On Sunday, the Harris-Walz campaign finally unveiled its full policy list – just two days before Harris was set to debate former President Deonald Trump.
The policy list, titled “A New Way Forward,” is billed as a package on which “all Americans” can agree. The main points include the economy and taxation, abortion, the border crisis, gun control, and upholding American interests abroad.
On the economy, Harris borrows a line that President Joe Biden used often throughout his presidency: “building up the middle class.” Harris says she can achieve this through tax cuts and securing policies like Social Security and Medicare.
One of her more notable goals is to provide monetary incentives with tax credits for families with children and earned income. She also aims to provide first-time homebuyers with up to $25,000 to help with down payments.
Other outlined policies tend to be more in line with the progressive Democrat way of thinking. On abortion, Harris looks to cement Roe v. Wade as the law of the land and guarantee federally protected abortions nationwide. Regarding gun control, Harris aims to “ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.”
But, oddly enough, many of her policies tend to paint her more as a contrast to Donald Trump.
For example, in every major subject for policy outlines, the Harris campaign includes what it calls “Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda.” These writeups are meant to try and tie Trump with the Heritage Project’s 2025 Agenda – from which the Trump campaign has previously and consistently distanced itself.
In addition, some believe Harris is not being completely forthright about her entire policy approach. Specifically, critics say she is hiding some of her more progressive stances to win over more moderate voters. This allegation received some attention this week when Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) suggested that Harris is doing “what she thinks is right in order to win the election.”
A Fox News Digital report says that the Harris campaign confirmed she has changed some of her key policies in an effort to take a more “pragmatic” approach. But it begs the question about whether or not this tactic will play well with voters – especially if her core values are different from what is being presented.