Voters don’t have to look far to find key differences on issues between Harris and Trump. Abortion, energy, and foreign policy for starters.
But one issue neither political party has an effective plan to address is the growing disparity in wealth in this country. According to one authoritative report, “American inequality has been rising steadily for 50 years and is at its highest point of the post-World War II era. Inequality is higher in the U.S. than in any other developed country—closer to the level of Mexico or Costa Rica than to (other rich countries).”
To be fair, I’m not sure there is any politically palatable way for a major party candidate in the U.S. to advocate for what is needed, which is a radical redistribution of wealth. That sounds “unAmerican” to our well-trained ears.
And as far as socialism as a potential solution is concerned, public ownership of the means of production is about as popular as cancer. For the average person, entrepreneurs in the private sector offer the best hope for new wealth by creating companies and jobs, many of which disrupt existing industries.
And from the perspective of the average person, disruption of the mature sectors of the economy is exactly what is needed. That, and aggressive government action against monopolistic empires that drive up prices and make getting ahead virtually impossible for the majority.
One of the few progressive reforms accomplished by the Biden administration — bringing down the cost of prescription drugs — is an example of exactly what we need more of. And we have Bernie Sanders, a socialist, to thank for that.
Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of real differences between the Democratic and Republican approach to governing in the matters, but neither party is about to challenge the basic structure of an economy that is driving a wedge deeper and deeper between the haves and have-nots.
It’s called advanced monopoly capitalism and by all accounts it’s here to stay.
All of that said, there is one significant difference between the candidates in this matter, actually. Trump epitomizes a monopoly capitalist and brags about his ill-gotten wealth; Harris recognizes that wealth disparities are destroying our society and promises to try and do something about that.
I’ll go with the kid from Oakland on this one.
HEADLINES:
Harris and Walz whisk through swing states as campaign hits new phase (BBC)
Harris’ pick of Walz amps up excitement in Midwestern states (AP)
JD Vance Was Supposed to Be a MAGA Heir. Now He’s a Liability. (Bloomberg)
How Shapiro Lost Out to Walz in the Race to Be Harris’s VP Pick (WSJ)
Arizona’s fake electors scandal intensifies in unexpected ways (MSNBC)
Climate change deniers make up nearly a quarter of US Congress (Guardian)
Washington and Arab states scramble to avert an all-out Middle East war (WP)
Ukraine pierces Russian border, triggering fierce clashes (Reuters)
Russian officials say they are fighting off a Ukrainian military incursion in Kursk (CBS)
The Taiwan Fallacy (Foreign Affairs)
E.P.A. Pulls From the Market a Weedkiller Harmful to Fetuses (NYT)
Over a decade, Simone Biles’s scores add up to global domination (WP)
AI Is Coming for India’s Famous Tech Hub (WSJ)
OpenAI’s Sam Altman is becoming one of the most powerful people on Earth. We should be very afraid (Guardian)
A booming industry of AI age scanners, aimed at children’s faces (WP)
Philadelphia Becomes First City To Be 100% Parking Spots (The Onion)
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