Staff Reports
In a comedic twist worthy of a political satire show, Vice President Kamala Harris attempted to deliver a “major economic address” in Pittsburgh that turned out to be more of an awkward endorsement for Donald Trump than a rallying cry for her own policies. One must wonder if she accidentally shuffled into the wrong press conference, as her call to move past “failed policies” seemed to ring alarm bells for anyone still keeping tabs on the current administration’s record. Clearly, Harris was not quite ready to accept the economic policies her boss, President Biden, has been championing.
Harris’s speech contained a brilliant mix of denialism and historical cherry-picking, suggesting that America must push forward without looking back—presumably at Bidenomics, the crown jewel of the current administration that has been as popular as a root canal. Yet, here was Harris, waxing poetic about the “strong middle class” while ignoring the dire realities that many American families face today. If moving past failed policies is what she’s aiming for, the question remains: does she realize who’s in charge right now?
Amid her platitudes about the economy being a “powerful force for innovation,” Harris proposed a new tax credit aimed at revitalizing domestic manufacturing, largely mirroring Biden’s own economic initiatives that already resemble a bailout for industries that struggle to evolve with the times. The President’s focus on high-tech manufacturing has left behind a nostalgic era when factories were the backbone of the American economy. Meanwhile, Harris stands there like a time traveler trying to resurrect the ghost of American manufacturing past while ignoring the facts at hand.
In typical liberal fashion, Harris painted a picture of a glorious comeback for American manufacturing that seems more like a fool’s gold than a solid gold return. With plans to bolster traditional industries like steel alongside the trendier sectors like biotechnology, one would think she’s been watching reruns of the “American Dream” while ignoring the current reality: factories are not just going to magically reappear, and jobs are not coming back just because someone waves a magic wand named “tax credit.”
Harris's Big Economic Speech an Endorsement of Trump https://t.co/UKdfB7l6Vh
— Michael J. Fell (@MichaelJFell) September 26, 2024
Her comparison of modern economic initiatives to those of Abe Lincoln and JFK comes off as a desperate bid to attach her policies to a legacy of proven success. While Harris dreams of funding massive infrastructure projects, the reality is that they are competing with waves of higher tech industries like artificial intelligence and quantum computing that are transforming the global landscape. The manufacturing jobs she talks about are a relic of a bygone age—something that will require a unicorn and a four-leaf clover to resurrect on a significant scale.
The ever-expanding dilemma facing America, as highlighted by Harris’s speech, underscores a pivotal question: can the current administration get its act together before it becomes a historical footnote? While Harris dreams of an economy built on manufacturing, it’s worth noting that manufacturing now accounts for a mere 8.1% of U.S. jobs. That’s down from 31% in the 1950s, essentially reducing America’s robust industry to a quaint memory, akin to rotary phones and typewriters. With the future dominated by tech and innovation, the real task ahead is not to revive an industry that has long gone the way of the dodo but to embrace the next frontier of economic growth.
