We’re just weeks out from the presidential election, and while it might be smart for candidates to be zeroing in on key issues for voters, one party is instead focussed on discussing… the McDonald’s menu?
Yep, in a recent interview with Fox News’ Jesse Watters, Donald Trump Jr. said he thinks his father, Republican nominee Donald Trump, “knows the McDonald’s menu better than Kamala Harris ever did.”
Given Trump’s history with fast food, I don’t really doubt Trump Jr.’s claim (even though Harris actually worked at McDonald’s in her youth), but the fact he even made these comments — which aren’t the flex he thinks they are — when there are far more pressing issues ahead of the election should be a cause for concern.
Then again, the Trump camp has never really been able to articulate actual policies around the key election issues, and often seems more focussed about airing personal grievances about his critics. His plans for the economy — a topic that’s top of mind for legions of voters — have been slammed by economists who say his inflation policies will actually worsen the problem, though he naturally disagrees.
How does Trump fare, then, in terms of climate and the environment? Well, judging by his reaction to the destructive Hurricane Helene and Milton — which included false claims about the federal government’s response — he isn’t exactly at the forefront of solving the problem as much as exacerbating it. Which makes sense for someone whose loyalists believe that the government controls the weather.
It might go without saying, but despite his claims of being a “protector of women,” Trump’s stance on the key election issue of reproductive rights is questionable at best, not least because it was his intention to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Then there’s the issue of gun control, which in the past Trump said could be alleviated by banning violent video games.
Trump’s unwillingness to address his policies on these issues, and his tendency to worsen or confuse them, makes Trump Jr.’s McDonald’s comment all the more infuriating.
Polluting the airwaves with inconsequential chatter might be par for the course for the Trump family, but as election day inches closer with no clear sign of where Trump stands on certain issues, it’s about as unsatisfying as when a McDonald’s worker forgets to add extra pickles on my burger.
On the other end of the spectrum, Harris has made clear her stance on the key election issues Trump ignores. Since becoming the Democratic nominee, the vice president has outlined her plans for common sense gun control reforms, promised to undo the results of Roe vs. Wade, and been a part of the administration whose hurricane response was praised by governors of the states most affected.
Harris has also announced plans for an “opportunity economy,” as well as outlining her stance on taxes for the uber-wealthy and loans for small businesses. This speaks to a leader who has the wherewithal to effect change, not spew idle talk about fast food chains and whether or not her opponent frequents them.
If Trump Jr. succeeded in anything by making those comments, it’s making me hungry. Time to eat my pre-election panic away with some hopefully pickle-filled burgers.
Published: Oct 18, 2024 04:13 am