The first of three presidential debates took place at Hofstra University on Monday, Sept. 26. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Monday, Sept. 26 marked the first debate of the historic battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the presidency. Monitored by Lester Holt at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., the two candidates went head to head.

The conversation proved as heated as many Americans anticipated, and both candidates held strongly different opinions on how to take the country to a more economically powerful, socially secure and safer nation. The candidates both challenged the honesty, dependability and influence of their opponent all while displaying their ambitions and presenting the question of what the voters deserve.

Trump, enveloping his slogan into a literal platform, has many plans that reflect past policies. After being asked about his initiative to bring more money into the pockets of the American people, Trump compared his anticipated tax breaks to those of the late Ronald Reagan.

“I’ll be reducing taxes tremendously, from 35 percent to 15 percent for companies, small and big businesses,” Trump said. He explained his plan to bring jobs back to the nation by lowering taxes as well as implicating tariffs on foreign productions.

Clinton’s plans supported more recent economic ambitions, like those of President Obama. She emphasized her ambitions to support middle class workers and profit sharing, and criticized Trump for his agenda, calling it “Trumped Up Trickle Down.” She also offered her plans for more diplomatic systems of trade and defense.
Trump expressed the rise of violence within the country, though some of his claims were proven false after fact checking. He supported the reinvention of the stop-and-frisk program and stated that in order to protect the youth there needs to be more policing.

Clinton, however, questioned whether or not the program inflicts on young men’s rights, and declared her beliefs on the threats of firearms when obtained as easily as many are today.
Trump and Clinton used offensive tactics throughout the duration of the debate. Trump called Clinton out for NAFTA, which she and her husband supported during the 1990s and brought the infamous email scandal into play. Trump also questioned her ability to preside as president due to her lack of stamina and the ambiguous “look” which he believes that a president should possess.

Clinton exposed her feelings about his treatment of women, workers and his ability to show diplomacy and professionalism during conflict. She questioned many of his facts concerning the recent rise in murders and the accusations he made against her. She also demanded that Trump release his tax records, despite him being currently audited, and speculated on what he may or may not be hiding by retaining them.

Trump compared the nations that he believes flourish, while America loses positive influences on our economic system. He showed his plans to stop other nations from taking the jobs that could bring in money. He expressed his ability to build businesses and the plans to cut taxes, while stating that his temperament is his strongest asset and one that can help the nation win.

Clinton supported the use of clean energy and defended her own experience with politics and foreign policy. She expressed her desires to support the working class with family leave and fair payment for women and those who help businesses gain profit.

It is clear that both candidates hold strong opinions about the future of the nation. Both Trump and Clinton have success in their fields, power and respect from many people. With young voters, men, women and minorities alike, the question remains: “What do we deserve?”