Election Reflections in the Sequoyah Community
As the presidential election approached, many strong feelings bubbled to the surface–excitement, anxiety, rage, hopefulness, and hopelessness. As the public headed to the polls, these feelings loomed over thousands of cities and communities nationwide. Sequoyah’s high school is no exception. Before the election, The Barefoot Times interviewed Sequoyah students to uncover what they knew about the candidates’ policies and overall election news.
Students had mixed answers. Ila Brookshire, a sophomore, said, “I’ve been keeping up with the election a good amount I would say. I’ve been reading The New York Times almost every day, I’ve watched all the presidential debates.” Meanwhile, others have been following the election less closely. Ellis Kopcho ’26 related, “Honestly, I don’t know a whole lot about either of them [Trump and Harris]... I would say it [the election] is like high school drama. I follow the drama, but I don’t follow the policies. I think it’s fun to watch them debate, but I don’t know much about policies.”
One of Kamala Harris’s most significant policy proposals is immigration reform, which focuses on creating a more equitable and humane immigration system such as ending detention facilities for immigrants, creating an easier pathway for granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants, and making sure that families who migrate to the U.S. can stay together. When students were asked how they felt about Harris’s stance on immigration reform and whether her proposals would address the current challenges of the immigration system, they offered a range of responses. Foster LippSmith ’25, remarked, “I mean it’s a cool stance but it’s never going to actually happen because she needs… compromise [from] the Republicans. The only way she can feasibly compromise with Republicans is to extend border security while doing all the rest of that.” While LippSmith believes that Harris’s plans depend on finding common ground with Republicans to pass any immigration reform, Luca DiMassa ’27 said, “I know that the actual system is one of the main problems and ending detention centers is obviously great, but another thing that happens is we need to speed up the legal process because right now when immigrants come into the United States, the legal process is delayed so they’re basically just put on the waiting list.” He also thinks that “Our asylum definitions need to be re-thought because I think it’s just religious asylum and facing violence, but economic stuff is equally as worthy for asylum seeking.” As these students pointed out, Harris’s plans for immigration are only a start to addressing the difficult realities of the system.
Trump, meanwhile, plans to deregulate the fossil fuel industry and ramp up domestic energy production. He aims to lift restrictions on drilling permits and leases for federal lands, which he believes will significantly boost oil and natural gas output. His strategy includes removing regulatory obstacles to expedite approvals for natural gas pipelines and refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which he argues was depleted during the Biden administration. When asked what they think about this policy and Trump’s stance on climate change more broadly, Laidy Silverman ’28 stated, “I don’t think Trump has a stance. I think he just follows whatever money corporations are going to give him, so I’m sure he’s being paid off by a bunch of big corporations to make these things. I don’t think he believes in anything he’s ever done, I think it’s all about money for him.” Astrid Conder ’27 said she can’t trust what Trump claims: “Well, I just don’t trust Trump at all!… I feel like he has just lied so many times.”
One of Harris’s other policies is a push for legislation to promote accountability and transparency in policing. Her proposals include measures such as banning chokeholds, requiring body cameras for police officers, and establishing a national database to track police misconduct. She has emphasized the need to address the root causes of crime, advocating for investments in communities of color, mental health services, and educational opportunities. Some argue that her record as a prosecutor might make people question her trustworthiness on these issues. When asked how or if these policies will be effective if Harris is in office, Kopcho noted, “I think that sounds good. But I also think her history as a prosecutor would probably make her more trustworthy with this kind of thing. I don’t see how that could be a negative if she’s a prosecutor and she’s had experience with the police and the people.” Silverman said something similar, saying, “I think it’s a logical fallacy to think because someone was a prosecutor that they can’t also hold the institution they’re a part of accountable” and that “part of her thing is literally criticizing the institutions in which she’s apart of and she clearly is taking the approach of trying to change it from the inside so I don’t think it makes her any less valid.” Overall, both Kopcho and Silverman suggested that Harris’s background as a prosecutor could actually boost her credibility on police reform.
Finally, Trump has proposed various measures to lower prescription drug prices, including allowing the importation of cheaper drugs from other countries and promoting price transparency in the healthcare system. His healthcare policies vary, with critics arguing that his approach could lead to millions losing health coverage from replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while supporters believe his focus on lowering drug prices is a positive step. When asked what he thinks about this policy being implemented, DiMassa says, “That drives me kind of insane because how are you going to be so anti- ‘other countries,’ and then want to import stuff. I’m not saying there’s a risk of fentanyl in prescription medications, but you [Trump] can’t have your main talking point be ‘fentanyl from other countries’ and then one of your remaining policies also be ‘let’s bring medications in from other countries.’” Similarly, Brookshire said, “I agree that prescription drug prices should be lower. … However, I think it’s interesting that’s something he’s proposing because I also know that he’s also proposing a lot of tariffs, which would also increase the cost of imported drugs, and that he wants more products to be created in the United States. So I think that’s a hypocritical statement.” In the end, both DiMassa and Brookshire pointed out what they see as mixed messages in Trump’s approach about how these plans fit with his other policies on trade and U.S. manufacturing.
Ultimately, when it comes to the policies of presidential candidates, it is important for voters to do their own research, evaluate the quality of their sources, and fact-check information to make sure it’s reliable. Individuals’ voices and votes are powerful tools in shaping our nation’s future. So stay curious, criticize, engage, and remember that informed citizens are the backbone of a strong community.