In stark contrast to the hate-filled rally Trump was holding at Madison Square Garden that evoked the 1939 American Nazi rally and has spurred a litany of hate-crimes and political violence Trump has mined and promoted to fuel his ascent to political power, Vice President Kamala Harris marked the six-year anniversary of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh on October 27 decrying antisemitism, bigotry and calling for sensible gun reform that keeps weapons built for the battlefield out of the hands of the deranged and domestic terrorists. Here is her statement:– Karen Rubin, [email protected], news-photos-features.com
Today marks six years since a white supremacist used a weapon of war to murder 11 precious souls and wound many more at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. This unspeakable act — fueled by antisemitic hate — was the deadliest attack on the American Jewish community in our Nation’s history. As we remember the victims of this horrific mass shooting, we also honor the courage of the first responders, some of whom were injured during this attack, and commemorate the resilience of the Pittsburgh community. This summer, ground was broken on the nation’s first museum and education center on the history of antisemitism in America at the site of the synagogue, a symbol of this enduring strength.
As we know, today’s remembrance also comes amid a rise of antisemitism, here and around the world. Earlier this month, we marked one year since the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack against Israel in which 1,200 innocent people were massacred, 250 people taken hostage, and where Hamas committed unspeakable sexual violence.
I will always work to ensure the safety and security of Jewish people in the United States and around the world, and will always call out antisemitism whenever and wherever we see it. Doug and I are proud to have worked alongside President Biden to combat antisemitism, including through the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. This work is not new for me: I have spent my entire career fighting antisemitism, including prosecuting hate crimes as a District Attorney and publishing an annual report on hate crimes as Attorney General of California to ensure that policymakers and law enforcement respond with a sense of urgency to this crisis. And since the beginning of our administration, we have secured record funding for the physical security of nonprofits and faith-based institutions around the country, including synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, and Jewish day schools.
Additionally, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights continues to investigate cases of antisemitism and other forms of hate on campus making clear that each university must ensure all students and faculty are safe and secure on campus. We also continue our work to ensure that every person in our Nation can live free from gun violence — in their places of worship, schools, and communities. To take on the epidemic of gun violence, our administration enacted the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years and created the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which I am proud to lead.
Today, Doug and I stand in solidarity with the survivors of this attack, the families who lost loved ones, and the entire Jewish community.
It infuriates me when people say “what has Kamala Harris done as Vice President? What is her plan for the economy? ” when in fact, they typically are willfully ignorant.
In a major address in Pittsburgh laying out her vision for the economy and her economic philosophy, Vice President Kamala Harris vowed to “grow America’s middle class” and build an “opportunity economy” focused on lowering costs, investing in innovation, and winning the industries and creating the manufacturing jobs of the future.
She contrasted her optimistic vision to build the middle class, which she grew up in, with Donald Trump’s plan to look out only for himself and billionaires like him. Trump “has no intention of growing our middle class. He’s only interested in making life better for himself,” she said. “For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers. Not those who build them. Not those who wire them. Not those who mop the floors.
“I have a different vision for our economy,” she declared. “I believe we need to grow our middle class.”
Here is an edited and highlighted transcript of Harris’ remarks and a fact sheet provided by the Harris-Walz campaign:– Karen Rubin, [email protected]
We gather at a moment of great consequence.
In this election, we have an extraordinary opportunity.
To make our middle class the engine of America’s prosperity.
To build a stronger economy where everyone has a chance to chase their dreams and aspirations.
And to ensure that the United States of America continues to out-innovate and out-compete the world.
Over the past three and a half years, we have taken major steps forward to recover from the public health and economic crisis we inherited.
Inflation has dropped faster here than the rest of the developed world.
Unemployment is near record lows.
We have created almost 740 thousand manufacturing jobs—including 650 at the battery manufacturing plant over in Turtle Creek.
And we have supported another 15 thousand jobs at Montgomery Locks.
Last week, for the first time in four and a half years, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates, which will make it a little easier for families to buy a home. Or a car. Or pay down their credit card bill.
But let’s be clear: for all these positive steps, the cost of living in America is still too high.
You know it, and I know it.
And that was true long before the pandemic hit.
Many Americans who aspire to own a home are unable to save enough for a down payment on a house. And starting to think that maybe home ownership isn’t within their reach.
Folks who live in factory towns and rural communities who have lost jobs, are wondering if those jobs will ever come back.
Many Americans are worried about how they’ll afford the prescription drugs they depend on.
And all of this is happening at a time when many of the biggest corporations continue to make record profits while wages haven’t kept pace.
I understand the pressures of making ends meet.
I grew up in a middle class family…
Every day, millions of Americans are sitting around their own kitchen tables. And facing their own financial pressures.
Because over the past several decades, our economy has grown better and better for those at the very top. And increasingly difficult for those trying to attain, build and hold on to a middle-class life.
In many ways, that is what this election is about.
The American people face a choice between two fundamentally different paths for our economy.
I want to chart a New Way Forward. And grow America’s middle class.
Donald Trump intends to take America backward. To the failed policies of the past.
He has no intention of growing our middle class.
He’s only interested in making life better for himself.
And people like himself. The wealthiest of Americans.
You can see it spelled out in his economic agenda.
An agenda that gives trillions of dollars in tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations. While raising taxes on the middle class by almost $4,000 a year. Slashing overtime pay. Throwing tens of millions of Americans off health care. And cutting Social Security and Medicare.
In sum, his agenda would weaken the economy and hurt working- and middle-class people.
For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers.
Not those who build them. Not those who wire them. Not those who mop the floors.
Well, I have a different vision for our economy.
I believe we need to grow our middle class and make sure our economy works for everyone.
For people like those in the neighborhood where I grew up. And the hardworking Americans I meet across our nation.
I call my vision, the Opportunity Economy.
And it’s about making sure everyone can find a job and more.
I want working Americans and families to be able to not just get by. But be able to get ahead. To thrive.
I don’t want you to have to worry about making your monthly rent if your car breaks down.
I want you to be able to save up for your child’s education.
Take a vacation once in a while.
And buy Christmas presents for your loved ones without feeling anxious looking at your bank account. I want you to be able to build up some wealth.
Not just for yourself. But for your children and grandchildren. And here’s the thing.
We know how to build an economy like that.
We know how to unlock strong, shared economic growth for the American people.
History has shown it. Time and again.
When we invest in those things that strengthen the middle class—manufacturing, housing, health care, education, small businesses, and our communities—we grow our economy and catalyze the entire country to succeed.
I have pledged that building a strong middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency.
And the reason is not about politics or ideology. It’s just common sense.It’s what works.
When the middle class is strong, America is strong.
And we can build a stronger middle class.
The American economy is the most powerful force for innovation and wealth creation in human history. We just need to move beyond the failed policies of the past.
And, like generations before us, be inspired by what’s possible.
As President, I’ll be grounded in my fundamental values of fairness. Dignity. And opportunity.
And pragmatic in my approach.
I’ll engage in what Franklin Roosevelt called “bold, persistent experimentation.”
I believe we shouldn’t be constrained by ideology.
We should seek practical solutions to problems. Realistic assessments of what’s working and what’s not.
And stay focused. Not only on the crises at hand. But on our big goals.
On what’s best for America over the long term.
And part of being pragmatic means taking good ideas from wherever they come.
I am a devout public servant. And I also know the limitations of government.
I’ve always been and always will be a strong supporter of workers and unions.
I also believe we need to engage those who create most of the jobs in America.
Look, I am a capitalist. I believe in free and fair markets.
And consistent and transparent rules of the road to create a stable business environment.
And I know the power of American innovation.
I’ve been working with entrepreneurs and business owners my whole career.
And. I believe companies need to play by the rules. Respect the rights of workers and unions. And abide by fair competition.
If they don’t, I will hold them accountable.
And if anyone has any doubt about that, just look at my record as Attorney General in California.
Taking on: Big banks for predatory lending. Big health care companies for conspiring to jack up prices. And big, for-profit colleges for scamming veterans and students.
At the same time, I believe that most companies are working hard to do right by their customers and the employees who depend on them.
And we must work with them to grow our economy.
I believe an active partnership between government and the private sector is one of the most effective ways to fully unlock economic opportunity.
And that’s what we will do when I am President.
We will target the major barriers to opportunity.
And remove them.
We will identify common sense solutions to help Americans buy a home.
Start a business. And build wealth.
And we will adopt them.
Let’s start with the first pillar of the Opportunity Economy.
Lowering costs.
I made that our top priority because if we want the middle class to be the growth engine of our economy, we need to restore basic economic security for middle class families.
To that end, the most practical thing we can do right now is to cut taxes for the middle class.
So that’s what we will do.
Under my plan, more than 100 million Americans will get a middle class tax break.
That includes $6,000 for new parents during the first year of a child’s life. To help families cover everything from car seats to cribs.
And we’ll also cut the cost of childcare and elder care.
And finally give all working people access to paid leave.
Which will help everyone caring for children, caring for aging parents, and the sandwich generation caring for both.
I have personal experience with caregiving. I remember being there for my mother when she was diagnosed with cancer. Cooking meals for her. Taking her to her appointments. Trying to make her comfortable. And telling her stories.
I know caregiving is about dignity.
And when we lower the costs, and ease the burdens people face. We not only make it easier for them to meet their obligations as caregivers. We also make it more possible for them to go to work, and pursue their economic aspirations.
And when that happens, our economy as a whole grows stronger.
Now, middle class tax cuts are just the start of my plan.
We will also go after the biggest drivers of costs for the middle class. And work to bring them down.
One of those big costs is housing.
So here is what we will do.
We will cut the red tape that stops homes from being built.
Take on corporate landlords who are hiking rental prices.
And work with builders and developers to construct 3 million new homes and rentals for the middle class.
Because increasing the housing supply will help drive down the cost of housing.
We will also help first-time homebuyers get their foot in the door with a $25,000 down payment assistance.
So more Americans can afford to buy a home. A critical step in building wealth.
And we will work to reduce other big costs for middle class families.
We will take on bad actors who exploit emergencies to drive up grocery prices. By enacting the first-ever federal ban on corporate price gouging.
And take on Big Pharma to cap the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans.
Just like we did for seniors.
By contrast, Donald Trump has no intention of lowering costs for the middle class.
In fact, his economic agenda would actually raise prices.
And that’s not just my opinion.
A survey of top economists by the Financial Times and University of Chicago found that by an overwhelming 70 to 3 percent margin, my plan would be better for keeping inflation low.
The second pillar of the Opportunity Economy isinvesting in American innovation and entrepreneurship.
For the last century, the United States of America has been a beacon around the world.
Not only for our ability to come up with some of the most breakthrough ideas.
But our ability to turn those ideas into some of the most consequential innovations the world has ever known.
I believe the source of our success is the ingenuity, dynamism, and enter-prising spirit of the American people.
To paraphrase Warren Buffett: Since our founding as a nation, “there has been no incubator for unleashing human potential like America.”
And we need to guard that spirit.
Including by solving the problems that small business owners face.
As I travel the country, what I hear time and again from those who own small businesses, and those who aspire to start them, is that too often, an entrepreneur has a great idea.
And the willingness to take the risk.
But they don’t have access to the capital to make it real.
Well, we can make it easier for them to access capital.
On average, it costs about $40,000 to start a new business. But currently, the tax deduction for startup costs is only $5,000.
In 2024, it’s almost impossible to start a business on $5,000.
That’s why, as President, I will make the startup deduction ten times richer.
We will raise it from $5,000 to $50,000.
And provide low- and no-interest loans to small businesses that want to expand.
All of which will help achieve our ambitious goal of 25 million new small business applications by the end of my first term.
Small businesses help drive our economy.
They create nearly 50 percent of private sector jobs. And they strengthen our middle class.
And if we can harness the entrepreneurialism of the American people, and unlock the full potential of aspiring founders, and small business owners, I am optimistic no one will ever outpace us.
By contrast, when Donald Trump was President, one of the nation’s leading experts on small businesses published a piece in a major paper. The title, “Does Donald Trump hate small businesses?” Their answer was yes.
Because at the same time Donald Trump was giving a tax cut to big corporations and billionaires, he tried to slash programs for small businesses.
And raise borrowing costs for them.
Instead of making it easier, he actually made it more difficult for them to access capital.
And that’s not surprising.
Because Donald Trump does not prioritize small businesses. He does not seem to value the essential role they play.
Well, when I look at small business owners, I see some of the heroes of our economy.
Not only entrepreneurs.
But civic leaders.
I see the glue that holds our communities together.
The third pillar of the Opportunity Economy is leading the world in the industries of the future.
And making sure America—not China—wins the competition for the 21st Century.
One of the recurring themes of American history is that when we make an intentional effort to invest in our industrial strength, it leads to extraordinary prosperity and security.
Not only for years. But for generations.
Think of Alexander Hamilton having the foresight to build the manufacturing capabilities of our new nation.
Lincoln and the transcontinental railroad.
Eisenhower and the interstate highway system.
Kennedy, committing America to win the space race and spurring innovation across our society.
From our earliest days, America’s economic strength has been tied to our industrial strength.
The same is true today.
So, I will recommit the nation. To global leadership in the sectors that will define the next century.
We will invest in biomanufacturing and aerospace.
Remain dominant in AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and other emerging technologies.
Expand our lead in clean energy innovation and manufacturing.
So the next generation of breakthroughs—from advanced batteries to geothermal to advanced nuclear—are not just invented, but built here in America by American workers.
And we will invest in the industries that made Pittsburgh the Steel City, by offering tax credits for expanding good union jobs, in steel, iron, and manufacturing communities like here in Mon Valley.
And across all these industries of the future, we will prioritize investments for:
Strengthening factory towns. Retooling existing factories. Hiring locally. And working with unions.
Because no one who grows up in America’s greatest industrial or agricultural centers should be abandoned.
And here is what else we will do when I am President.
We will double the number of registered apprenticeships by the end of my first term.
Eliminate degree requirements while increasing skills development for half a million federal jobs.
And challenge our private sector to make a similar commitment to emphasizing skills, not just degrees.
We will reform our tax laws to make it easier for businesses to let workers share in their company’s success.
And I will challenge the private sector to do more to lift up workers through equity, profits, and benefits. So more people can share in America’s success.
Not only must we build the industries of the future in America.
We must build them faster.
The simple truth is, in America, it takes too long and costs too much to build.
Whether it’s a new housing development, a new factory, or a new bridge, projects take too long to go from concept to reality.
It happens in blue states and red states. And it’s a national problem.
I will tell you this. China is not moving slowly. And we can’t afford to, either.
As President, if things are not moving quickly, I will demand to know why.
And I will act. I will work with Congress, workers and businesses, cities and states, community groups and local leaders, to reform permitting.
Cut red tape. And get things moving faster.
Patience may be a virtue. But not when it comes to job creation. Or America’s competitiveness.
The Empire State Building was built in a year.
The Pentagon, 16 months.
No one can tell me we can’t build quickly in our country.
Now, Donald Trump makes big promises on manufacturing.
Just yesterday, he went out and promised to bring back manufacturing jobs.
If that sounds familiar, it should. In 2016, he went out and made that very same promise about the Carrier plant in Indianapolis. You’ll remember, Carrier then offshored hundreds of jobs to Mexico under his watch.
And it wasn’t just there. On Trump’s watch, offshoring went up, and manufacturing jobs went down across our economy.
All told, almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs were lost during his presidency, starting before the pandemic hit.
Making Trump one of the biggest losers ever on manufacturing.
Donald Trump also talked a big game on our trade deficit with China. But it is far lower under our watch, than any year of his Administration.
While he constantly got played by China, I will never hesitate to take swift and strong measures when China undermines the rules of the road at the expense of our workers, our communities, and our companies—whether it’s flooding the market with steel.
Unfairly subsidizing ship-building. Or hurting our small businesses with counterfeits.
Recall Donald Trump actually shipped advanced semiconductor chips to China to upgrade their military.
I will never sell out America to our competitors or adversaries.
I will always make sure we have the strongest economy and most lethal fighting force of any nation in the world.
At this pivotal moment, we have an extraordinary opportunity. To chart a New Way Forward. One that positions the United States of America—and all of us blessed to call this home—for success and prosperity in the 21st Century.
There is an old saying, that “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
Well, that is the story of the Steel City.
The city that helped: Build the middle class. Birth America’s labor movement. And power the rise of American manufacturing.
And the city where Allen Newell and Herbert Simon launched the first AI research hub at Carnegie Mellon.
And created entirely new fields. Like machine learning. And Carnegie Mellon is now home to the largest university robotics center in America.
The proud heritage of Pittsburgh reveals the character of our nation.
A nation that harnesses the ambitions, dreams, and aspirations of our people.
Seizes the opportunities before us. And invents the future.
That is what we have always done. And that is what we must do now.
New Independent Economic Analysis Finds Trump Plan Will Lead to ‘Permanently Higher Inflation’
The Peterson Institute for International Economics: “Manufacturing taking the biggest hits—the opposite of Trump’s stated goals”
“Does more damage to the US economy than to any other in the world”
In contrast to Harris’ defined plan for sustainable economic growth, yet another independent economic analysis concludes that Donald Trump’s second term agenda would send inflation skyrocketing, crush growth, and eliminate American jobs.
Key findings:
“Scenarios combining individual policies show that the changes cause a large inflationary impulse and a significant loss of employment (particularly in manufacturing and agriculture) in the US economy.”
“We find that ironically, despite his ‘make the foreigners pay’ rhetoric, this package of policies does more damage to the US economy than to any other in the world. They result in lower US national income, lower employment, and higher inflation than otherwise. In some cases, foreign countries benefit from the inflow of capital leaving the United States.”
“Both of Trump’s tariff plans—imposing 10 percentage point additional tariffs on US imports from all sources and 60 percentage point tariffs on imports from China—hurt US GDP and employment by 2028, with or without retaliation by trading partners. But the effects vary by sector, with durable manufacturing taking the biggest hits—the opposite of Trump’s stated goals.”
“Figure 41 shows that the permanently higher inflation leads to ever-increasing prices across the US economy with some relative price shifts, particularly for the energy and mining sectors relative to services in the early period of adjustments. By 2040, prices across the economy are roughly 41 percent higher than the baseline.”
“Figure 44 shows that inflation peaks between 4.1 and 7.4 percentage points above baseline by 2026. If baseline inflation is 1.9 percent, the peak will be between 6 and 9.3 percent. Inflation stays permanently above baseline by 2 percentage points because the Fed’s loss of independence does not boost the economy’s supply side.”
This new study from the Peterson Institute for International Economics adds to a clear consensus among economists – manyconservative-leaning – that Donald Trump’s plans would devastate the American economy and the middle class.
“Donald Trump will not just impose a $4,000 a year middle class tax hike – his plan will permanently jack up inflation, crush American manufacturing jobs, and hurt manufacturing workers more than any other sector,” stated Harris-Walz 2024 Spokesperson Joseph Costello. “Over and over, independent economists are warning of the economic dangers of Trump’s plan, and Americans should take note. This is a fundamental contrast with Vice President Harris, who has a plan to lower costs and create economic opportunity for the middle class, including major investments in creating the manufacturing jobs of the future.”
The campaign provided more from CNN’s breakdown of the study:
The Trump agenda would cause weaker economic growth, higher inflation and lower employment, according to a working paper released Thursday by the Peterson Institute for International Economics. In some cases, the damage could continue through 2040.
The paper represents the most comprehensive analysis to date on the combined impact of Trump’s trade, immigration and Fed proposals.
In that scenario, employment would be 9% lower than baseline by 2028 and inflation would surge to 9.3% by 2026. GDP would be 9.7% lower than otherwise.
The Peterson Institute research finds that Trump’s tariff and other plans would backfire – hurting manufacturing more than any sector. That means the same factory workers Trump says he is trying to help would be hurt the most.
“If other countries retaliate, as many likely would, a recession in the year after the increase in tariffs would be a serious threat,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told CNN in an email.
The paper found that erosion of Fed independence would cause higher inflation, capital outflows, a significant loss of value for the US dollar and higher unemployment – all of which would “worsen American living standards.”
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who was nominated by Trump in 2017, cautioned against any effort to interfere with Fed independence.
This Labor Day, as President Biden and Vice President Harris visit Pittsburgh, it is important to be reminded of just some actions the most pro-worker and pro-union administration in history has taken to support good jobs and improve worker conditions because it seems the so called “working class” have no clue, and take for granted the gains made – with great effort – by the Biden-Harris without considering how fortunes would reverse under anti-worker Trump, if he retakes the White House. Too many take for granted protections for workers implemented by Biden-Harris administration who are forced to work under extreme heat conditions, and rights for pregnant women to have their work load and schedules adjusted to accommodate, and standing up for the rights of workers to organize. They forget how workers were forced by the Trump administration to go back to work during COVID without any safety precautions, or face losing unemployment or disability benefits.
Launched the first ever White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, chaired by Vice President Harris, which resulted in over 70 actions to promote worker organizing and collective bargaining for federal employees and worker employed by public and private-sector employees.
Signed the Butch Lewis Act as part of the American Rescue Plan to save the pensions of millions of hard-working union workers.
Implemented a new rule to require Project Labor Agreements on nearly all major federal construction projects of over $35 million, so federal construction projects will be delivered on time and on budget with good wages and well-trained workers.
Published a final rule from the Department of Treasury implementing prevailing wage and apprenticeship bonus credits for clean energy projects funded by the President’s Inflation Reduction Act to ensure workers are paid good wages and that these projects create equitable pipelines to these good jobs.
Published a new rule restoring and extending overtime pay protections to millions of workers.
Published the first update to Davis Bacon prevailing wages in nearly 40 years, which will increase pay for one million construction workers over time.
Proposed a new rulemaking from the Department of Labor that would protect 36 million indoor and outdoor workers from extreme heat on the job.
Signed a Registered Apprenticeship Executive Order to bolster apprenticeships in the federal workforce. Since then, federal agencies including the Departments Agriculture, Defense, Education Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Transportation, and Treasury, and the Architect of the Capitol and U.S. Agency for Global Media have identified potential opportunities for developing new and scaling existing registered apprenticeships to create pathways to good jobs including in mission critical occupations.
Through the CHIPS Act, provided $200 million in dedicated CHIPS funding for training and workforce development to ensure local communities have access to the jobs of the future in upcoming projects and introduced a requirement that companies receiving grants under the CHIPS Act over $150 million create a child care plan to ensure access for their employees.
Invested nearly $730 million in Registered Apprenticeships, leading to more than 1 million registered apprentices receiving earn as you learn training for in-demand jobs.
Designated nine Workforce Hubs across the country to ensure we have the workforce we need for this Administration’s historic investments.
Vocally supported unions, including becoming the first sitting President to walk a picket line.
The NLRB expanded remedies available to workers when their employers engage in union-busting, to now include all direct and foreseeable pecuniary harm, such as financial loss from credit card debt, medical bills, or missed rent payments.
In his Proclamation for Labor Day, President Biden declared:
“Every year on Labor Day, we celebrate the dignity of America’s workers and the labor unions they have built. I often say that Wall Street did not build America — the middle class built America, and unions built the middle class. Labor unions have done so much for our Nation — giving workers a voice at the workplace, raising standards on the job, and fighting for better benefits and wages for us all. Today, we honor the pioneers who fought for the rights of working people, pay tribute to the dedication of our American workforce, and honor the enduring movement that powers our economy and strengthens our Nation.
“My father taught me from a young age that a job is about far more than just a paycheck — it is about your dignity. When I came into office, too many people had lost both their paychecks and their sense of dignity. Our economy was failing working-class and union families. Decades of trickle-down economics sent jobs overseas, shut down factories, and hollowed out our communities. People had lost their sense of pride, their security, and their pathway to the middle class.
“That is why I promised to be the most pro-labor, pro-union President in history and ensure unions have the support they need to fight for our workers. Last year, the Department of the Treasury released a comprehensive report detailing how unions are not just good for union workers but non-union workers as well, showing that union growth helps to build a strong middle class in America. I am proud to be the first sitting President to walk the picket line to support workers who were striking for better conditions. I am also proud that, to date, we have created nearly 16 million new jobs, including almost 800,000 manufacturing jobs and nearly 900,000 construction jobs. In fact, investment in construction of new factories has nearly tripled since I took office. My Administration announced more than 60,000 projects to rebuild America’s roads, bridges, airports, ports, and more through our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Wages are up, inflation is down, and we have had the fastest recovery of any advanced economy in the world since the pandemic started.
“Furthermore, we are positioning American workers to lead the world in innovation. I signed the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in clean energy and climate action in history, creating nearly 335,000 clean energy jobs according to outside estimates. I also signed the CHIPS and Science Act to bring semiconductor manufacturing back home and ensure that America’s clean energy jobs go to American workers. To date, we have attracted nearly $900 billion in private-sector commitments to invest in manufacturing and clean energy. I am proud that this manufacturing boom we ignited is being done with American products and led by American workers — the most highly skilled workers in the world — because of “Made in America” provisions that I championed and my Administration enforced.
“Today, more Americans are joining the workforce, and we have the highest share of working-age Americans in the workforce in over 20 years. And over the past 2 years, more workers have been petitioning for union representation. To ensure those workers have a voice on the job, I have required the use of project labor agreements for nearly all large-scale Federal construction projects. I have also strengthened Davis-Bacon requirements to guarantee that prevailing wages pay workers what they deserve and enacted the Butch Lewis Act — the most significant law for union retirement security in 50 years — that has protected the pensions of 1 million union workers. We issued a rule that expands overtime protections to millions of workers, and my Administration is working to crack down on noncompete agreements, which prevent 30 million Americans from taking new, higher-paying jobs.
“My Administration is also making sure that workers feel safe and secure on the job. That is why the Department of Labor is proposing a new rule that will establish the Nation’s first-ever Federal safety standard for excessive heat in the workplace. That rule includes developing a response to heat illness, training employees and supervisors, implementing rest breaks, and ensuring access to shade and water. And we are limiting workers’ exposure to toxic materials like silica dust to prevent them from developing preventable and irreversible illnesses. My Administration also issued a rule to ensure that workers are empowered to have a representative accompany an Occupational Safety and Health Administration official during workplace inspections.
“I have long believed that workers deserve a seat at the table and an opportunity to join a union, organize, and bargain collectively with their employer without coercion or intimidation. That is why I appointed people who actually care about American workers to the National Labor Relations Board. And I established the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, led by Vice President Harris, which resulted in over 70 actions to promote worker organizing and collective bargaining.
“As we look to the future, my Administration is creating long-term pathways to help people secure good-paying jobs, including union jobs. We invested nearly $730 million to expand Registered Apprenticeships, which support the education and training needs of apprentices across the country. And I signed an Executive Order that expands Registered Apprenticeship programs in the Federal workforce, encourages Federal agencies to hire people who have participated in these programs, and increases workers’ voices in Federal programs and contracts.
“This Labor Day, let us stand in solidarity with America’s workers, who are the engines behind our Nation’s prosperity. Let us celebrate labor unions, who give voice to our workers and ensure they are given the dignity, respect, and protections in the workplace that they deserve. And let us recommit to ensuring that every hardworking American has a fair shot at achieving the promise of the American Dream for generations to come.”
As part of the most pro-union administration in history, Vice President Harris has created millions of good-paying jobs. She is a strong supporter of the PRO Act, cast the deciding vote on legislation that is saving hundreds of thousands of union workers’ pensions, and previously has joined union members on the picket line. She will continue supporting workers and working and middle-class families as president, together with her nominee for Vice President, Time Walzm a former union member himself.
Governor Walz, , who is delivering remarks at the Milwaukee Area Labor Council’s laborfest 2024 in Milwaukee Wisconsin on Sept 2, passed the most pro-worker package of laws in Minnesota’s history — making it easier to form unions, strengthening worker protections, cracking down on union-busting, and giving workers paid leave.
Meanwhile, Biden just signed an order increasing base pay for federal workers by an average of 2%, stating, “We must attract, recruit, and retain a skilled workforce with fair compensation in order to keep our Government running, deliver services, and meet our Nation’s challenges today and tomorrow. This alternative pay plan decision will continue to allow the Federal Government to employ a well‑qualified Federal workforce on behalf of the American people, acknowledging wage growth in the labor market and fiscal constraints.”
Donald Trump was one of the most anti-worker and anti-union presidents in history. He hurt autoworkers, shipped jobs overseas, and lined the pockets of the super wealthy and big corporations at the expense of the middle class. A second Trump presidency would be even worse – his Project 2025 agenda will raise taxes on typical working families by nearly $4,000 a year, allow employers to stop paying many workers overtime, and roll back labor and workplace protections. Trump ignored the National Labor Relations Board and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, he would eliminate these agencies in a second term. He gloated and giggled with Elon Musk as the greatest “cutter” – firing striking workers, which prompted the UAW to file lawsuit.
One side appreciates what federal workers do, in the name of public service, to improve the lives of all of us, while Trump is vowing to fire tens of thousands of career professionals, experts, and staff on Day 1 who do not declare their loyalty to him, rather than the nation or Constitution. The Trump campaign aide who shoved the federal worker at Arlington National Cemetery doing her job of preserving the sanctity of that hallowed place, demonstrates the contempt Trump has for those he demeans as “bureaucrats” and “Deep State.”
In a stirring, pitch-perfect speech accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination for President, Vice President Kamala Harris prosecuted the case for her election, listing her credentials, outlining her “Opportunity Agenda”, her plans to bring the nation forward, and building to a powerful crescendo in declaring her defense of national security and America’s role as leader of the Free World defending freedom and democracy not only for every American, but for freedom-seeking people around the world.
Along the way, she listed why Donald Trump and the Republicans, with their chaos and Project 2025 blueprint to strip Americans of freedom, and Trump’s denigration of the nation and US military, his promise of retribution and weaponizing Justice and the military, and his kowtowing to the despots, tyrants and autocrats he hopes to emulate, was wholy unqualified to ever occupy the Oval Office ever again.
“It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith: to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish, and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth — the privilege and pride of being an American,” Harris declared.
Here is a highlighted transcript of her historic speech: – Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
Please. Thank you so very much. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. (Applause.)
Okay, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right. (Laughs.) (Applause.)
So, let me start by thanking my most incredible husband, Doug — (applause) — for being an incredible partner to me, an incredible father to Cole and Ella. And happy anniversary, Dougie. (Laughs.) (Applause.) I love you so very much.
To our president, Joe Biden — (applause) — when I think about the path that we have traveled together, Joe, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show, and your character is inspiring. And Doug and I love you and Jill and are forever thankful to you both. (Applause.)
And to Coach Tim Walz — (applause) — you are going to be an incredible vice president. (Applause.)
And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign, your support is humbling.
So, America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected, but I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys.
So, my mother, our mother, Shyamala Harris, had one of her own. And I miss her every day and especially right now. And I know she’s looking down smiling. (Applause.) I know that.
So, my mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer. (Applause.)
When she finished school, she was supposed to return home to a traditional arranged marriage, but as fate would have it, she met my father, Donald Harris, a student from Jamaica. (Applause.) They — they fell in love and got married, and that act of self-determination made my sister Maya and me. (Applause.)
Growing up, we moved a lot. I will always remember that big Mayflower truck packed with all our belongings, ready to go to Illinois; to Wisconsin — (applause); and wherever our parents’ jobs took us.
My early memories of our parents together are very joyful ones: a home filled with laughter and music — Aretha, Coltrane, and Miles. At the park, my mother would say, “Stay close.” But my father would say, as he smiled, “Run, Kamala, run. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let anything stop you.” (Applause.) From my earliest years, he taught me to be fearless.
But the harmony between my parents did not last. When I was in elementary school, they split up, and it was mostly my mother who raised us.
Before she could finally afford to buy a home, she rented a small apartment in the East Bay. In the bay — (applause) — in the Bay, you either live in the Hills or the Flatlands. We lived in the Flats, a beautiful working-class neighborhood of firefighters, nurses, and construction workers — (applause) — all who tended their lawns with pride.
My mother, she worked long hours. And like many working parents, she leaned on a trusted circle to help raise us: Mrs. Shelton, who ran the daycare below us and became a second mother; Uncle Sherman; Aunt Mary; Uncle Freddy; Auntie Kris. None of them family by blood and all of them family by love. (Applause.)
Family who taught us how to make gumbo, how to play chess — and sometimes even let us win. Family who loved us, believed in us, and told us we could be anything and do anything. (Applause.)
They instilled in us the values they personified: community, faith, and the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated — with kindness, respect, and compassion. (Applause.)
My mother was a brilliant, five-foot-tall brown woman with an accent. (Applause.) And as the eldest child — as the eldest child, I saw how the world would sometimes treat her. But my mother never lost her cool. She was tough, courageous, a trailblazer in the fight for women’s health. And she taught Maya and me a lesson that Michelle mentioned the other night. She taught us to never complain about injustice, but do something about it. Do something about it. (Applause.) That was my mother.
And she taught us — and she always — she also taught us — and she also taught us “and never do anything half-assed.” (Applause.) And that is a direct quote — (laughs) — a direct quote.
I grew up immersed in the ideals of the Civil Rights Movement. My parents had met at a civil rights gathering. And they made sure that we learned about civil rights leaders, including the lawyers, like Thurgood Marshall and C- — Constance Baker Motley — those who battled in the courtroom to make real the promise of America.
So, at a young age, I decided I wanted to do that work. I wanted to be a lawyer. And when it came time to choose the type of law I would pursue, I reflected on a pivotal moment in my life.
You see, when I was in high school, I started to notice something about my best friend, Wanda. She was sad at school, and there were times she didn’t want to go home.
So, one day, I asked if everything was all right, and she confided in me that she was being sexually abused by her stepfather. And I immediately told her she had to come stay with us, and she did. (Applause.)
This is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor — to protect people like Wanda — because I believe everyone has a right to safety, to dignity, and to justice. (Applause.)
As a prosecutor, when I had a case, I charged it not in the name of the victim but in the name of the people for a simple reason: In our system of justice, a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us. (Applause.)
And I would often explain this to console survivors of crime, to remind them no one should be made to fight alone. We are all in this together. (Applause.)
And every day in the courtroom, I stood proudly before a judge and I said five words: “Kamala Harris, for the people.” (Applause.)
And to be clear — and to be clear, my entire career, I’ve only had one client: the people. (Applause.)
And so, on behalf of the people; on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or the language your grandmother speaks; on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey; on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with — people who work hard, chase their dreams, and look out for one another; on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America. (Applause.)
And with this election — and — (laughs) — and with this election, our nation — our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past; a chance to chart a new way forward — (applause) — not — not as members of any one party or faction but as Americans. (Applause.)
And let me say, I know there are people of various political views watching tonight, and I want you to know I promise to be a president for all Americans. (Applause.) You can always trust me to put country above party and self; to hold sacred America’s fundamental principles, from the rule of law to free and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power. (Applause.)
I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens; who is realistic, practical, and has common sense; and always fights for the American people. (Applause.)
From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life’s work. (Applause.)
As a young courtroom prosecutor in Oakland, California — (applause) — I stood up for women and children against predators who abused them.
As attorney general of California, I took on the big banks — (applause) — delivered $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure and helped pass a homeowner bill of rights, one of the first of its kind in the nation. (Applause.)
I stood up for veterans and students being scammed by big for-profit colleges — (applause) — for workers who were being cheated out of their wages, the wages they were due — (applause) — for seniors facing elder abuse.
I fought against the cartels who traffic in guns and drugs and human beings — (applause) — who threaten the security of our border and the safety of our communities.
And I will tell you, these fights were not easy and neither were the elections that put me in those offices.
We were underestimated at practically every turn, but we never gave up, because the future is always worth fighting for. (Applause.) And that’s the fight we are in right now: a fight for America’s future. (Applause.)
Fellow Americans, this election is not only the most important of our lives, it is one of the most important in the life of our nation. (Applause.)
In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. (Laughter.) But the consequences — but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious. (Applause.)
Consider — consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost the last election. Donald Trump tried to throw away your votes. When he failed, he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement officers.
When politicians in his own party begged him to call off the mob and send help, he did the opposite. He fanned the flames.
And now, for an entirely different set of crimes, he was found guilty of fraud by a jury of everyday Americans — (applause) — and separately — and separately found liable for committing sexual abuse.
And consider — consider what he intends to do if we give him power again. Consider his explicit intent to set free violent extremists who assaulted those law enforcement officers at the Capitol; his explicit intent to jail journalists, political opponents, and anyone he sees as the enemy; his explicit intent to deploy our active-duty military against our own citizens.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Consider — consider the power he will have, especially after the United States Supreme Court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had: himself. (Applause.)
And we know — and we know what a second Trump term would look like. It’s all laid out in Project 2025, written by his closest advisers. And its sum total is to pull our country back to the past. But, America —
AUDIENCE: We are not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we are not going back. (Applause.) We are not going back. We are not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We are not going back to when Donald Trump tried to cut Social Security and Medicare.
We are not going back to when he tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.
We are not going to let him eliminate the Department of Education that funds our public schools. (Applause.)
We are not going to let him end programs like Head Start that provide preschool and childcare for our children. (Applause.)
America, we are not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And we are charting — and we are charting a new way forward — (applause) — forward to a future with a strong and growing middle class, because we know a strong middle class has always been critical to America’s success. And building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency. (Applause.)
And I’ll tell you, this is personal for me. The middle class is where I come from. My mother kept a strict budget. We lived within our means, yet we wanted for little. And she expected us to make the most of the opportunities that were available to us and to be grateful for them, because, as she taught us, opportunity is not available to everyone.
That’s why we will create what I call an opportunity economy — an opportunity economy where everyone has the chance to compete and a chance to succeed — (applause) — whether you live in a rural area, small town, or big city.
And as president, I will bring together labor and workers — (applause) — and small-business owners and entrepreneurs and American companies to create jobs, to grow our economy, and to lower the cost of everyday needs like health care and housing and groceries.
We will provide access to capital for small-business owners and entrepreneurs and founders. (Applause.) And we will end America’s housing shortage — (applause) — and protect Social Security and Medicare. (Applause.)
Now compare that to Donald Trump, because I think everyone here knows he doesn’t actually fight for the middle class. Not — he doesn’t actually fight for the middle class. Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends. And he will give them another round of tax breaks that will add —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — up to $5 trillion to the national debt.
AUDIENCE: Booo — THE VICE PRESIDENT: And all the while, he intends to enact what in effect is a national sales tax — call it a “Trump tax” — that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year.
AUDIENCE: Booo – THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, instead of a Trump tax hike, we will pass a middle-class tax cut that will benefit more than 100 million Americans. (Applause.)
Friends, I believe America cannot truly be prosperous unless Americans are fully able to make their own decisions about their own lives, especially on matters of heart and home. (Applause.) But tonight, in America, too many women are not able to make those decisions.
And let’s be clear about how we got here. Donald Trump handpicked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And now he brags about it. In his words, quote, “I did it, and I’m proud to have done it.” End quote.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I’ll tell you, over the past two years, I’ve traveled across our country, and women have told me their stories. Husbands and fathers have shared theirs.
Stories of women miscarrying in a parking lot, developing sepsis, losing the ability to ever again have children, all because doctors are afraid they may go to jail for caring for their patients. Couples just trying to grow their family, cut off in the middle of IVF treatments. Children who have survived sexual assault potentially being forced to carry a pregnancy to term.
This is what’s happening in our country because of Donald Trump. And understand, he is not done. As a part of his agenda, he and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
And get this. Get this. He plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Simply put, they are out of their minds. (Applause.)
And one must ask — one must ask: Why exactly is it that they don’t trust women? Well, we trust women. We trust women. (Applause.)
And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. (Applause.)
In this election, many other fundamental freedoms are at stake: the freedom to live safe from gun violence in our schools, communities, and places of worship; the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride — (applause); the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis — (applause); and the freedom that unlocks all the others, the freedom to vote. (Applause.)
With this election, we finally have the opportunity to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. (Applause.)
And let me be clear. And let me be clear. After decades in law enforcement, I know the importance of safety and security, especially at our border.
Last year, Joe and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades. The Border Patrol endorsed it. But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign, so he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I refuse to play politics with our security, and here is my pledge to you. As president, I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed, and I will sign it into law. (Applause.)
I know — I know we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants and reform our broken immigration system. (Applause.)
We can create an earned pathway to citizenship and secure our border. (Applause.)
And, America, we must also be steadfast in advancing our security and values abroad.
As vice president, I have confronted threats to our security, negotiated with foreign leaders, strengthened our alliances, and engaged with our brave troops overseas. (Applause.)
As commander in chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world. (Applause.) And I will fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our troops and their families, and I will always honor and never disparage their service and their sacrifice. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: I will make sure that we lead the world into the future on space and artificial intelligence; that America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century; and that we strengthen, not abdicate, our global leadership.
Trump, on the other hand, threatened to abandon NATO. He encouraged Putin to invade our allies. Said Russia could, quote, “do whatever the hell they want.”
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelenskyy to warn him about Russia’s plan to invade. I helped mobilize a global response — over 50 countries — to defend against Putin’s aggression. (Applause.) And as president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO Allies. (Applause.)
With respect to the war in Gaza, President Biden and I are working around the clock, because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done. (Applause.)
And let me be clear. And let me be clear. I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself — (applause) — and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on October 7 — (applause) — including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival.
At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. (Applause.) Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.
President Biden and I are working to end this war, such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination. (Applause.)
And know this: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong Un, who are rooting for Trump — who are rooting for Trump. (Applause.)
Because, you know, they know — they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump won’t hold autocrats accountable because he wants to be an autocrat himself. (Applause.)
And as president, I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: So, fellow Americans — fellow Americans, I — I love our country with all my heart. (Applause.)
Everywhere I go — everywhere I go, in everyone I meet, I see a nation that is ready to move forward, ready for the next step in the incredible journey that is America.
I see an America where we hold fast to the fearless belief that built our nation and inspired the world — that here, in this country, anything is possible; that nothing is out of reach. An America where we care for one another, look out for one another, and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us. (Applause.) That none of us — none of us has to fail for all of us to succeed. (Applause.) And that in unity, there is strength.
You know, our opponents in this race are out there every day denigrating America, talking about how terrible everything is. Well, my mother had another lesson she used to teach: Never let anyone tell you who you are; you show them who you are. (Applause.)
America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness, and endless possibilities. (Applause.)
We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world. And on behalf of our children and our grandchildren and all those who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of this moment.
It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith: to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish, and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth — the privilege and pride of being an American. (Applause.)
So, let’s get out there, let’s fight for it. Let’s get out there, let’s vote for it. And together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told. (Applause.)
Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you all. (Applause.)
CHICAGO – Today, Democrats announced the themes that will guide programming through the four nights of the convention and the 16 different platforms Americans can use to watch the convention. The themes are: “For the People, For Our Future.” The convention will further introduce Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz to the nation and lay out their bold vision for America, including how they will fight for people, our freedoms, and our future.
Since the outset of convention planning, Democrats have been building the stage for our nominees to tell their story to America. Bringing back beloved elements of in-person conventions while building on the success of 2020’s innovative programming, the convention will tap into the growing energy and coalition behind the Harris-Walz ticket to reach more Americans wherever they are.
“Our convention is an opportunity to bring the story of our party to the American people — not just the story of what we’ve achieved under the Biden-Harris administration, but how the Harris-Walz ticket is planning to build on that historic record for a new way forward into the future,” said Convention Chair Minyon Moore. “The story here is simple and it’s one that will resonate with Americans across the country: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fighting for the American people and America’s future — Donald Trump is only fighting for himself.”
The convention will take place over four nights from Monday, August 19 – Thursday, August 22, 2024. Convention programming will air live from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15-11 PM Eastern/5:15-10 PM Central on Monday, and 7-11 PM Eastern/6-10 PM Central for all other days. Over the course of those four nights, programming centered around the following thematics will bring the story of the Democratic party and our nominees to the American people.
Monday, August 19: For the People – While Donald Trump puts himself first, Democrats are fighting for the American people. President Biden has exemplified this through his leadership and legacy as a historic president who put the American people’s interest above his own. The accomplishments and results President Biden delivered for people, with Vice President Harris by his side, will be on full display during the convention, as will Kamala Harris’s commitment to fighting on behalf of everyday Americans. At its core, the Harris-Walz ticket is a ticket for the people.
Tuesday, August 20: A Bold Vision for America’s Future – This race isn’t just a choice between two candidates. It’s a choice between two very different visions of America. While Donald Trump believes our best days are behind us, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz know the best days lie ahead. Standing in stark contrast to the Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda designed to take us backwards, the Harris-Walz ticket presents a brighter vision where everyone will have a chance not just to get by, but to get ahead.
Wednesday, August 21: A Fight for Our Freedoms – Vice President Harris has spent her entire career fighting for Americans’ freedoms. In Governor Tim Walz, Vice President Harris chose as her running mate a champion for America’s working families and a staunch defender of those same fundamental freedoms. Donald Trump spent his four years in office fighting to strip our rights away, and he’s once again running on an extreme agenda to go even farther in turning back the clock on all the freedoms we hold dear.
Thursday, August 22: For Our Future – America can’t afford to put Donald Trump back in the White House — because a second Trump term would be even more dangerous and more extreme than the first one. But the choice we face in November isn’t just about us versus Donald Trump. This election is a fight for the future. Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will lead America into a brighter, more hopeful era.
16 Ways to Watch the Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced that it will stream the 2024 Democratic National Convention on over a dozen platforms – more than ever before – as part of its efforts to reach Americans everywhere they are. For the first time in convention history, the convention will host vertical streams across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. These cutting edge vertical streaming platforms will allow Americans to tune into the convention on their mobile devices and see the convention alongside the millions of Americans who will be watching from home.
With an unprecedented number of ways to tune in, this year’s convention will engage voters in new, innovative ways, meeting viewers wherever they are and however they choose to watch.
Primetime convention programming will air live from the United Center in Chicago from 6:30-11 p.m. Eastern/5:30-10 p.m. Central on Monday and 7-11 p.m. Eastern/6-10 p.m. Central on Tuesday-Thursday.
“The convention team set out with an ambitious goal of reaching more Americans than ever before, and today’s announcement is yet another milestone in our mission to broadcast Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz’s story to all Americans,” said DNCC Executive Director Alex Hornbrook. “With more and more Americans consuming their news in new and innovative ways, Democrats stand ready to meet them where they are – and to bring our vision for a brighter future to households all across the country.”
To ensure the Democratic Convention is the most accessible in history, the DNCC will offer a range of accessible viewing options. The program will be available with English and Spanish language audio, along with corresponding captions in both languages, opening up the convention to a broader range of audiences. Additionally, the DNCC will provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and audio description services to streaming partners, ensuring that all attendees can experience the convention fully and inclusively.
The official live stream of the 2024 Democratic National Convention will be available at DemConvention.com. On the website, visitors will also be able to find the complete convention schedule and resources for viewers, delegates, and the media, as well as further plans and details.
In addition to the DemConvention.com livestream and traditional broadcasts, the DNCC is working with streaming partners to broadcast and house convention content on a range of platforms, to bring the full broadcast live and on-demand to Americans all across the country.
Vice President Kamala Harris announced several proposals for her first 100 days in office to bring down costs for American families. The steps announced today will cut taxes for the middle class, reduce grocery costs, take on price gouging, lower the costs of owning and renting a home, continue to bring down the costs of prescription drugs, and relieve medical debt for millions of Americans. These bold actions will address some of the sharpest pain points American families are confronting and bolster their financial security – what Harris calls “The Opportunity Agenda.”
Highlights:
🏠 Creating affordable housing
Build 3 million new homes and create new tax incentives for builders who construct affordable units and starter homes
Prevent corporate landlords from using algorithms to collude to raise rents
Block Wall Street investors from buying homes in bulk to resell at a premium
Provide $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers
🥕 Lowering grocery prices
Pass the first-ever federal ban on corporate price gouging on food and groceries
Take an aggressive approach to proposed mergers that reduce competition and hurt consumers among the biggest food producers
🏥 Cutting health care costs
Expand the Biden administration’s landmark $35 price cap on insulin for Medicare recipients to cover all Americans
Crack down on pharmaceutical companies who block competition
Work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans
Expand subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans that would save health insurance customers an average of $700 on their premiums
💸 Building a fair tax code
Raise the Child Tax Credit to $3,600 per child for middle class and working families, and $6,000 for families with newborns
Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for workers in lower-income jobs, cutting taxes by up to $1,250
Eliminate tax on tips for hospitality and service workers making less than $80,000
These proposals are just one part of the Vice President’s economic plan, which also includes protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare; bringing together labor, small businesses, and major corporations to invest in America, create jobs, and deliver for Americans; lowering costs of education, child care, and long-term care; empowering workers and their right to come together to bargain for higher wages; creating a stable business environment with consistent and transparent rules; encouraging innovative technologies while protecting consumers; and so much more. Vice President Harris has made clear that building up the middle class will be a defining goal of her presidency. She will deliver for Americans who are demanding a new way forward towards a future that lifts up all Americans so that they can not just get by, but get ahead.
Here are her plans, in detail:
Build the American Dream: Lowering the Costs of Renting and Owning a Home
Vice President Harris knows that our nation’s housing affordability crisis is making it hard for tens of millions of Americans to make ends meet while putting the American Dream of homeownership out of reach for too many working families. That’s why she will launch an urgent and comprehensive four-year plan to lower housing costs for working families and end America’s housing shortage.
Calling for the Construction of 3 Million New Housing Units To End the Housing Supply Shortage in the Next Four Years. There’s a serious housing shortage across America, and it’s driving prices up. Vice President Harris will work in partnership with industry to build the housing we need, both to rent and to buy, and to take down barriers that stand in the way of building new housing, including at the state and local levels. This will make rents and mortgages cheaper.
First-Ever Tax Incentive for Building Starter Homes. A Harris-Walz Administration will propose the first-ever tax incentive for homebuilders who build starter homes sold to first-time homebuyers—alleviating the shortage of houses on the market for aspiring homeowners. This would complement the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit that encourages investment in homes that would otherwise be too costly or difficult to develop or rehabilitate.
A Historic Expansion of the Existing Tax Incentive for Businesses That Build Rental Housing that is Affordable.
A New Federal Fund To Spur Innovative Housing Construction. A Harris-Walz Administration will propose a new $40 billion innovation fund—doubling down on the $20 billion Biden-Harris Administration’s proposed innovation fund. Like that proposal, it would empower local governments to fund local solutions to build housing. It would also go further to support innovative methods of construction financing, and empower developers and homebuilders to design and build rental and housing solutions that are affordable—with one condition: they must show they will deliver results. This fund will support the expansion of innovative local efforts, like those in Wake County, North Carolina where they are using American Rescue Plan funds to build or preserve 2,400 affordable housing units including a 100-unit development coming online at Kings Ridge and a 176-unit affordable housing development at Tyron Station. Vice President Harris will also take action to make certain federal lands eligible to be repurposed for new housing developments that families can afford.
Cut Red Tape and Needless Bureaucracy. These plans will build on the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to cut red tape and enable more home building to bring down housing costs—which have advanced record levels of new home construction. Pushing this forward also means streamlining permitting processes and reviews, including for transit-oriented and conversion development, so builders can get homes on the market sooner and bring down costs.
Lowering the Rent for Hardworking Americans by Taking on Corporate and Major Landlords. In addition to ongoing efforts by Vice President Harris and President Biden to expand rental assistance for hard-pressed Americans including for veterans, boost housing supply for those without homes, enforce fair housing laws, and make sure corporate landlords can’t use taxpayer dollars to unfairly rip off renters, today she is proposing plans to:
Stop Wall Street Investors from Buying Up and Marking Up Homes in Bulk. Community after community feels taken advantage of by Wall Street investors and distant landlords. Vice President Harris is calling on Congress to pass the Stop Predatory Investing Act, to curtail these practices by removing key tax benefits for major investors who acquire large numbers of single-family rental homes.
Stop Rent-Setting Data Firms From Price Fixing To Raise Rents by Double Digits. Corporate landlords are using private equity-backed price-setting tools to collude with each other and jack up rents dramatically in communities across the country. Vice President Harris is calling on Congress to pass the Preventing the Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act, to crack down on these companies that contribute to surging rent prices.
Providing Historic $25,000 Down-Payment Support for First-Time Homeowners. Many Americans work hard at their jobs, save, and pay their rent on time month after month. But they can’t save enough after paying their rent and other bills to save for a down payment—denying them a shot at owning a home and building wealth. As the Harris-Walz plan starts to expand the supply of entry-level homes, they will, during their first term, provide working families who have paid their rent on time for two years and are buying their first home up to $25,000 in down-payment assistance, with more generous support for first-generation homeowners. The Biden-Harris administration initially proposed providing $25,000 in downpayment assistance only for 400,000 first-generation home buyers—or homebuyers whose parents don’t own a home—and a $10,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. Vice President Harris’s plan will simplify and significantly expand that plan by providing on average $25,000 for all eligible first-time home buyers, while ensuring full participation by first-generation home buyers. It will expand the reach of down-payment assistance, allowing over 4 million first time-buyers over 4 years to get significant down payment assistance.
Trump likes to talk about being a builder, but when he was President, he simply never got it done. Now, his Project 2025 agenda will make it more expensive to rent or buy a home. As a landlord, Trump used underhanded tactics to evict tenants from his properties, and he was sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination. Year after year during his presidency, Trump tried to gut rental assistance programs. New home construction slowed down while Trump was in office—tightening the housing crunch and enabling his wealthy friends to profit. More housing units have been under construction every month of the Biden-Harris Administration than during any month of Trump’s presidency. Trump’s Project 2025 agenda will raise millions of Americans’ mortgage costs, with just one proposal increasing costs around $1,200 a year. The few people better off under Trump’s Project 2025 housing agenda: the wealthy investors who spend time at his Mar-a-Lago country club.
Lowering the Costs of Prescription Drugs and Relieving Medical Debt
As California’s Attorney General, Kamala Harris held Big Pharma accountable for deceptive and illegal practices, winning $7 billion on behalf of Americans in lawsuits brought against their unsafe and unfair tactics. As Vice President, she cast the tie-breaking vote in the Inflation Reduction Act to help save millions of Americans $800 a year on their health insurance, win the right for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices with the big pharmaceutical companies, cap the cost of insulin at $35 for seniors, and cap seniors’ out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 starting next year. As President, she will build on these historic actions by working with Congress to:
Cap the cost of insulin at $35 and out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs at $2,000 for everyone, not just seniors.
Accelerate the speed of Medicare negotiations over prescription drugs. Building on the Biden-Harris administration’s work to allow Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs and cut the cost of some of the most expensive and most commonly used drugs by nearly 40% to 80% starting in 2026, Vice President Harris will allow Medicare to accelerate the speed of negotiations so the prices of more drugs come down faster.
She will increase competition and demand transparency in the health care industry, starting by cracking down on pharmaceutical companies who block competition and abusive practices by pharmaceutical middlemen who squeeze small pharmacies’ profits and raise costs for consumers.
Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will also work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans and to help them avoid accumulating such debt in the future, because no one should go bankrupt just because they had the misfortune of becoming sick or hurt. This plan builds on Vice President Harris’ leadership in removing medical debt from nearly all Americans’ credit reports and in helping secure American Rescue Plan funds to cancel $7 billion of medical debt for up to 3 million Americans.
Trump wants to “terminate” the Affordable Care Act, and go back to the time when 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes, or asthma could be denied coverage, or charged thousands more. His Project 2025 agenda will reverse the victories over Big Pharma secured in the Inflation Reduction Act, and remove the Biden-Harris Administration’s caps on insulin and total prescription drug costs for seniors.
Lowering Grocery Costs
Vice President Harris knows that rising food prices remain a top concern for American families. Many big grocery chains that have seen production costs level off have nevertheless kept prices high and have seen their highest profits in two decades. While some food companies have passed along these savings, others still have not. Price fluctuations are normal in free markets, but Vice President Harris recognizes there is a big difference between fair pricing and the excessive prices unrelated to the costs of doing business that Americans have seen in the food and grocery industry.
That’s why Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will work to enact a plan in their first 100 days to go after bad actors to bring down Americans’ grocery costs and keep inflation in check. They will work with Congress to:
Advance the first-ever federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries;
Set clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit consumers to run up excessive profits on food and groceries.
Secure new authority for the FTC and state attorneys general to investigate and impose strict new penalties on companies that break the rules.
Extreme consolidation in the food industry has led to higher prices that account for a large part of higher grocery bills. To confront this issue, Vice President Harris will also direct her Administration to crack down on unfair mergers and acquisitions that give big food corporations the power to jack up food and grocery prices and undermine the competition that allows all businesses to thrive while keeping prices low for consumers. And her plan will support smaller businesses, like grocery stores, meat processors, farmers, and ranchers, so those industries can become more competitive.
These actions stand in stark contrast to Trump, who would increase costs for families by at least $3,900 with what is, in effect, a new national sales tax on imported everyday goods that American families rely on, like gas, food, clothing, and medicine. Sixteen Nobel laureates agree that Trump’s economic agenda would ignite inflation, and other experts predict that his plans would plunge the United States into a recession.
Cutting Taxes for the Middle Class—With Up to $6,000 Tax Credit per Child
Vice President Harris is proposing a new plan to get tax relief to more than 100 million Americans. Her plan will expand the Child Tax Credit to provide a $6,000 tax cut to families with newborn children. Unlike Trump and Vance, Vice President Harris is committed to ensuring no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in new taxes.
Vice President Harris and Governor Walz’s plan will:
Cut Taxes for Middle-Class Families with Kids. Vice President Harris will restore the American Rescue Plan’s expanded Child Tax Credit and fight to make it the ongoing law of the land. It will provide up to $3,600 per child tax credit for middle class and the most hard-pressed working families with children.
A New $6,000 Child Tax Credit for Families with Children in the First Year of Life: On top of restoring this critical tax relief for families with children, Vice President Harris’ plan makes a historic expansion of the Child Tax Credit: providing up to $6,000 in total tax relief for middle-income and low-income families for the first year of their child’s life when a family’s expenses are highest—with cribs, diapers, car seats and more—and many parents are still forced to forgo income as they take time off from their job.
Cut Taxes for Frontline Workers. They will expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to cover individuals and couples in lower-income jobs who aren’t raising a child in their home, cutting their taxes by up to $1,500.
Cut Taxes To Help Americans Afford Health Insurance on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, saving an average of $700 on their health insurance premiums, totaling over $6,000 per year in savings the Affordable Care Act is providing—which Trump wants to repeal.
In contrast, Donald Trump is promising to reduce prices “immediately” by what sounds like exerting a power he doesn’t have to cut prices or even “drill, drill, drill.”
He is promising to raise tariffs, which will increase costs (inflation) for families by an average of $3,900 a year and give another billionaire tax break to his ultra-wealthy friends (equivalent to a tax handout of $3.5 million APIECE each year), give big corporations a $1.5 trillion windfall, and make it easier for wealthy tax cheats to avoid paying what they owe.
Trump promises to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act which will send energy costs skyrocketing, as well as repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which will immediately increase health care costs and make access to health care unaffordable (again) for millions. He calls Harris’ insistence that health care is a right, not a privilege “communism.”
16 Nobel-winning economists have said that Trump’s economic policies would increase the national debt by trillions, eliminate millions of jobs, and raise costs for families.
The difference between Harris and Trump is what is possible and legal (and has already been shown to work, with the Inflation Reduction Act that helped spawn wage growth, low unemployment, economic development, clean energy, manufacturing), and what is not possible or not legal or within the power of the president, even one who thinks he has total immunity.
“Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will work with businesses, entrepreneurs, workers, and all stakeholders to drive an economy that creates opportunity and ensures stability and security for everyone.,” the campaign stated. “They believe competition is the lifeblood of our economy, and they will build the confidence and certainty that helps businesses innovate and grow. They will also fulfill their commitment to fiscal responsibility, including by asking the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations to pay their fair share—steps that will allow us to make necessary investments in the middle class, while also reducing the deficit and strengthening our fiscal health.
“Trump added a record amount to the national debt during his term, and now he and Vance are running to exact political retribution, attack the rule of law, undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve and other regulators, uproot these investments, disrupt global markets, and leave American communities behind.”
Vice President Kamala Harris came to New York City for the UNITE HERE union convention in which she stood up for workers and labor as a representative of the most pro-union administration possibly ever, and drew a sharp contrast to what the Biden-Harris administration has done for labor and will do, and what Trump and the Republicans stand for.
She was warmly receivedby UNITE HERE, a labor union representing 300,000 across Canada and the United States who work in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries.
Here is an edited transcript of her remarks: –Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everyone. Good morning, UNITE HERE. (Applause.) Good morning.
Oh, it’s good to be in the house of labor. Good morning. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, Kamala!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And you know I love you.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: You know, in 2020, in states like Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona, it was you — it was the members of this union who energized, who organized, and mobilized. It is because of your work and your support that Joe Biden is President of the United States and I am the first woman elected Vice President of the United States. (Applause.) I’m really clear about how we got here….
More than a hundred years ago, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, tens of thousands of textile workers — many of them women — came together to demand fair pay and safer working conditions…
And in the decades since, the workers of UNITE HERE have taken on some of the most powerful corporations in our nation, from Big Pharma to the hedge funds, which took over casinos and put profits over workers. And you have won — you’ve won fair pay, better benefits, safer working conditions, and protection against discrimination and harassment.
Through the power of the collective, you have transformed millions of jobs into middle-class jobs — jobs that come with the dignity that all people deserve. (Applause.)
And I know of your work. For many years, I have had the honor to work closely with the leaders of this union. When I was Attorney General of California, I worked with j- — with you, with many of the leaders here to crack down on wage theft. As a United States senator, we fought together for paid family leave and medical leave for more workers. (Applause.)
And as Elena mentioned, this past October, with pride, I stood in Las Vegas with the workers of Culinary 226 for your Day of Action — (applause) — (laughs) — ohh — for your Day of Action — (applause) —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: 226!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and again — 226! — (laughs) —
AUDIENCE: 226! 226! 226!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And again, in Las Vegas, a few months later, it was my honor to join Culinary —
AUDIENCE: 226!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — once again — (laughs) — to celebrate your contract win. And, my goodness, what a historic contract win: your historic pay raise of 32 percent. Extraordinary. Extraordinary. (Applause.)
And, of course, this was a victory for all workers — for all workers — because, as we in this room know, when union wages go up, everyone’s wages go up. (Applause.) When union workplaces are more safe, all workplaces are more safe. When unions are strong, America is strong. (Applause.)
And President Joe Biden and I are proud to stand by your side. (Applause.)
So, together — together, we have fought for affordable healthcare, knowing healthcare should be a right and not just a privilege of those who can afford it. (Applause.)
We, together — together, we took on Big Pharma and capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for our seniors. (Applause.) And now, because of our work together, three of the largest drug companies in the country are capping the cost of asthma inhalers from hundreds of dollars each to just $35 each. (Applause.) And we know how that affects so many of our babies, historically, and how expensive those inhalers have been.
And we are finally making it so that medical debt can no longer count against your credit score — (applause) — which means medical debt can no longer get in the way of someone’s ability to get a car loan, to get a home loan, to get a lease for an apartment. (Applause.)
Because I don’t need to tell anyone here, medical debt — well, most people come by medical debt because of a medical emergency. They didn’t ask for it. They didn’t save for it. And it happens, and then they’re out tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. And the way it has been working is it can count against somebody’s credit score.
Well, your credit score is supposed to be a measure of whether you are financially responsible. It doesn’t make any sense that you would cause somebody to take a hit to their credit score for a medical emergency, and that’s why we’re getting rid of that. (Applause.)
In addition to medical debt, we are also addressing the issue of student loan debt. (Applause.) So far, we have forgiven student loan debt for nearly 5 million Americans and twice as much for our public servants, including our teachers, our nurses, and firefighters. (Applause.)
So, UNITE HERE, I stand here as we are 137 days away from the most important election of our lifetime. And there is a very clear contrast between who we have looked out for and who the last administration looked out for.
Whereas the last administration gave tax cuts to billionaires —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we gave tax cuts to families with children through the Child Tax Credit — (applause) — and cut the rate of child poverty in half when we did it. (Applause.)
We are also proud to lead the most pro-union administration in the history of America. (Applause.) We expanded the power of OSHA to make workplaces safer. (Applause.)
As head of the White House Labor Task Force, I have led our work to eliminate barriers to organizing in both public and private sectors. (Applause.)
And we did the long overdue work to protect the pension plans of now more than 1 million union workers — (applause) — including thousands of UNITE HERE members and retirees.
On the issue of immigration, we believe in keeping families together, not tearing them apart. (Applause.) So, now, undocumented spouses of American citizens who have been in the country for 10 or more years can stay in the country while they apply for a green card — (applause) — and so can their children. (Applause.)
We also made it easier for thousands of DREAMers who have graduated college to secure work permits, because our entire nation benefits from their extraordinary skill, talent, and ambition. (Applause.)
So, the bottom line is that in all we do, President Biden and I are guided by the belief that we work for you and we will fight with you, alongside you, and for you.
On the other hand, Donald Trump has made it clear time and time again —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — he only cares about himself. He openly talks about his intention to weaponize the Department of Justice against his enemies. He openly talks about his admiration for dictators.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Has vowed on day one that he will be a dictator on day one.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: He said he is — and I’m going to quote — “proudly responsible” for overturning Roe v. Wade and taking —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — taking freedom of choice from millions of women in our country.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And get this. Recently, in Las Vegas — you might have seen this. Recently, in Las Vegas — well, it was a typical day in Vegas; it was 104 degrees. (Laughter.) You know what I’m saying. But on a day that was 104 degrees and his supporters were outside, Donald Trump told the crowd — and I’m going to quote — “I don’t care about you. I just want your vote.”
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Maya Angelou told us how we should think about these kinds of moments. Remember what Maya Angelou said? She said, “When someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time.” Believe them the first time. (Applause.)
So, we see what’s happening. We see what’s happening.
Donald Trump and his allies, they’re working from a playbook: to attack freedoms, to spread hate, to divide our country, and to make people feel alone, to make people feel small.
But in the face of these attacks, we here know the power of the collective. And, UNITE HERE, I believe when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. (Applause.)
We stand for freedom and opportunity. We fight for paid family leave and affordable childcare. We fight to lower rents, and we fight to help more Americans buy a home. (Applause.) We fight to secure a pathway for citizenship, including for our DREAMers. And we fight for the dignity of all people. (Applause.) Because we know what we stand for, and so we know what to fight for.
And in this moment, our nation needs everyone here. We need you. We really do. We need you to continue to do what you know how to do so well. You’re the best at it.
We need you to continue to organize. We need you to continue to mobilize. We need you to continue knocking on that door and practicing how to do it. (Laughs.) (Applause.) And we need you to make your voices heard.
For those who insist the 2nd Amendment is absolute and government has no authority to regulate guns, look to the preamble of the Constitution, the authority is written there: “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
It’s a shonda that in face of 31,394 gun deaths and 506 mass shootings so far this year- that President Biden has felt the need to establish the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Headed by Vice President Kamala Harris, it is aimed at providing aid and comfort to communities after yet another incident of gun violence, in the same way FEMA does after a disaster, recognizing the trauma and dislocation of communities after such events. The office will also see to fully implement the provisions of the Safer Communities Act – the first serious gun control legislation in nearly 30 years – enact the many gun-safety Executive Orders, and see where new measures need to be taken.
President Biden also vowed to see renewed legislation banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and gave a long list of actions that Congress must take to end the scourge, the epidemic of gun violence that is uniquely “American.”
The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will be overseen by Vice President Harris, who has been a been a key leader in the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Stefanie Feldman, a longtime policy advisor to President Biden on gun violence prevention, will serve as Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, alongside leading gun violence prevention advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, who will join the Administration as Deputy Directors of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
“Every time I’ve met with families impacted by gun violence as they mourn their loved ones, and I’ve met with so many throughout the country, they all have the same message for their elected officials: ‘do something.’ It’s why, last year, I signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to keep guns out of dangerous hands, and have taken more executive action than any President in history to keep communities safe. But as I’ve said before – while these are important steps, they are just the first steps toward what is needed,” President Biden said at a ceremony announcing the office.
“That’s why I’m announcing additional steps forward, with the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to build upon these measures and keep Americans safe. The Office will include Stefanie Feldman, who has capably led my Administration’s gun violence prevention efforts and been a trusted aide for more than a decade, alongside leading experts Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox whose own lives and families have been touched by the tragedy of gun violence. They have turned their pain into purpose and dedicated their careers to being advocates for change – that important work will continue as they join my team in these new roles.
“I’ll continue to urge Congress to take commonsense actions that the majority of Americans support like enacting universal background checks and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. But in the absence of that sorely-needed action, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart,” Biden said.
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end gun violence in our country: including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action in nearly 30 years aimed at doing so, and taking more meaningful executive action than any other president to make our schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer.
The Biden-Harris Administration has worked to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years. This legislation is already saving lives by keeping guns out of the hands of individuals under 21 who are prohibited from purchasing firearms, empowering the Justice Department with new authorities to prosecute firearms traffickers, improving access to mental health services in our schools to help young people deal with the trauma and grief resulting from gun violence, and investing in community violence interventions.
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced dozens of executive actions to: keep especially dangerous weapons and repeat shooters off our streets; hold rogue gun dealers and gun traffickers accountable; provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to reduce gun violence; and address the root causes of gun violence. Most recently, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – a critical leader in work to reduce gun violence – proposed a rule to reduce the number of guns sold without background checks and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
President Biden continues to call on Congress to take additional action, including by:
Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines;
Requiring safe storage of firearms;
Requiring background checks for all gun sales;
Eliminating gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability; and
Enacting his Safer America Plan, which would put more police officers on our streets for accountable, community policing and invest in gun violence prevention and intervention.
“Every person and every child deserves the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and live up to their God-given potential. Every family, in every community, should have the freedom to live and to thrive,” Vice President Kamala Harris stated. “We know true freedom is not possible if people are not safe. This epidemic of gun violence requires urgent leadership to end the fear and trauma that Americans experience every day. The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will play a critical role in implementing President Biden’s and my efforts to reduce violence to the fullest extent under the law, while also engaging and encouraging Congressional leaders, state and local leaders, and advocates to come together to build upon the meaningful progress that we have made to save lives. Our promise to the American people is this: we will not stop working to end the epidemic of gun violence in every community, because we do not have a moment, nor a life to spare.”
Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden came out forcefully to demand protection of voting rights and election integrity in speeches in Atlanta and called for removing the filibuster, weaponized as an obstacle to Senate action. Republicans in the Senate and House immediately twisted and attacked the Democrats’ desire to assure free and equal access to the ballot and fair counting as an attempt to hijack elections, rather than preserve the foundational element of democracy, dismissing what Republican-dominated legislatures are doing around the country to – by simple majority vote – enact voter suppression, gerrymandered maps and rules that allow them to subvert elections by overturning the will of the majority.
“The assault on our freedom to vote will be felt by every American, in every community, in every political party….The American people have waited long enough. The Senate must act,” Harris declared. “We will fight to secure our most fundamental freedom: the freedom to vote.“Here is a highlighted transcript of Vice President Harris’ remarks:
Last week, one year after a violent mob breached the United States Capitol, the President of the United States and I spoke from its hallowed halls and we made clear: We swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. And we will. We will fight. (Applause.) We will fight to safeguard our democracy. We will fight to secure our most fundamental freedom: the freedom to vote.
And that is why we have come to Atlanta today — to the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement; to the district that was represented by the great Congressman John Lewis — (applause) — on the eve of the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Applause.)
More than 55 years ago, men, women, and children marched from Selma to Montgomery to demand the ballot. And when they arrived at the State Capitol in Alabama, Dr. King decried what he called “normalcy” — the normalcy, the complacency that was denying people the freedom to vote.
The only normalcy anyone should accept, Dr. King said, is the “normalcy of justice.” And his words resonate today.
Over the past few years, we have seen so many anti-voter laws that there is a danger of becoming accustomed to these laws, a danger of adjusting to these laws as though they are normal, a danger of being complacent, complicit.
Anti-voter laws are not new in our nation, but we must not be deceived into thinking they are normal.
We must not be deceived into thinking a law that makes it more difficult for students to vote is normal.
We must not be deceived into thinking a law that makes it illegal to help a voter with a disability vote by mail is normal. (Applause.)
There is nothing normal about a law that makes it illegal to pass out water or food to people standing in long voting lines. (Applause.)
And I have met with voters in Georgia. I have heard your outrage about the anti-voter law here and how many voters will likely be kept from voting.
And Georgia is not alone. Across our nation, anti-voter laws could make it more difficult for as many as 55 million Americans to vote. That is one out of six people in our country.
And the proponents of these laws are not only putting in place obstacles to the ballot box, they are also working to interfere with our elections to get the outcomes they want and to discredit those they don’t.
That is not how a democracy should work.
My fellow Americans: Do not succumb to those who would dismiss this assault on voting rights as an unfounded threat — who would wave this off as a partisan game.
The assault on our freedom to vote will be felt by every American, in every community, in every political party.
And if we stand idly by, our entire nation will pay the price for generations to come.
As Dr. King said, “The battle is in our hands.” And today, the battle is in the hands of the leaders of the American people, those in particular that the American people sent to the United States Senate.
Two landmark bills sit before the United States Senate: the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. (Applause.)
And these two bills represent the first real opportunity to secure the freedom to vote since the United States Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act nearly a decade ago.
We do not know when we will have this opportunity again. Senate Republicans have exploited arcane rules to block these bills.
And let us be clear: The Constitution of the United States gives the Congress the power to pass legislation. And nowhere — nowhere — does the Constitution give a minority the right to unilaterally block legislation. (Applause.)
The American people have waited long enough. The Senate must act.
And the bottom line is this: Years from now, our children and our grandchildren, they will ask us about this moment. They will look back on this time, and they will ask us not about how we felt — they will ask us what did we do.
We cannot tell them that we let a Senate rule stand in the way of our most fundamental freedom. Instead, let us tell them that we stood together as people of conscience and courage.
Let us tell them we acted with the urgency that this moment demands.
And let us tell them we secured the freedom to vote, that we ensured free and fair elections, and we safeguarded our democracy for them and their children.
The inauguration of Joe Biden as America’s 46th president would have been historic – the first woman/Black/South Asian vice president, the man who was the youngest US Senator becoming the oldest US president – but it has taken place amid historic circumstances which twisted the traditions and pomp and circumstance that normally accompany the peaceful transition of power. Because for the first time, the transition of power was not peaceful.
The dignitaries, pared down because of the pandemic, and the onlookers exclusively confined to National Guard, Capitol Police and security personnel because of the threat of domestic terrorism, looked out on a sea of flags down the length of the National Mall, where people would have been. And there was no outgoing President on the podium, though there were three prior Presidents: Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton – and no cordial greeting at the White House, gracious tour for the first ladies, or sharing a limousine to the Capitol to demonstrate to the world the essence of democracy: that the loser accepts loss and hands off the office with an aim toward protecting the nation against enemies foreign and domestic.
Two Wednesdays ago, there was an armed insurrection of the Capitol intended to disrupt the certification of Biden as president, the first time the Capitol Building had been invaded since the War of 1812; one Wednesday ago, Donald Trump became the first president impeached for the second time for his part in inciting the insurrection and attempting to overturn a free and fair election, and this Wednesday, “democracy prevailed,” as Biden said in his inaugural.
In every way the man and the message were 180 degrees turned around from Trump’s inauguration four years ago when the theme of Trump’s inaugural address was “American carnage” – that turned out to be his agenda and as he departed, he left 400,000 dead and 24 million sickened by COVID-19; millions facing eviction or foreclosure; millions of jobless; hundreds of thousands of businesses shuttered; civil unrest and hostility not seen since the Civil War.
Biden is completely different, starting with his Inauguration-eve national Memorial to the 400,000 lives lost to COVID-19, with a dramatic lighting display at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Biden’s inaugural message was focused on “unity”, but not in a Pollyannish-way.
He cast unity as the key to survival – to end the pandemic, to restore economic prosperity, and to save democracy: “To overcome these challenges – to restore the soul and to secure the future of America – requires more than words. It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy: Unity.”
He stressed the need for truth and the end of lies “told for power and for profit” (an actual applause line).
And each of us has a duty and responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, and especially as leaders – leaders who have pledged to honor our Constitution and protect our nation — to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.
His speech was idealistic and uplifting, full of promise and possibility yet remarkably frank:
“Through a crucible for the ages America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy,” he said.
“The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded. We have learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed…”
He listed the litany of unprecedented crises intersecting all at once, saying, “To overcome these challenges – to restore the soul and to secure the future of America – requires more than words. It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy: Unity…
“Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together. Uniting our people. And uniting our nation…
“This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.”
He said, “This is a time of testing. We face an attack on democracy and on truth. A raging virus. Growing inequity. The sting of systemic racism. A climate in crisis. America’s role in the world. Any one of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways. But the fact is we face them all at once, presenting this nation with the gravest of responsibilities. Now we must step up. All of us.”
In probably the starkest contrast to his precedessor, Biden said, “Take a measure of me and my heart..I pledge this to you: I will be a President for all Americans….I will give my all in your service thinking not of power, but of possibilities. Not of personal interest, but of the public good.”
But he returned to his theme that overcoming these crises will require all of us. “It is a time for boldness, for there is so much to do…We will be judged, you and I, for how we resolve the cascading crises of our era…
“May this be the story that guides us. The story that inspires us. The story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history. We met the moment. That democracy and hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch but thrived. That our America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world…
“That is what we owe our forbears, one another, and generations to follow. So, with purpose and resolve we turn to the tasks of our time.
“Sustained by faith. Driven by conviction. And, devoted to one another and to this country we love with all our hearts.”
Inaugural Address of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, distinguished guests, and my fellow Americans.
This is America’s day.
This is democracy’s day.
A day of history and hope.
Of renewal and resolve.
Through a crucible for the ages America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge.
Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy.
The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.
We have learned again that democracy is precious.
Democracy is fragile.
And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.
So now, on this hallowed ground where just days ago violence sought to shake this Capitol’s very foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power as we have for more than two centuries.
We look ahead in our uniquely American way – restless, bold, optimistic – and set our sights on the nation we know we can be and we must be.
I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here.
I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
You know the resilience of our Constitution and the strength of our nation.
As does President Carter, who I spoke to last night but who cannot be with us today, but whom we salute for his lifetime of service.
I have just taken the sacred oath each of these patriots took — an oath first sworn by George Washington.
But the American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us.
On “We the People” who seek a more perfect Union.
This is a great nation and we are a good people.
Over the centuries through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we have come so far. But we still have far to go.
We will press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and possibility.
Much to repair.
Much to restore.
Much to heal.
Much to build.
And much to gain.
Few periods in our nation’s history have been more challenging or difficult than the one we’re in now.
A once-in-a-century virus silently stalks the country.
It’s taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II.
Millions of jobs have been lost.
Hundreds of thousands of businesses closed.
A cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making moves us. The dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer.
A cry for survival comes from the planet itself. A cry that can’t be any more desperate or any more clear.
And now, a rise in political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.
To overcome these challenges – to restore the soul and to secure the future of America – requires more than words.
It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy:
Unity.
Unity.
In another January in Washington, on New Year’s Day 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
When he put pen to paper, the President said, “If my name ever goes down into history it will be for this act and my whole soul is in it.”
My whole soul is in it. Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this:
Bringing America together.
Uniting our people.
And uniting our nation.
I ask every American to join me in this cause.
Uniting to fight the common foes we face:
Anger, resentment, hatred.
Extremism, lawlessness, violence.
Disease, joblessness, hopelessness.
With unity we can do great things. Important things.
We can right wrongs.
We can put people to work in good jobs.
We can teach our children in safe schools.
We can overcome this deadly virus.
We can reward work, rebuild the middle class, and make health care secure for all.
We can deliver racial justice.
We can make America, once again, the leading force for good in the world.
I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy.
I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real.
But I also know they are not new.
Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, and demonization have long torn us apart.
The battle is perennial.
Victory is never assured.
Through the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifice, and setbacks, our “better angels” have always prevailed.
In each of these moments, enough of us came together to carry all of us forward.
And, we can do so now.
History, faith, and reason show the way, the way of unity.
We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbors.
We can treat each other with dignity and respect.
We can join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the temperature.
For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury.
No progress, only exhausting outrage.
No nation, only a state of chaos.
This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.
And, we must meet this moment as the United States of America.
If we do that, I guarantee you, we will not fail.
We have never, ever, ever failed in America when we have acted together.
And so today, at this time and in this place, let us start afresh.
All of us.
Let us listen to one another.
Hear one another.
See one another.
Show respect to one another.
Politics need not be a raging fire destroying everything in its path.
Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a cause for total war.
And, we must reject a culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.
My fellow Americans, we have to be different than this.
Here we stand, in the shadow of a Capitol dome that was completed amid the Civil War, when the Union itself hung in the balance.
Yet we endured and we prevailed.
Here we stand looking out to the great Mall where Dr. King spoke of his dream.
Here we stand, where 108 years ago at another inaugural, thousands of protestors tried to block brave women from marching for the right to vote.
Today, we mark the swearing-in of the first woman in American history elected to national office – Vice President Kamala Harris.
Don’t tell me things can’t change.
Kamala Harris is administered the oath of office in as the first woman, first Black, first South Asian Vice President of the United States by the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor (c) Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
Because here is the thing about life: There is no accounting for what fate will deal you.
There are some days when we need a hand.
There are other days when we’re called on to lend one.
That is how we must be with one another.
And, if we are this way, our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future.
My fellow Americans, in the work ahead of us, we will need each other.
We will need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter.
We are entering what may well be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus.
We must set aside the politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation.
I promise you this: as the Bible says weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.
We will get through this, together
The world is watching today.
So here is my message to those beyond our borders: America has been tested and we have come out stronger for it.
We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again.
Not to meet yesterday’s challenges, but today’s and tomorrow’s.
We will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example.
We will be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress, and security.
We have been through so much in this nation.
And, in my first act as President, I would like to ask you to join me in a moment of silent prayer to remember all those we lost this past year to the pandemic.
To those 400,000 fellow Americans – mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
We will honor them by becoming the people and nation we know we can and should be.
Let us say a silent prayer for those who lost their lives, for those they left behind, and for our country.
Amen.
President Joe Biden leads a silent prayer for those lives lost to COVID-19, now numbering over 400,000 (c) Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
This is a time of testing.
We face an attack on democracy and on truth.
A raging virus.
Growing inequity.
The sting of systemic racism.
A climate in crisis.
America’s role in the world.
Any one of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways.
But the fact is we face them all at once, presenting this nation with the gravest of responsibilities.
Now we must step up.
All of us.
It is a time for boldness, for there is so much to do.
And, this is certain.
We will be judged, you and I, for how we resolve the cascading crises of our era.
Will we rise to the occasion?
Will we master this rare and difficult hour?
Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world for our children?
I believe we must and I believe we will.
And when we do, we will write the next chapter in the American story.
It’s a story that might sound something like a song that means a lot to me.
It’s called “American Anthem” and there is one verse stands out for me:
“The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day What shall be our legacy? What will our children say?… Let me know in my heart When my days are through America America I gave my best to you.”
Let us add our own work and prayers to the unfolding story of our nation.
If we do this then when our days are through our children and our children’s children will say of us they gave their best.
They did their duty.
They healed a broken land.
My fellow Americans, I close today where I began, with a sacred oath.
Before God and all of you I give you my word.
I will always level with you.
I will defend the Constitution.
I will defend our democracy.
I will defend America.
I will give my all in your service thinking not of power, but of possibilities.
Not of personal interest, but of the public good.
And together, we shall write an American story of hope, not fear.
Of unity, not division.
Of light, not darkness.
An American story of decency and dignity.
Of love and of healing.
Of greatness and of goodness.
May this be the story that guides us.
The story that inspires us.
The story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history.
We met the moment.
That democracy and hope, truth and justice, did not die on our watch but thrived.
That our America secured liberty at home and stood once again as a beacon to the world.
That is what we owe our forbears, one another, and generations to follow.
So, with purpose and resolve we turn to the tasks of our time.
Sustained by faith.
Driven by conviction.
And, devoted to one another and to this country we love with all our hearts.
May God bless America and may God protect our troops.
