"So there's a choice in this election. Donald Trump's plans to devastate the middle class. Punish working people and make the cost of living go up for millions of Americans."
"And on the other hand when I'm elected president what we'll do. What we will do to bring down costs. Increase the security and stability financially of your family and expand opportunity for working and Middle-Class Americans."
"Now is the time to chart a new way forward now is the time to chart a new way forward. To build a new way forward. To build an America where everyone's work is rewarded and talents are valued. Where we work with labor and business to strengthen the American economy not just to get by but to get ahead of the line and we're going to get this done and with your help."
With those closing remarks in a close to 25-minute speech to cheering supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina (who shouted forward and we're not going back,) Vice President Kamala Harris finished outlining part of her economic plans to expand the Middle Class by creating an opportunity economy.
Today's theme focused on reducing costs for hardworking Americans.
In her introductory remarks, the Vice President praised the economic achievements and policies of the Biden/Harris Administration, taking over during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic/ economic dislocation caused by the ineptitude of the Trump Presidency, and enacting measures like the Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS Science Act, and the clean energy investments and prescription drug benefit in the Inflation Reduction Act, that have helped place the United States as a global economic leader.
She then pivoted to discussing the future and moving forward from the successes of the Biden/Harris Administration to the next step: the creation of an opportunity economy to expand the Middle Class.
"And as President of the United States, it will be my intention to build on the foundation of this progress."
"Still we know that many Americans don't yet feel that converge in their daily lives. Costs are still too high. And on a deeper level for too many people, no matter how much they work, it feels so hard to just be able to get ahead."
"As President, I will be laser-focused on creating opportunities for the Middle class that advance their economic security, stability, and dignity. Together we will build what I call an opportunity economy. An economy where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed. Everyone regardless of who they are or where they start has an opportunity to build wealth for themselves and their children. And where we remove the barriers to opportunity so anyone who wants to start a business or advance their career can access the tools and the resources that are necessary to do so."
"On cutting needless bureaucracy and unnecessary regulatory red tape. And encouraging innovative technologies while protecting consumers and creating a stable business environment with consistent and transparent rules of the road. As President, I will bring together labor with small businesses and major companies to invest in America. To create good jobs, achieve broad-based growth, and ensure that America continues to define the future and lead the world."
"And key to creating this opportunity economy is building up our middle class. It is essential. The Middle Class is one of America's greatest strengths. We must defend basic principles such as your salary being enough to provide you and your family with a good quality of life. Such as no child should have to grow up in poverty. Such as after years of hard work, you should be able to retire with dignity. And you should be able to join a union if you choose."
"Building up the Middle Class will be a defining goal of my Presidency. Because I strongly believe when the Middle Class is strong, America is strong."
Ms. Harris, in part relating to her own upbringing and personal experiences, then told the audience that her economic focus today would be on reducing costs because:
"And today I will focus on one element that's on the minds of many Americans as they pay their bills at the kitchen table or walk the aisles of a grocery store. And that is lowering the cost of living."
"So every day across our nation families talk about their plans for the future. Their ambitions. Their aspirations for themselves. For their children. And they talk about how they're going to be able to actually achieve them financially. Because look. The bills add up."
"Food, rent, gas, back to school, clothes, prescription medication. After all that for many families, there's not much left at the end of the month."
"I grew up in a middle-class household. For most of my childhood, we were renters. My mother saved for well over a decade to buy a home I was a teenager. When that day finally came and I can remember so well how excited she was. I kind of understood what it meant, but We called her. Mommy. Mommy was so excited. It just made us excited that she was so excited."
"Later in college. I worked at McDonald's to earn spending money. Well, some of the people I worked with were raising families on that paycheck. They were working second or even third jobs to pay rent and buy food. That only gets harder when the cost of living goes up."
"When I am elected president, I will make it a top priority to bring down costs and increase Economic Security for all Americans. As president I will take on the high costs. That matter most to most Americans like the cost of food."
The Vice President, channeling on her experiences as California Attorney General, Senator, and Vice President, delved into the areas that she would focus on reducing costs. These areas had already been revealed in an earlier press release from the Harris for President campaign. These areas include:
- Going after agents of corporate greed (greedflation) and their price gouging on food products and renting homes.
- Building on the Prescription Drug Benefit for Seniors (the second anniversary is today) and expanding it to working Americans.
- Helping reduce medical debt.
- Providing financial assistance to people looking to purchase their first home.
- Restoring and expanding the Child Tax and Earned Income Tax Credits. For newborn children, the credit would be $6,000 for families for the child's first year.
Ms. Harris also reminded voters that Mr. Trump's ideas (such as they are; he really has not provided any details other than "I'll bring back costs" and "drill baby drill",) especially those developed by his MAGA cronies in Project 2025, like increased tariffs (where the Vice President in an effective piece of branding called them Trump Taxes) and tax cuts concentrated to the plutocrats of the country would "decimate the Middle Class" and blow up the national debt.
Included in her closing remarks, the Vice President said:
"You know, I think that if you want to know who someone cares about, look who they fight for. Look who they fight for. Donald Trump fights for billionaires and large corporations. We...I will fight to give money back to Working and Middle-Class Americans."
Indeed!
Commenting on the Harris proposals, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods offered:
"The economic proposal from Vice President Harris is exactly the kind of forward-looking leadership Arizona families deserve. Vice President Harris will deliver for Arizonans by cutting taxes for the middle class, reducing grocery and prescription drug costs, and increasing affordable housing—building an economy that truly works for hard-working families."
House Assistant Democratic Leader Oscar De Los Santos stated:
“For too long, predatory mega-corporations have jacked up prices on everything from housing and prescription drugs to food and gas. These unscrupulous mega-corporations have left middle-class families struggling to make ends meet while their wealthy executives and billionaire investors line their pockets and buy their next yacht. I applaud Vice President Harris and Governor Walz's bold proposals to take on predatory corporate practices and put the middle class first.”
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