Staff Reports
Kamala Harris has recently pulled a move that could make even the most dedicated political opportunists blush—she’s trying to lift Donald Trump’s “no tax on tips” proposal, all while conveniently ignoring her history of supporting policies that would empower the IRS to go after those very same tips. Media organizations have spent weeks mocking Trump’s populist proposal, likely because it came from someone they can’t stand. But now that it’s been picked up by Harris expect a sudden turnaround where any previous criticisms vanish faster than a tax return during an audit.
Harris, who is reportedly trying to snag some votes in heavily Democratic Nevada, appears to have taken a page out of Trump’s playbook. In a state renowned for its hospitality industry, this “no tax on tips” idea has a certain appeal, albeit one that she does not seem to grasp fully, considering her track record. Rather than engaging in a proper debate or offering a fresh perspective on how to handle tips, she decided it was more strategic to swipe an idea from her opponent. This quick pivot shows that when it comes to political games, originality doesn’t seem to be Harris’s strong suit.
Remember when Kamala Harris said no tax on tips? Copying Trump.
This is what she really thinks about taxes on tips. pic.twitter.com/fG2nj3Wnrn
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) August 12, 2024
Of course, there’s the little matter of irony that stinks worse than a week-old takeout. Harris was the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, a bill that handed the IRS an avalanche of funding—$80 billion, to be exact—specifically to ramp up audits, including on income derived from tips. So, while she waves her pretend flag for tipped employees, she’s also the one who made it easier for tax collectors to knock on their doors. The disconnect is so glaring that one might think she fully expects voters to forget she was complicit in the very policies she now claims to oppose.
What’s more baffling is the media’s potential complicity in this charade.
They’ve always had a knack for deflecting and spinning narratives, especially when a Democratic candidate is involved. Imagine the protests and righteous indignation if Trump or any GOP candidate had done such a blatant flip-flop. But those journalistic standards seem to dissipate when it’s one of their own making a convoluted claim that’s more transparent than a glass window. The objective here appears less about genuine policy discussions and more about playing public relations gymnastics in the run-up to the election.
With prices soaring and inflation showing no signs of slowing down—thanks in no small part to her policies—Harris is now trying to masquerade as the voice of economic reason. It’s a classic case of wanting it both ways: raising her hand to support the IRS while patting the backs of those who tip for a living. If voters fall for this empty rhetoric, it’s hard to believe they don’t see through the smoke and mirrors. The bottom line is that Kamala Harris’s campaign is nothing if not an exercise in sheer hypocrisy and wishful thinking, relying on a media infrastructure that maintains this narrative while ignoring the glaring contradictions at play.
