Vice President Kamala Harris recently sat down for her first one-on-one interview with a major news network since becoming the Democratic nominee. During the interview with MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle, Harris avoided questions about how she plans to fund her economic agenda if faced with opposition from Republicans in Congress. She emphasized the need to raise corporate taxes and ensure that big corporations and billionaires pay their fair share but did not provide a clear plan on how to achieve this without congressional support.
Harris also touched on her proposal to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and claimed that business leaders support this plan. She stated that CEOs agree that paying their fair share and investing in new industries and entrepreneurship benefits the overall economy. However, she did not address concerns about potential business flight from the US as a result of corporate tax hikes.
The vice president’s economic agenda, which includes measures like providing $25,000 to first-time homebuyers and offering up to $6,000 in tax breaks to families with newborns, is estimated to cost $1.7 trillion. Harris faced questions about how she would address price gouging without implementing price controls and responded by emphasizing the need to combat companies that take advantage of the American people.
During the interview, Harris also avoided questions about lifting state and local tax deductions for federal taxpayers and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ refusal to endorse her. When asked about helping communities overwhelmed by the influx of migrants, Harris pivoted to discussing the need for comprehensive immigration reform but did not provide specifics on addressing the challenges faced by such communities.
Throughout the interview, Harris used a variety of talking points and vague statements to respond to questions, including emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing various issues. While she did not offer new policy proposals, Harris expressed her belief in the ambition and aspirations of the American people and framed her economic agenda as a means to support those dreams. Overall, the interview highlighted Harris’ focus on investing in the middle class and small businesses while facing questions about the feasibility and funding of her proposed initiatives.
