This September, we wrote an article that included the Top 5 Problems that Americans care about. These issues by our view, based on the Pew and Gallop research we compiled, should be the top 5 things that the presidential candidates should care about. But the greater question is “Did they address these topics and American concerns based on what they did in the past?” 

Since we’re have a little “fun” here, but in the name of data science and testing out our LLM that gathers 10s of thousands of articles on each problem area – matching it to Kamala Harris or Donald Trump – we thought we would use our power for good! And frankly, we weren’t quite sure who would get the better letter grade. Many of us are lifelong Independent voters (big “I”) and independent thinkers (little “I”). 

Keep in-mind that the foreclosed “letter grades” do not substitute assessing what the candidates say in debate, and the audience using discernment and research to see if it matches-up to what they actually do. We’re pulled data mainly from published policies. And summarized it for the everyday reader. So if you want an in-depth “peer-review style” research paper using AI search and hard-coded data gathering, write me personally at stephanie@thepulsedna.com.

We will post more #NewsIn60Seconds and #DailyDebunks on this subject as we get close to election day. Without further ado, here are the scores for both Trump and Kamala based on the Top 5 categories. And Stephanie the founder of PulseDNA, that’s me, added two more subjects that Americans care about as one subject, Women’s Rights, is more purely Democrat-leaning, and the other, Homelessness, is more Republican or Christian-leaning.

We’re huge believers that you can gauge the health a wellness of a society based on how you treat its women as equal citizens that do the majority of family-raising, and well as the important of lifting-up those who are the most defenseless and needing of mental and physical restoration: our nation’s homeless.

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The 7 Categories We Graded the Candidates On (more like 12 when you factor what Pew surveyed vs. Gallop in collecting thousands of American’s answers. We trying to emulate a semester “report card” average college student takes 6-8 classes in a typical semester):

1. Economy (Pew Research) and Government (Gallop Polls)
2. Education (Pew Research) and Economy (Gallop Polls)
3. Healthcare (Pew Research) and Immigration (Gallop Polls)
4. Terrorism (Pew Research) and Unemployment (Gallop Polls)
5. Social Security (Pew Research) and Racism (Gallop Polls)
6. Women’s Rights (PulseDNA Selected Category)
7. Homelessness (PulseDNA Selected Category)

Typical Grading Scale with Results (keep in-mind you can’t do averages on grades with the “-“ and “+”; we’ll explain more on a “Daily Debunk”): 

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Donald Trump Review

Here’s a recalibration of Donald Trump’s letter grades based on policies found in Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for the future that echoes many of Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaign platforms. We analyzed, then summarized, how these policies align with what many Americans generally desire in each category.

1. Economy (Pew Research) and Government (Gallop Polls)

• What the American People Want: Americans want tax policies that relieve the middle class, spur job growth, and maintain fiscal responsibility without exacerbating wealth inequality or national debt.
• What Trump Offers: Project 2025 emphasizes continued tax cuts, deregulation, and prioritizing American interests in trade. While these policies stimulated economic activity, they primarily benefited corporations and the wealthy, raising concerns about inequality and national debt.
• Grade: B
  • Pros: Deregulation and tax cuts boosted short-term economic growth, especially pre-pandemic.
  • Cons: Tax cuts disproportionately favored the wealthy, contributing to income inequality and federal deficit concerns.

2. Education (Pew Research) and Economy (Gallop Polls)

• What the American People Want: Affordable access to education, emphasis on STEM and vocational training, and equitable public schooling are priorities. Opinions remain split on school choice and its potential impact on public schools.
• What Trump Offers: Project 2025 promotes STEM education, vocational training, and school choice initiatives. While these policies may improve workforce readiness, they also pose risks to public school funding, particularly in low-income areas.
• Grade: B+
  • Pros: The expansion of STEM and vocational training aligns with workforce needs. School choice resonates with those seeking alternatives to public education.
  • Cons: School choice policies have been criticized for potentially defunding public schools, exacerbating inequality in low-income communities.

3. Healthcare (Pew Research) and Immigration (Gallop Polls)

• What the American People Want: Most Americans desire affordable healthcare with protection for pre-existing conditions. On immigration, they support border security alongside legal pathways to citizenship.
• What Trump Offers: Trump’s Project 2025 seeks to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and replace it with market-based solutions. He continues to push for stronger border security, with an emphasis on merit-based immigration.
• Grade: C
  • Pros: Efforts to lower drug prices were welcomed, and his merit-based immigration proposal attracted some support.
  • Cons: Failure to provide a comprehensive alternative to Obamacare and controversial immigration policies, including family separation, alienated many.

4. Terrorism (Pew Research) and Unemployment (Gallop Polls)

• What the American People Want: Voters value a strong defense against terrorism and policies that ensure job growth and economic stability.
• What Trump Offers: Trump’s Project 2025 reaffirms his focus on military strength and counterterrorism efforts, alongside job creation through deregulation and energy production. Before the pandemic, his administration saw low unemployment and strong economic growth.
• Grade: A-
  • Pros: Job creation and economic growth were robust before COVID-19, and his national security stance resonated widely.
  • Cons: The pandemic reversed much of the employment gains, and deregulation efforts were criticized for potentially compromising environmental and worker protections.

5. Social Security (Pew Research) and Racism (Gallop Polls)

• What the American People Want: Protecting Social Security and addressing systemic racism are key issues. Voters expect comprehensive criminal justice reform and racial equality efforts.
• What Trump Offers: Trump’s Project 2025 proposes moderate reforms to Social Security aimed at reducing benefits for wealthier retirees. On racial issues, his law-and-order approach was divisive, though the First Step Act was a significant achievement in criminal justice reform.
• Grade: C+
  • Pros: The First Step Act remains a landmark in criminal justice reform. His Social Security proposals aimed at long-term solvency.
  • Cons: His handling of racial justice protests deepened divisions, and his Social Security reforms were unpopular among retirees and low-income seniors.

6. Women’s Rights (PulseDNA Selected Category)

• What the American People Want: Most Americans support gender equality, reproductive rights, and measures to close the gender wage gap.
• What Trump Offers: Trump’s Project 2025, building on his previous administration’s stance, does not prioritize policies aimed at gender equity. The appointments of conservative justices to the Supreme Court led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, reducing federal protections for reproductive rights.
• Grade: C-
  • Pros: His administration promoted women in leadership in some sectors, but this was limited in scope.
  • Cons: The reversal of Roe v. Wade alienated many women voters. There was minimal focus on policies to address the gender wage gap or workplace protections for women.

7. Homelessness (PulseDNA Selected Category)

• What the American People Want: Voters increasingly demand policies addressing affordable housing, mental health services, and homelessness prevention.
• What Trump Offers: Trump’s policies in Project 2025 emphasize deregulation and reducing government intervention, which critics argue does not adequately tackle the homelessness crisis. Limited federal initiatives were proposed to support affordable housing, with some criminalization of homelessness in urban areas.
• Grade: D+
  • Pros: Some targeted support for transitional housing for veterans and certain groups.
  • Cons: The administration’s focus on deregulation and lack of comprehensive affordable housing initiatives failed to address the root causes of homelessness, and critics argue it lacked empathy toward urban homeless populations.

Revised Overall Grade: C+ (2.47)

While Trump's policies supported short-term economic growth and focused on deregulation, his administration's stances on healthcare, racial justice, women’s rights, and homelessness faced significant criticism for failing to address long-term social equity concerns.

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Kamala Harris Review

Here’s an assessment of Kamala Harris’s policies, framed in the same way as the previous evaluation for Donald Trump:

1. Economy and Government

• What the American People Want: Many Americans desire equitable economic growth, fair taxation, and efficient government that prioritizes middle-class relief and reduces income inequality.
• What Harris Offers: As Vice President, Harris has advocated for significant investments in infrastructure, support for small businesses, and increased taxation on the wealthy to fund social programs. Her policies aim to reduce the wealth gap and promote economic equity.
• Grade: B+
  • Pros: Harris's push for robust infrastructure and small business support resonates with many voters seeking job creation and economic revitalization.
  • Cons: Concerns about tax increases may alienate some moderate voters.

2. Education and Economy

• What the American People Want: There is a strong demand for affordable education, support for STEM and vocational training, and equitable access to quality public schooling.
• What Harris Offers: Harris has championed initiatives for free community college, expanded Pell Grants, and greater investment in public schools. She has also supported policies that promote STEM education and equitable funding for schools in underserved communities.
• Grade: A-
  • Pros: Initiatives for free community college and increased funding for public schools align well with public demand for affordable education.
  • Cons: Some argue that ambitious educational reforms lack sufficient funding details and implementation plans.

3. Healthcare and Immigration

• What the American People Want: Americans widely support affordable healthcare, including protections for pre-existing conditions, and many favor a balanced immigration approach that includes both border security and pathways to citizenship.
• What Harris Offers: Harris supports the Affordable Care Act and advocates for expanding access to healthcare, including a public option. On immigration, she promotes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and has criticized harsh immigration policies.
• Grade: B
  • Pros: Support for the Affordable Care Act and pathways for legal immigration resonate positively with many voters.
  • Cons: Her stance on immigration reform faces skepticism from both sides—some view her proposals as too lenient, while others feel they lack the necessary enforcement measures.

4. Terrorism and Unemployment

• What the American People Want: Voters prioritize national security alongside job creation and economic stability, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
• What Harris Offers: While primarily focusing on domestic issues, Harris emphasizes the importance of national security and has been part of discussions around military funding. She also supports job creation through economic recovery initiatives post-pandemic.
• Grade: B
  • Pros: Efforts to create jobs and support economic recovery are well-received, especially in the context of post-pandemic recovery.
  • Cons: Some feel that her national security policies lack clarity and strong direction compared to economic priorities.

5. Social Security and Racism

• What the American People Want: Americans want robust protections for Social Security and effective measures to combat systemic racism and promote criminal justice reform.
• What Harris Offers: Harris has supported initiatives to protect and strengthen Social Security, as well as criminal justice reform measures aimed at addressing systemic racism, including police reform and reducing incarceration rates.
• Grade: A-
  • Pros: Strong advocacy for criminal justice reform and Social Security protections resonates positively with voters concerned about equity.
  • Cons: Some critics argue that proposed reforms are not comprehensive enough to address deep-rooted issues in the justice system.

6. Women’s Rights

• What the American People Want: There is widespread support for gender equality, reproductive rights, and efforts to close the gender wage gap.
• What Harris Offers: As a strong advocate for women's rights, Harris has promoted policies to protect reproductive rights and improve workplace equity. She has spoken out against measures that undermine women's health and access to services.
• Grade: A
  • Pros: Harris's commitment to reproductive rights and gender equity strongly resonates with many voters, particularly women.
  • Cons: Opposition from conservative groups and some moderates remains, impacting her broader appeal.

7. Homelessness

• What the American People Want: Voters increasingly seek comprehensive solutions to homelessness, including affordable housing and mental health support.
• What Harris Offers: Harris has advocated for funding affordable housing initiatives and expanding mental health services. She emphasizes a holistic approach to tackling homelessness, aiming to address root causes.
• Grade: B
  • Pros: Harris’s focus on affordable housing initiatives aligns with public demand for comprehensive solutions to homelessness.
  • Cons: Critics may argue that proposed initiatives lack the immediate impact needed to address the growing homelessness crisis.

Overall Evaluation: B+

Kamala Harris's policies align well with many Americans' priorities, particularly in education, women's rights, and addressing systemic issues such as social justice and healthcare. However, challenges remain in implementing comprehensive solutions, especially regarding funding and bipartisan support for her initiatives. Her grades reflect a strong commitment to progressive values, positioning her favorably among voters seeking change.

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