivek hasn’t held a political office before his candidacy. Out of the candidates, Vivek is the youngest. He claims that he is the next generation of leaders. He’s running with an anti-woke focus and has advocated for more radical measures. Other candidates have shown their disapproval of the 38-year-old, with Haley being the most vocal. His cocky attitude has drawn voters in but has also caused some to leave. His policies mirror Trump and have even praised the former president. As president, he has promised to eradicate several federal agencies, including the Department of Education, build a wall on the US borders of Mexico and Canada, and end Ukrainian support. He also claims that the climate agenda is a hoax and it is the biggest threat to our country.
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June of 2022 marks a date that all college football fans, nationwide, will remember. It was the month that two colleges, USC and UCLA, announced they would be leaving the Pac-12, to join the Big Ten, starting in the 24-25 season.
George Kliavkoff, the Pac-12 commissioner, planned to use finances as a bargaining chip to keep UCLA within the alliance. However, UCLA was supposed to make $62 million a year from the Big Ten’s new mega-media rights deal, about double what they would receive from the Pac-12 during the 2024 season. In exchange, the team would have to travel a lot, as most games would be in other states. Travel expenses for UCLA would add up to $10 million a year. If the Pac-12 could somehow match the $62 million UCLA was expected to get from their new deal, they might have a chance of staying together. This would mean paying UCLA significantly more than the other Pac-12 colleges. University of Oregon interim president Patrick Phillips vehemently opposed this idea, saying that he’d “never have the Ducks in a conference where they have to take less money than UCLA.” This effectively killed Kliavkoff’s proposal. This shift represents a major shift in the priorities of colleges. Flying athletes across the country every week would be detrimental to their academics. In addition, it alienates fans who would be unable to watch most games. Colleges are only doing this for one reason: money. Fans and faculty alike are outraged. One OSU professor, who wished to remain anonymous, feels strongly about this. “I think it’s a shame that these sports programs are forgetting why these students are in college.” Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah later left to join colleges like UCLA and USC and other leaving teams to play in the Big 12 for the 24-25 season. The Pac-12 is currently the Pac-2, with only Washington State and Oregon State University (OSU) remaining. What remained of the PAC-2 was furious. On September 9, 2023, WSU and OSU filed a complaint against the ten departing schools. They claimed that each of their announcements qualified as grounds to remove their voting power. The lawsuit claims that this precedent was set when the first two departing colleges (USC and UCLA) lost voting power after their announcements in 2022. WSU and OSU claim that the other eight schools should have lost their voting power too. Surprisingly, the Pac-2 is predicted to be a conference for the 2024-25 season. Although, there perhaps aren’t many other options for WSU and OSU. There are murmurs of a Pac-5, but nothing yet… |
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