RALEIGH, N.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday announced her economic plan, promising a “top priority to bring down costs” if elected president.
Harris’ speech in Raleigh, North Carolina marks the first major policy address given since she has taken over the top of the ticket.
The Vice President acknowledged the Biden administration has made progress after the Covid economy it inherited from former President Donald Trump, but she said that it isn’t enough as “many Americans don’t yet feel that progress in their daily lives.”
“This election I do strongly believe is about two very different visions for our nation,” Harris said. “One is ours, focused on the future. The other is focused on the past. We see that contrast clearly in many ways, including what it comes to how we think about the economy.”
“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,” she told the crowd. “As president, I will take on the high costs that matter most to most Americans, like the cost of food. We all know that prices went up during the pandemic, when the supply chains shut down and failed, but our supply chains have now improved and prices are still too high.”
Throughout her speech, Harris attempted to contrast her plans with Trump, who she said would “fight for billionaires and large corporations” while she is going to “fight to give money back to working and middle-class Americans.”
Harris also announced her plans for the housing market, unveiling a plan to provide up to $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homeowners. The campaign said the Harris-Walz administration would provide working families who have paid their rent on time for two years and are buying their first home up to $25,000 in down-payment assistance.
She also called for the construction of 3 million new housing units in four years to end the housing supply shortage.
“We will make sure those homes actually go to working and middle-class Americans and not just investors,” Harris said.
Harris also said she’d work with Congress to impose a “federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries”.
“My plan will include new penalties for opportunistic companies that exploit crises and break the rules, and we will support smaller food businesses that are trying to play by the rule and get ahead,” she said. “We will help the food industry become more competitive.”
The Trump campaign called Harris’ plan as a “communist” policy, labeling the vice president “Comrade Kamala.”
Harris pounced on Trump’s attempt to knock her plans by pointing out he has no polcy.
“Two days ago, Donald Trump was in North Carolina,” she said. He said he was going to talk about the economy. I think you all watched. You know what I’m about to say. But he offered no serious plan to reduce costs for middle-class families. No plan to expand access to housing or health care.”
“Our campaign is focused on the future, and the other focused on the past,” she added.
