Kamala Harris: The Candidate from The Democratic Party

Introduction

Ever wanted to know about the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris? Well, now you can! With this article, we will cover some important facts about the candidate. She is from a dual cultural family; her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a Tamil Indian breast-cancer scientist who immigrated to the United States from Madras, India, in 1960 to pursue a doctorate in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her father, Donald Harris, is a Stanford University economics professor who emigrated from Jamaica in 1961 for graduate study in economics at UC Berkeley. Harris has one younger sister, Maya Harris. In 1990, Harris was hired as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California. Kamala Harris is a Democratic candidate for the presidency. Like most Democrats, she is against guns and supports women's choice on abortions. She is funded by rich and powerful companies, most notably Google. Kamala also faces criticism in the court system.

Political Views and Policies

Kamala Harris’s views on current major issues align with most Democrats’ ideas of repealing taxes, getting rid of the death penalty, free college/debt-free college, eliminating the electoral college, an assault weapons ban, women's choice, DACA, and the legalization of marijuana. Harris’s record on popular issues includes: Capital Punishment “Abolish it”, Cost of College “students shouldn’t have to take on debt”, On DACA Harris says “Citizenship for dreamers and executive actions to help them legalize in the meantime”. Harris also does not support the wall. For Marijuana, Harris wants to Legalize it. The views that Harris has adopted align with the issues most Democrats have today, most notably with the Green New Deal. Harris has stated, “We need a Green New Deal based on climate and environmental justice, which means building a clean economy that protects communities that have been neglected by policymakers for far too long. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez on this comprehensive proposal, and I’m hopeful that it brings a Green New Deal closer to reality.”

Gun Control and Women's Rights

When it comes to gun control, Harris states, “When we look at the issue of assault weapons, let's be very clear: Assault weapons are designed to kill a lot of people in a very short period time,” Harris said in Nashua. She added, “We cannot any longer afford to allow people to make this a partisan issue. Those guns, assault weapons, do not discriminate and determine, OK, is the person pointing it at a Democrat or a Republican. This can no longer be a partisan issue.” Lastly, Harris wants women's choice and 'Few if Any' Limits on abortion. This highlights her commitment to safeguarding women's reproductive rights and addressing gun violence as urgent national issues.

Campaign Funding and Support

Kamala makes a grand total of $12,739,028 from her contributions, her major donors are Venable LLP, Creative Artists Agency, and Google Inc. Her three major issues are with the Economy, Immigration, and Health-care. Starting off with her donation income, a campaign spokesman said about half of her total funds, $6.5 million, was from her digital fund-raising operation, which indicates small-dollar donations. “As we have spent the summer months strengthening our infrastructure, we enter this final stretch of 2019 with ample resources to execute a winning game plan,” said Juan Rodriguez, Harris’s campaign manager. The Harris campaign did not disclose the total number of donors the money came from. The campaign said its average donation was $34, lower than the $39 average they reported in the previous fund-raising quarter. Campaigns often point to small average donations as evidence that they are attracting a large pool of grassroots supporters. However, these aren't the only supporters of the Harris campaign, as many large companies donate larger amounts of money to her cause. Secondly, as stated previously, Harris stands with most Democrats on political issues.

Criticism and Challenges

And for our last facts, Kamala has faced criticism against her criminal justice record; she is a relic of the 'Tough on crime' Era. She is also accused by some critics of being a racist bigot against white people. The first bit of criticism is on Russian collusion. Harris rejected the idea that the impeachment inquiry will distract voters from the 2020 presidential campaign. “I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time,” she said. “I’m here in Iowa City … People are concerned about whether their democracy is being undone by Donald Trump. They are worried about whether their system of justice still has any integrity. Does the rule of law matter? And they are concerned about the fact that almost half of American families can’t afford a $400 unexpected expense, or that a $500 medical bill will bankrupt them.”

Next on the agenda is Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) being questioned for her record on criminal justice issues — a record that’s led some critics to describe her not as a progressive reformer but as a relic of a “tough on crime” era going back to the 1990s and 2000s. A generation after Democrats embraced “tough on crime” policies that swelled prison populations, progressive activists are pushing to make the criminal justice system less punitive and racist, and polls show a majority of Democrats support such efforts. Harris argues that she’s fought to reverse incarceration, scale back the war on drugs, and address racial disparities in the criminal justice system. But as her star has risen nationally, she’s had several viral moments questioning President Donald Trump’s nominees in the Senate. Those more familiar with her criminal justice record, particularly on the left, have increasingly voiced their skepticism.

References

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[6] Miller, R. (2023). Understanding American Politics. Los Angeles: Academic Books.