47 things to consider before voting for Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris

I know what a lot of you have been thinking, Kamala Harris has a lot of audacity or be running for President of the United States.

A woman president, a Black and Asian woman at that, who doe she thinks she is, right?

She did not even go to an Ivy League but a Historically Black college.

Kamala Harris on Howard University campus

Yeah, I’ve heard you loud and clear.  What could this once California State Senator and Attorney General of California possibly bring to the table to be considered qualified to be the President of the United States?

We are just hours away from selecting a new President of the United States so here are 47 things to consider before voting for Vice President Kamala Harris for the President of the United States.

1. Leadership Experience: Over 25 years in public service as attorney general, senator, and vice president. The only presidential candidate to work at every level of government. She has shown calm, focused leadership in challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

2. Record with Working Families: Kamala: Harris Pushes for better wages, paid family leave, and worker protections. As a senator, Harris co-sponsored the LIFT (Livable Incomes for Families Today) the Middle-Class Act, which proposed tax credits to boost the income of working-class families. This was part of her broader push for a more equitable tax system that would help working families cover daily expenses like rent, groceries, and healthcare.

3. Healthcare: Harris has advocated for expanded healthcare access and lowering prescription drug costs, both of which disproportionately impact working families. She supported legislation to allow the federal government to negotiate drug prices and has called for expanding Medicare. As well as Paid Family Leave and Childcare: Harris has been a strong proponent of policies to support parents, such as paid family leave and affordable childcare. Her advocacy recognizes that lack of support in these areas creates economic stress for working families.
4. Climate Change Advocate: Committed to addressing climate change and achieving net-zero emissions.

5. Criminal Justice reform:

Advocating for Second Chances and Reduced Sentencing: As California’s Attorney General, Harris implemented the “Back on Track” program, a reentry initiative designed to help first-time, non-violent offenders rejoin society with access to job training and other services. This program became a model for reducing recidivism by focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Decriminalizing Marijuana and Expunging Records: Harris has advocated for marijuana decriminalization at the national level, co-sponsoring legislation in the Senate to end federal prohibitions. She has also supported expunging criminal records for non-violent marijuana-related offenses, which disproportionately impact people of color.

Ending Cash Bail: Harris has been a vocal opponent of the cash bail system, which often punishes people for being poor by keeping them incarcerated before trial simply because they can’t afford bail. She supported legislation that would replace cash bail with a risk-based assessment model, which aims to make the justice system fairer and reduce unnecessary detentions.

Police Accountability: Harris has supported police reform measures to enhance accountability, such as mandating body cameras and creating a national database to track police misconduct. During her time as a senator, she introduced the Justice in Policing Act, which sought to ban chokeholds, establish national use-of-force standards, and restrict qualified immunity.

Reducing Mandatory Minimum Sentences: In the Senate, Harris co-sponsored the First Step Act, a bipartisan effort to reduce federal mandatory minimum sentences and improve prison conditions. The law also increased the “good time” credit inmates could earn, allowing more people to transition out of prison earlier and into community support programs.

Alternatives to Incarceration: Harris has advocated for community-based alternatives to incarceration, particularly for young people, to prevent initial or repeated involvement with the criminal justice system. Her focus on rehabilitation and social support programs aligns with the goals of keeping people out of prison and helping them build productive futures.

6. Women’s Rights: Advocate for women’s health, reproductive rights, and closing the gender pay gap.

7. Racial Justice: Committed to addressing systemic racism and racial inequality.

8. Immigration Reform: Supports creating pathways to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrant families.

9. LGBTQ+ Rights: Advocates for the rights and protections of the LGBTQ+ community.

10. Gun Safety: Strong proponent of common-sense gun safety measures.

11. Experienced Legislator: played a key role in passing COVID-19 relief and infrastructure bills.

12. International diplomacystrengthens U.S. alliances and builds relationships globally.

13. Economic Recovery: Pushes policies to rebuild the economy post-COVID and support small businesses.

14. Advocate for Education: Supports universal pre-K, reducing student debt, and increasing teacher pay.

15. Voting Rights Champion: Supports legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

16. Affordable Housing: Committed to expanding affordable housing and addressing homelessness.

17. Pro-Labor: A strong advocate for unions and labor rights. She’s long been vocal in the fight to raise the minimum wage, supporting efforts to increase it to $15 an hour, which would significantly benefit working-class families. Harris has also pushed for better worker protections and has supported the PRO Act, which aims to strengthen workers’ rights to organize and unionize.

18. Support for Entrepreneurs: Advocates for more funding and opportunities for minority-owned businesses.

19. Fighter for Equal Justice: focuses on reforms to ensure equal treatment under the law.

20. Public Safety Initiatives: Supports community-based solutions to reduce violence and crime.

21. Childcare accessibility: promotes affordable childcare and early childhood education.

22. Science-Based Policy: Uses scientific data and research to inform policy decisions.

23. Defender of Roe v. Wade: Committed to restoring and protecting abortion rights.

24. Infrastructure Investment: Supports funding for infrastructure like roads, broadband, and clean water systems.

25. DACA & Dreamers: Fights for protections for Dreamers and comprehensive immigration reform.

26. COVID-19 Leadership: Played a pivotal role in the administration’s pandemic response and vaccine distribution.

27. Mental Health Awareness: Advocates for better mental health resources and destigmatization.

28. Social Security Protection: Protects Social Security and Medicare from cuts.

29. Reparations Discussion: Open to exploring reparations for African Americans affected by slavery and segregation.

30. Environmental Justicetackles pollution and environmental harm in underserved communities.

31. Global Women’s Rights: Promotes women’s rights and empowerment globally.

32. Bridging Partisan Divides: Advocates for bipartisan solutions when possible.

33. Economic Justice: Supports policies that address wealth inequality and close the racial wealth gap.

34. Child Tax Credit: Supports expanding the child tax credit to lift families out of poverty.

35. Tech Regulation: Advocates for holding big tech accountable while fostering innovation.

36. Investing in Innovation: Promotes investments in clean energy, technology, and sustainable industries.

37. Health Equity: Committed to addressing disparities in healthcare access, especially for communities of color.

38. Violence Against Women Act: Strong advocate for reauthorizing and strengthening protections for women.

39. Standing Up to Authoritarianism: Promotes democracy and human rights abroad, pushing back against authoritarian regimes.

40. Human Rights: Staunch advocate for human rights at home and abroad.

41. Diplomatic Skills: respected on the world stage, improving the U.S. image internationally.

42. Champion for Students: Supports reducing the cost of higher education and eliminating barriers for underserved students.

43. Public Health Advocate: Pushes for a stronger public health system to prevent future pandemics.

44. Infrastructure Equity: Ensures that infrastructure investments benefit all communities, especially marginalized ones.

45. Tax Fairness: Supports tax reform that ensures corporations, and the wealthy pay their fair share.

46. Reproductive Healthcare Access: Committed to ensuring that all women have access to affordable reproductive healthcare.

47. Vision for a Multicultural America: embraces and celebrates America’s diversity, advocating for policies that reflect all citizens.

Often the case against Harris paints her as unqualified, but any reasonable person after reading this list would be forced to conclude, that is far from the case.

If you read this article and you are considering not voting for Harris, you must also then face the reality that your measure of qualification is measured by your own bias.

What I think almost every President has had in common is this; A President of the U.S. above all else needs to be someone who can be reasoned with and held accountable.

No matter what other reason you exalt above all others, it should be girded in this.