Tony Diver
US Editor
25 September 2024 10:09pm
Kamala Harris has declared herself a “capitalist” who “knows the limitations of government” in an attempt to counter Donald Trump’s accusation that she is a communist.
Speaking in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, the vice-president sought to present herself as a pragmatist and to allay voters’ concerns about her ideological past.
Ms Harris pointed to a series of economic policies already announced by her campaign, including expanded tax credits for middle-class Americans and plans to encourage domestic manufacturing to counter Chinese imports.
She said that while she was a “devout public servant” she also “knows the limitations of government,” and that while she supports workers and unions she would “engage those who create most of the jobs in America”.
“Look, I am a capitalist,” she said. “I believe in free and fair markets. I believe in consistent and transparent rules of the road, to create a stable business environment. And I know the power of American innovation.”
The speech comes after a series of attacks on Ms Harris by Trump, who has dubbed her “Comrade Kamala” and compared her pledge to impose a federal ban on price gouging to Soviet-era price controls.
Republicans have criticised her background as a liberal prosecutor and senator in California, where she suggested decriminalising illegal border crossings.
Wednesday’s speech marked her latest attempt to convince moderate Republicans to abandon Trump, by presenting herself as a common-sense policymaker who would listen to conservative viewpoints.
“As president, I will be grounded in my fundamental values of fairness, dignity and opportunity, and I promise you I will be pragmatic in my approach,” she said.
“I believe we shouldn’t be constrained by ideology, and should instead seek practical solutions to problems, realistic assessments of what is working and what is not.”
Taking good ideas
In a hint that she would consider Right-wing ideas on the economy, she added: “Part of being pragmatic means taking good ideas from wherever they come.”
Ms Harris has said she plans to appoint a Republican to her Cabinet, and has welcomed a swathe of GOP endorsements of her ticket, including from Dick Cheney, the vice-president to George W Bush.
Polls show she consistently trails Trump on the economy, although his lead is narrowing. The high cost of groceries and other domestic goods remains her most significant challenge with voters, and also in presenting a narrative of change in this campaign.
As Ms Harris spoke, her campaign published a comprehensive list of her policy proposals in an 82-page pamphlet.
It contained endorsements from leading economists and condemnation of Trump’s economic proposals, including greater tariffs on imports Ms Harris describes as a “sales tax”.
Like Trump, Ms Harris has proposed increasing domestic goods production to counter Chinese imports, especially in states with manufacturing heritage, like Pennsylvania.
The Midwest forms the backbone of her campaign and could win her the required 270 electoral college votes, if she succeeds in her attempt to take Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s press secretary, said in response to the vice-president’s speech that “[Ms Harris has] had three and a half years to prove herself, and she has failed.”
She added: “Personal savings are down, credit card debt is up, small business optimism is at a record-low, and people are struggling to afford homes, groceries, and gas.
“Every time Kamala speaks, it becomes increasingly clear that only President Trump will make America wealthy again.”
Speaking earlier on Wednesday at his own campaign event in North Carolina, Trump dismissed Ms Harris’s economic proposals and said she did not care about blue-collar workers.
He also said he would not permit taxes on Social Security for older adults “who have been devastated by inflation”.
“We’re going to have no tax on Social Security for our seniors,” he said.
“If any senior doesn’t vote for Trump, we’re gonna have to send you to a psychiatrist to have your head examined.”
The post Kamala Harris insists ‘I am a capitalist’ in speech on tax appeared first on The Telegraph.
