OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Vice President Kamala Harris has revealed some troubling policies she plans to pursue or implement very early in her term if she defeats former President Donald Trump this week.
In July, shortly after President Joe Biden decided to abandon his reelection bid and endorse her, Harris said during an impromptu interview with reporters that she would seek to take executive action against so-called “assault weapons” should Congress refuse to do so.
“I think it’s a great idea,” she said of mandatory gun buy-back programs.
“But listen, I don’t think we lack for great ideas. As I’ve said many times, we’ve had great ideas for decades. The problem is that Congress has not had the courage to act. That is why, from the beginning, I have said my agenda is to [attempt] to get Congress to act, but if they don’t, within the first 100 days of my administration, I’m gonna take executive action. What we need is action,” she added.
WATCH:
Harris says if Congress doesn’t take action on mandatory gun confiscation within the 1st 100 days of her ‘administration’ she’ll do it via executive order.
There are 83,000,000 gun owners in America. We’re keeping our guns!
Vote Trump! pic.twitter.com/MpBPeXlsXV
— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) July 30, 2024
And on Friday, Harris “confirmed her first potential executive order would be to eliminate college degree requirements for specific federal jobs if she is elected into office in November,” the Daily Caller reported.
Harris has encountered a great deal of criticism since becoming her party’s presidential nominee for changing her stance on several left-wing policies she previously supported before 2020. However, at an event held at an IBEW local union hall in Janesville, Wisconsin, Harris made her intentions clear, stating her goal to eliminate “unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs.”
“The press is always asking me, ‘What are you going to do on day one?’ One of the things I’m doing on day one — because I can do it by executive order — is I will eliminate unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs,” Harris said. “And then I will challenge the private sector to do the same.”
Harris had previously set a goal in September to lower degree requirements for certain federal jobs in order to create more opportunities for individuals without a four-year degree, as reported by Reuters.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau, released in early 2023, shows that over 62% of Americans aged 25 and older do not hold a bachelor’s degree. Notably, three out of five individuals without degrees were part of the voter base in the 2020 election.
The vice president’s promise follows her remarks to NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor on Thursday, where she stated that her top priorities for the first day would focus on her economic agenda. She discussed how an “opportunity economy” will benefit Americans.
“Well, my first priority, which will be probably the package of bills, is about bringing down the cost of living,” Harris said.
“So it’s about housing, it’s about child care, it’s about what we need to do to deal with grocery prices. So it’s not one, it’s a package that is with one singular purpose, bringing down the cost of living,” she added.
While Harris has reportedly sought to distance herself from President Joe Biden, she continues to struggle with articulating how her presidency would differ from his. Voters consistently identify the economy, inflation, and immigration as their primary concerns in the upcoming election.
Yet despite widespread disapproval of Biden’s performance, Harris recently told ABC’s “The View” that not “a thing” came to mind when asked what she would change from the past five years.
