Podcast Summary
Biden's withdrawal, Harris' nomination: Vice President Harris is set to secure the Democratic nomination without primary votes due to Biden's withdrawal, sparking debates on democratic process
President Joe Biden's unexpected withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race has cleared the path for Vice President Kamala Harris to secure the Democratic nomination without receiving any votes in the primaries. This quick turnaround from her previous unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2020 has left some questioning the democratic process, with critics arguing that the lack of a challenge and open convention is undemocratic. Despite these concerns, Harris' record, policy positions, and experience as vice president will be the focus of her 2024 campaign strategy. Meanwhile, in other news, Saudi Arabia's decision to sell oil in currencies other than the US dollar could impact the dollar's strength and stability. To learn more about how this change could affect you, text "wire" to 9898 for a free, no obligation info kit on gold and a limited edition Golden Truth Bomb.
Kamala Harris's upbringing: Kamala Harris's upbringing by scientist mother and economist father, experiences in Berkeley, Montreal, and Howard University, and controversial transition into politics shaped her far-left political stance.
Kamala Harris's upbringing, influenced by her parents' backgrounds and experiences, played a significant role in shaping her political identity. Born to a scientist mother and an economist father, Harris grew up in Berkeley until she was 12, then attended high school in Montreal. Her political activism began at Howard University. Her transition into politics was controversial, as she gained prominence with the help of California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown when she was a prosecutor in Alameda County. Despite some controversies, Harris's background and experiences have contributed to her far-left political stance. Harris's past, marked by her multicultural heritage and experiences, has made her a trailblazer in American politics.
Willie Brown's influence on Kamala Harris: Willie Brown's political connections and appointments played a significant role in launching Kamala Harris' political career in San Francisco, leading to her election as District Attorney. Harris created units focused on environmental and hate crimes during her tenure.
Willie Brown, a powerful California politician, played a significant role in the early career of Kamala Harris. Brown appointed Harris to well-paying board positions and introduced her to influential people in San Francisco politics. These connections helped Harris launch her political career, culminating in her election as San Francisco District Attorney. During her tenure, Harris created units focused on environmental crimes and hate crimes against LGBTQ+ children and teens. She also officiated one of the city's first same-sex weddings and refused to seek the death penalty for a cop killer. However, Harris' relationship with Brown is a subject she avoids discussing, and one of her most controversial decisions was keeping illegal immigrant criminals out of jail and instead enrolling them in a jobs program called Back on Track. Despite her reluctance to discuss it, Brown's support was crucial in launching Harris' political career.
Harris's record on crime: Kamala Harris, as California's Attorney General, helped bring in an illegal immigrant with felony drug charges who later committed a violent crime, oversaw a controversial law reducing penalties for thefts, and investigated pro-life journalists for violating privacy laws. As a Senator, she was ranked as the most liberal and faced scrutiny for her past marijuana use.
Kamala Harris, who served as California's Attorney General from 2011 to 2017 and then as a U.S. Senator from 2017 to 2021, has a complex record on crime and controversy. During her time as Attorney General, one of the illegal immigrants she helped bring into the country had a history of felony drug charges and later committed a violent crime against a woman. Harris also oversaw the controversial Proposition 47, which lessened penalties for various crimes, including thefts under $950. Critics argue that this law has contributed to an increase in crimes in California. Harris also investigated pro-life journalists for violating state privacy laws after they released undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of aborted baby parts. However, she was tough on marijuana convictions, overseeing nearly 2000 convictions. Harris's record on crime and controversy continued into her tenure as a U.S. Senator, with her being ranked as the most liberal senator by a nonpartisan transparency organization. Her past use of marijuana and her laughter about it during an interview on The Breakfast Club also came under scrutiny during her 2020 campaign.
Harris's Progressive Policies: Senator Harris has advocated for progressive policies such as universal basic income, rent caps, college tuition funding, higher income taxes, ICE abolition, Medicare for all, banning fracking, and eliminating private health insurance.
Senator Kamala Harris has been a strong advocate for progressive policies during her political career. During her tenure as a senator, she has sponsored bills for universal basic income, rent and utility caps, college tuition funding, and higher income taxes for Medicare for all. She has also called for the abolition and replacement of ICE, and during her 2020 presidential run, she staked out left-wing positions such as banning fracking and supporting a single-payer Medicare for all bill that would eliminate private health insurance. These policies would require significant financial resources and represent a significant shift from current policies. Harris's positions on these issues have been met with both support and criticism.
Universal Healthcare & Gun Control: Kamala Harris advocates for universal healthcare, including for illegal immigrants, and stricter gun control measures, including buybacks and elimination of cash bail. She's been criticized for her handling of the border crisis as Biden's border czar.
Kamala Harris advocates for universal healthcare, including access for illegal immigrants, and supports stricter gun control measures, including confiscation through buyback programs. She has also called for an end to mass incarceration, elimination of cash bail, and court-ordered fines. Harris has been criticized for her handling of the border crisis during her tenure as Biden's border czar, where she oversaw a massive wave of illegal immigration. Harris has expressed opposition to treating undocumented immigrants as criminals and has advocated for more humane immigration policies. Additionally, she has praised Australia's strict gun control laws and supports efforts to reduce gun violence through public safety, education, and healthcare.
Border crisis and abortion stance: VP Harris's handling of border security resulted in record-breaking crossings, while her liberal stance on abortion is more extreme than most Democrats
Vice President Kamala Harris's handling of border security and her stance on abortion have been major issues during her tenure. Harris famously told migrants not to come to the U.S., but she didn't visit the border until June 2021 and never spoke to the Border Patrol Chief. Under the Biden-Harris administration, border crossings hit an all-time high, with over 2 million encounters per year and an expected total of 10 million by the end of the fiscal year. The border crisis also intersects with the opioid crisis, as most of the fentanyl in the country comes across illegally. Regarding abortion, Harris supports it for any reason up until birth, which is more liberal than most Democrats. In her early campaigning for the 2024 presidential run, Harris has focused on generating fear about the potential return of a Trump presidency.
Trump, Harris campaign strategies: Trump and Harris have different campaign strategies, with Trump focusing on border closure and oil drilling as potential dictatorial actions, while Harris attacks Trump's economic record and intentions towards social security and Medicare, and attempts to connect with Gen Z voters through social media.
During a recent interview, former President Trump acknowledged that he wouldn't be a dictator, except for "day one," referring to border closure and oil drilling. Kamala Harris, the Democratic Vice President, is warning voters about Trump's intentions regarding social security and Medicare, despite his previous actions. She is also attacking his economic record due to job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Abortion and ethnic heritage are expected to be key campaign strategies for Harris. She is also trying to connect with Gen Z voters through social media. A recent incident involving a Gen Z singer calling Harris a "brat" led to a rebranding of her campaign page. However, the success of this messaging with older voters remains uncertain. Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from the conservative plan "Project 2025," and Harris' attacks on his economic record and social security/Medicare intentions may not be based on factual evidence from his first term.