Where exactly do Harris, Walz stand on the key issues?

Imagine: You are in the market for a new house. You contact a realtor Larson E. Conjob. He tells you, “I’ve got the perfect house for you. It’s a steal at $550,000.” Enthused, you ask him to show you the house. He replies: “Trust me. I can’t show it to you now; but you can see it right after you buy it! Trust me. You’ll be overJOYed!”

That is Kamela Harris’s campaign pitch; she’s selling “JOY!” And she is demanding that you wait until after you vote; then she will disclose her “program!” Rather like Nancy Pelosi, speaking of the Obamacare bill: “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it!” Or Joe Biden passing himself off as a moderate, while hiding in the basement; then governing from the far left.

The American voters — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — are entitled to know Harris’ positions on the key issue before they vote. And HOW she plans to deal with those issues.

Our Southern Border: Will she leave our southern border wide open? Or, close it? If so, how? Build a wall? Shut off welfare benefits to those who cross illegally? Immediately deport all who cross illegally? Revive the stay in Mexico policy? Stand on the border saying, “Don’t?”

Inflation: How is she going to beat inflation? Be “Joyful?” Print more money? Adopt Trump’s policy of “Drill Baby, Drill!? Raise corporate income taxes to 28%? Give first-time home buyers a $25,000 credit? Raise the top marginal individual tax rate to 44.6%? Raise capital gains tax rates (including “surcharges”) on realized gains up to 45%? Impose a 25% tax on unrealized capital gains? Impose price controls? Pray for “Hope and Change?”

Israel/Hamas War: Give Israel whatever support it needs? Support Hamas?” Give Iran billions to “play nice?” Borrow Trump’s policy of “maximum sanctions against Iran?” How?

Iran becoming a nuclear state: Let it happen? Do what must be done to guarantee it will never happen? Hope that Israel “nukes” Iran? How?

Men invading women’s sports, restrooms, locker rooms, etc.: Support men calling themselves “women?” Force the women to let men participate in women’s competitions? Stand up for women and girls?

Defund the Police: Four years ago, she was “for it.” Is she still for “defunding?”

“Cashless Bail:” Four years ago, when rioters were burning down American cities, she invited donations to provide bail to get the rioters out of jail. She also supported “cashless bail.” Has she seen the light? Or is she “doubling down?”

Fracking: She was against it four years ago? Whither blow the winds now?

“Medicare for All:” Four years ago, she was for abolishing all “private insurance,” and legislating “Medicare for All.” What, Kamala, is your position today?

Prevent Medicare and Social Security from going broke: Make both available to illegal immigrants? Deny both to illegal immigrants?

War in Ukraine: Would you “wash your hands of it?” Continue the current level of military aid?
Provide greater aid? Tell Putin, “Don’t?”

Taiwan: Most of our computer chips come from Taiwan. What if China invades? Let China take Taiwan? Go to war if necessary to keep Taiwan free?

Electric Cars: Is she still planning to phase out all gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2030? 2035? Allow the market to determine whether cars purchased are electric, or gas/diesel powered? Is there even enough electric power available if all cars were electric?

First Amendment: Is “hate speech” beyond the “pale of the 1st Amendment?” Is misinformation? Disinformation? Or has the U.S. Supreme Court over the last two hundred years correctly determined the categories of speech that are beyond the “pale of the 1st Amendment?” Can the U.S. Government use privately-owned business to limit free speech — something the Government itself is prohibited from doing?

Climate change: Should all gas stoves be eliminated? Replaced with electric stoves? Should Americans be limited as to how low they can set their air-conditioners?

There is something very wrong with a presidential candidate who refuses to truthfully tell the voters what she plans to do if elected? There is something equally bizarre with voters voting for a candidate who refused to tell the voters what her program is. (Note: many of her proposals come from her “surrogates.” That allows her to say, “I never said that!”)

We in America have never experienced a communist national government running our country. Everywhere else, once you get a communist government, you stuck with it — like incurable cancer.

Vice Presidential candidate Walz has made over 30 trips to China. Is he a Communist? A Communist fellow-traveler? Is this something a rational voter should want to know? When’s the last time the Communists were voted “out” in China?

America was built on the idea expressed in our Declaration of Independence that our rights are inalienable and “God-given” — our rights weren’t given us by kings, presidents or congresses. The only thing that stands between us and totalitarianism is what is written on a few sheets of paper — our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

So long as our founding documents are construed consistently with the intent of the founders, our rights remain “God-given.” But when people come to power who believe that the Constitution should be construed consistently with their “more enlightened” notions, you will have lost your freedoms — even if you were promised “Joy and Freedom.”

Don Wooten is worried about AI being an uncontrollable ugly monster. I have the same concerns about candidate Harris who is afraid stand in front of the voters — sans teleprompter — and tell the American people where she stands on the key issues, and more importantly; HOW she intends to deal with them.




First Published in the Moline Dispatch and Rock Island Argus on September 11, 2024.
Copyright 2024, John Donald O'Shea