Kamala Harris is once again following the lead of her political opponents, as her campaign announced support for a child tax credit on Friday—echoing the very same policy championed by the Trump-Vance ticket. This is not the first time Harris has mirrored the populist agenda set forth by former President Donald Trump. Earlier this year, she also adopted Trump’s "No Tax on Tips" policy, a proposal that has resonated strongly with service industry workers across the nation.
“Kamala Harris copied President Trump on No Tax On Tips,” Republican communicator Steve Guest posted on X. “Now she is copying JD Vance on a child tax credit.”
As Harris prepares to unveil her economic plan on Friday, questions are swirling about the originality and effectiveness of her proposals. Reports suggest that her campaign team is deeply concerned about revealing the specifics of her economic agenda, fearing that the “thorny details” could backfire. Several insiders have indicated to the Wall Street Journal that these concerns stem from the potential backlash Harris might face if the full scope of her policies becomes public knowledge.
One such policy reportedly in the works involves implementing price controls to combat alleged price gouging—a measure that has drawn sharp criticism from economists across the political spectrum. Critics argue that such controls are not only misguided but could exacerbate the very inflation Harris seeks to address, much of which was fueled by the Biden-Harris administration’s own spending policies.
Despite the significance of these issues, Harris has been notably absent from the media spotlight. She is expected to deliver her economic plan without taking questions from the press, marking 26 days since she last participated in an unscripted press conference. This lack of engagement with the media has become a troubling pattern for Harris, who has not given a televised interview since June 24, 2024, and last faced the press in a solo news conference eight months ago, on December 2, 2023.
This continued avoidance of unscripted media interactions raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability. With 70 percent of registered Democrats and independents who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 reportedly unaware of many of Harris’s more controversial and radical positions, her reluctance to face the media only deepens the information gap.
Harris’s recent adoption of Trump and Vance’s policies is raising eyebrows among political observers. While it’s not unusual for candidates to adopt popular ideas from their opponents, Harris’s moves have been seen as particularly transparent attempts to align herself with the populist sentiments that resonate with a large segment of the electorate.
Trump’s "No Tax on Tips" policy, which Harris recently embraced, has been a particularly popular idea among service industry workers, many of whom feel burdened by current tax policies. Now, with her support for a child tax credit—another key part of the Trump-Vance platform—Harris appears to be trying to capitalize on these populist ideas to bolster her own campaign.
However, the strategy of imitation rather than innovation may not sit well with voters who are looking for authentic leadership and original solutions to the nation’s economic challenges. As the 2024 presidential race heats up, Harris will need to do more than simply echo the ideas of her opponents if she hopes to convince voters that she has a clear and independent vision for the future of the country.
For now, it seems that the vice president’s strategy is more about playing catch-up than leading the charge.
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