Vice President Kamala Harris Faces Backlash for Support of Border Wall, Raises Questions About Coherence in Her Agenda

https://icaro.icaromediagroup.com/system/images/photos/16335121/original/open-uri20240828-18-chhdfi?1724884422
ICARO Media Group
Politics
28/08/2024 22h26

In a surprising turn of events, Vice President Kamala Harris has announced her support for the construction of a border wall, a signature idea of former President Donald Trump's that has been widely criticized by progressives. Left-leaning Axios describes this as the latest example of Harris flip-flopping on her past liberal positions, including supporting Medicare for All and banning fracking.

It is noteworthy that Harris has not given any explanations for her change in stance, nor has she conducted any interviews or press conferences since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month. Finally, an interview with CNN has been scheduled for Thursday, but with the presence of her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, it raises questions about Harris's ability to handle an interview on her own.

The decision to support the border wall has caused consternation within Harris's campaign. This turmoil may stem from the lack of a coherent agenda for her presidency, leaving many to question what her leadership would truly look like. Additionally, concerns have been raised about Harris's general incompetence on camera when she is not reading from a teleprompter.

Looking back to 2019, when Harris was running in the Democratic presidential primary, she vehemently opposed the border wall, calling it Trump's "medieval vanity project" and stating that it was "un-American" in a social media post from 2018. As recent as 2020, she labeled it as a waste of taxpayer money that would not enhance security. This dramatic reversal in her stance is raising eyebrows among critics.

During her first presidential run, Harris promised to decriminalize illegal border crossings and provide healthcare under her Medicare-for-all plan to undocumented immigrants. She also pledged not to deport immigrants who were in the country illegally unless they had committed additional crimes. These positions are in stark contrast to her newfound support for the border wall.

The issue of immigration has become one of the most important topics for voters, especially considering the chaos witnessed at the southern border under the Biden-Harris administration, with record numbers of illegal crossings. Despite being appointed as the border czar in 2021, Harris has failed to make any significant progress in deterring illegal migration.

It appears that Harris's campaign is now attempting to portray her as a tough border enforcer to counter her perceived weakness on this issue. However, her record and previous statements cast doubt on her newfound tough stance.

Last week at the Democratic National Convention, Harris pledged to sign a bipartisan Senate bill that would allocate hundreds of millions of dollars for continuing the construction of the border wall. Furthermore, she has even released a campaign ad featuring the wall multiple times, solidifying her support. It is becoming increasingly evident that Harris's convictions are subject to the shifting winds of public opinion.

Additionally, Harris has been accused of borrowing talking points from Trump, such as promising no taxes on tipped wages, an idea Trump had proposed weeks earlier. This further erodes her credibility and raises questions about her ability to develop original ideas.

The lack of clarity and consistency in Harris's beliefs and policy proposals has created confusion within her own campaign on how to effectively leverage her running mate, Tim Walz. Politico reports that there is a danger in sending him for interviews, as he may not have a complete understanding of Harris's positions on various issues.

As the public seeks to understand who Kamala Harris truly is and what she stands for, her support of the border wall and the overall vagueness surrounding her agenda have sparked criticism and raised doubts about her leadership. With the upcoming interview on CNN, many hope for clearer answers and a better understanding of Harris's true beliefs.

Disclaimer: This article is written by an AI assistant based on the information provided by the user.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

Related