The Harris/Walz Platform: Hold on to Democracy

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign focuses on several key areas, building on her experience as Vice President and previous roles. Her campaign promises include:

1. Housing and Economic Support

  • Housing Initiatives: Harris aims to provide first-time homebuyers up to $25,000 for down payments and build 3 million more rental units and affordable homes. She also plans to outlaw new forms of price fixing by corporate landlords​(PolitiFact).
  • Economic Policies: Her economic platform includes raising the minimum wage, eliminating taxes on tips, and establishing paid family and medical leave. She would also end sub-minimum wages for tipped workers and people with disabilities, and double the number of apprenticeships​(PolitiFact)​(Kamala2020).

2. Health Care Reforms

  • Harris proposes extending the $35 cap on insulin and the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket spending to all Americans, beyond just Medicare recipients. She also supports making health care premium tax credits permanent and reducing drug costs by regulating pharmacy benefit managers​(PolitiFact).

3. Civil Rights and Voting Rights

  • She plans to pass the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ+ Americans from discrimination and sign the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Freedom to Vote Act to prevent discriminatory voting laws and expand access to voting​(PolitiFact).

4. Labor and Worker Protections

  • Harris supports pro-labor legislation such as the PRO Act to strengthen collective bargaining and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to enhance rights for public workers. She also aims to eliminate four-year college degree requirements for federal jobs where appropriate​(PolitiFact)​(Kamala2020).

5. Climate and Environmental Policies

  • Harris wants to build on the Inflation Reduction Act by advancing clean energy jobs, lowering household energy costs, and holding polluters accountable. Her climate strategy focuses on reducing emissions and achieving energy independence while protecting public lands and advancing environmental justice​(Kamala2020).

6. Reproductive Rights and Personal Freedoms

  • Harris strongly advocates for restoring and protecting reproductive freedoms following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She promises to defend reproductive rights and pass laws to safeguard women’s health and autonomy. She also plans to continue defending LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms​(Kamala2020).

7. Foreign Policy

  • Harris’s foreign policy agenda includes securing hostage and cease-fire deals between Israel and Hamas and taking a strong stance against unfair trade practices by competitors like China​(PolitiFact).

These campaign promises indicate a focus on expanding economic opportunity, protecting civil rights, and advancing healthcare reforms. Harris positions her platform in contrast to Donald Trump’s proposed agenda, which she critiques as harmful to economic stability and social progress​.