Staff Reports
The decision by Vice President Kamala Harris to update her campaign website with policy positions just one day before a debate with former President Donald Trump certainly adds a dramatic touch to the run-up of the 2024 presidential race. Armed with a grand total of 19 policy proposals under the banner “A New Way Forward,” Harris’ campaign seems to have taken a full eight weeks after her nomination to think about what it actually stands for. One can only wonder if she was too busy figuring out how to wield the power of the office best to dedicate time to crafting coherent policies.
The newly unveiled policy positions cover a variety of voluminous topics, from immigration and crime to the economy and the ever-popular cause of supporting America’s brave service members. However, it’s hard to overlook how many of these policies are not new at all, with many being echoed from previous campaign trails. One could argue that the abundance of vague platitudes on her website has reached an art form, or perhaps they are just a smoke-and-mirrors tactic to distract—after all, clarity and substance might only cloud a perplexing narrative.
Kamala Harris adds policy positions to campaign websitehttps://t.co/JZj0oWhgJv pic.twitter.com/rT0FVNYp4b
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) September 10, 2024
The Harris campaign took an interesting approach by actively juxtaposing her proposals against Project 2025—a sweeping document crafted by the Heritage Foundation filled with sound conservative principles. This tactic seems to be little more than political theater, especially when one considers that former President Trump has distanced himself from the project despite many of his advisors contributing to it. It’s as though the vice president is trying to warn voters away from an actual plan while pushing forth her own often nebulous solutions.
In terms of the economy, Harris promises that no one earning under $400,000 will face higher taxes. However, the explanation is conspicuously missing. The juggernaut will evidently be funded by noble intentions of taxing corporations and the wealthy, although it’s unclear how that works considering her plans for ramping up government spending across social initiatives. The old “tax the rich” trope sounds heartwarming until one realizes the rich don’t simply have money growing on trees.
Harris isn’t shy about her plans for gun control either, advocating for a total ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, alongside mandatory background checks. This is yet another item in a long list of proposed restrictions that would do absolutely nothing to thwart determined criminals, but they do play well with the more passionate factions of her voter base. Much like her vague economic plans, the promise of a more regulated gun policy is pretty clear on the surface but lacks depth when it comes to practical execution.
Wrapping up her manifesto, the vice president makes assurances to “keep America safe, secure, and prosperous.” One must wonder how this ties into her policy plans that seem aimlessly stitched together. Given the ongoing struggles with rising crime rates and global tensions, supporters might find it hard to reconcile the gap between lofty campaign slogans and real-world effectiveness. In contrast, Trump’s campaign website remains packed with focused, coherent policies aimed at addressing border security and inflation. It seems that while Harris is still figuring out her “new way,” Trump is already charting the path ahead.
