US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has unveiled her economic plan at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina. Harris called her agenda “the opportunity economy.” “Together,” she said, “we will build what I call an opportunity economy.” “An economy,” she added, “where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, has an opportunity to build prosperity for themselves and their children.” The event was held to reveal what the priorities will be in the first hundred days as president.
Among the proposals is a federal ban on price gouging that will prompt the Federal Trade Commission, the regulator, to launch an investigation into how and to what extent corporations have exploited consumers through price gouging. Harris has launched a plan to address the housing emergency for the middle and lower classes, promising to build 3 million affordable housing units by the end of her four-year term. These measures are joined by a child tax credit, reviving a measure already introduced by President Joe Biden that expired last year.
“I will focus on eliminating unnecessary red tape and removing unnecessary regulations, while protecting consumers and creating a stable economic environment through transparent rules,” Harris added.
“The key to creating the opportunity economy,” he stressed, “is investing in our middle class. It’s critical.” The proposal to control prices has generated criticism in conservative circles, but also from progressive newspapers like the Washington Post, which wondered whether “when they accuse you of being a communist” – a reference to the attacks launched by Donald Trump – “maybe you shouldn’t propose to control prices.”
The vice president defended the plan, saying her proposal is aimed at helping small businesses that play by the rules and increasing competition in the big food industry. “Prices are still too high,” Harris said. “I know that a lot of businesses are creating jobs, contributing to our economy by playing by the rules, but some are not, and that’s not right. And we need to act.”
The vice president attacked Trump’s tariffs on imported goods, saying they will “devastate Americans.” “It will mean higher prices on all of our everyday goods,” she added. “A Trump tax on gas, a Trump tax on food, a Trump tax on clothing, a Trump tax on over-the-counter medications.” Harris also accused her opponent of seeking new cuts for billionaires and corporations, while she is aiming to ease costs for the middle and lower classes.
The vice president did not go into detail, but it is possible that in the next electoral events Harris will explain better how she intends to intervene, to ensure the attention of the Americans. Today she wanted to give the message that her administration has an economic agenda – answer to the analysts who asked for clarity in this field – and that it will intervene on the prices of basic necessities and to support the middle class, one of the key elements of this electoral campaign.