Harris' new policy page is light on some details but careful to mention startups
By Alice Tecotzky,
2024-09-09
Harris added the policy page just ahead of the debate, stripping Trump of a potential attack.
The page mentions venture capital multiple times, indicating Harris' efforts to be pro-business.
Harris doesn't offer many new specifics, but reaffirms her commitment to social and economic issues.
Vice President Kamala Harris finally added a policy section to her campaign website on Sunday, robbing former President Donald Trump of a potential attack line during Tuesday night's debate . Though the page, entitled "A New Way Forward," is sparse on many specifics, it does reference venture capital multiple times, indicating the vice president's effort to court the business tech vote .
The page, which is split up into various sections, begins with a portion on the economy and focuses largely on building up the middle class. Amid platitudes, Harris is careful to address entrepreneurship early on — the page's third bullet point is directed toward small business investment.
"Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know that small businesses—neighborhood shops, high-tech startups, small manufacturers, and more—are the engines of our economy," the page reads. It goes on to highlight Harris' work as vice president to increase access to capital and expand venture capital to middle America. As president, the page says, she'll aim to oversee 25 million new business applications and will "expand the startup expense tax deduction for new businesses from $5,000 to $50,000."
Harris nods to the tech community again with her bullet point about American innovation, when she promises to support AI growth. She returns to the AI race in the page's final section on national security, pledging to ensure that we remain a leader in the sector and mentioning her work "rallying international leaders at an AI summit."
The campaign's frequent references to the tech and business sector are unsurprising, as Harris is seeking to present herself as the pro-business candidate who understands Silicon Valley better than her opponent.
Other tech giants, however, support the former president. A vocal faction led by Tesla owner Elon Musk , investor Marc Andreessen, and venture capitalist David Sacks back Trump and insist that he is the pro-business candidate.
On the policy page, Harris actively distinguishes herself from Trump on issues beyond tech. Each broad section of policies — the economy, freedom, safety, security — includes a blurb contrasting her policies with those of Project 2025 , the conservative agenda that Trump is trying to distance himself from despite evident ties to the effort.
When the issues page does include details, they largely focus on Harris' economic agenda , which she outlined in a speech last month. She commits to a federal ban on grocery price gouging, extending the $35 limit on insulin prices, and expanding the Child Tax Credit. In terms of housing, Harris reiterates her commitment to building three million new homes and offering $25,000 in down-payment assistance to new homeowners.
Social issues get some attention as well, with the vice president vowing to sign any bill Congress passes that would restore reproductive freedom nationwide.
Despite Trump's attempts to bash her immigration policy and label her a "Border Czar," Harris only devotes one paragraph to immigration. It references the recent drop in border crossings and her support for the bipartisan border bill. The website notes that Trump "killed the border bill for his political gain."
Harris is relatively vague on the question of the war in Gaza , saying that she "will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself" and is working to end the war. She commits to ensuring that "the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination," but offers no clues as to how that will happen.
Trump is not alone in dragging Harris for her failure to talk to the media or detail specific policy — she has only sat for one major interview thus far , and did so alongside Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate.
Democrats: A bunch of rich people convincing poor people to vote for rich people by telling the poor people that other rich people are the reason they're poor.
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