I just bought the saw at Home Depot. I read carefully all instructions
for setting up and everything went fine. However, why is there no blade
slot in the red plastic plate where the saw is supposed to finish
cutting my piece of wood ? The plastic plate is rather thick.

Am I supposed to cut through this plastic plate the first time I cut
something?

Why not just provide a slot ?

Sounds awkards as a design and one could start thinking: what the hell
went in the designer mind. Sexual fixation?

Yerk!