Senator Kamala Harris has just been announced as Joe Biden’s Vice President pick. Senator Harris is known for her firm stance on tax reform, the banning of assault rifles, immigration reform, and the DREAM Act. She is also fervently against the death penalty, a belief which landed her in hot water with the San Francisco Police Department.
When a officer was shot and killed, Harris was pressured to change her position and award the death penalty to the defendant. Her refusal to change her stance aggravated the police. In 2016, Harris began an investigation into two different police departments in California, Bakersfield Police Department and Kern County Sheriff's office, over reports of civil rights violations and use of excessive force. With such a history one can only hope that Senator Harris and Presidential potential Joe Biden stick to their promises of police reform. Whatever the outcome of the upcoming election, this will be a major topic of discussion.
While it seems Senator Harris has good intentions, it also appears that many of her actions also resulted in a number of negatives. Her initiative to curb truancy disproportionately affected low income people of color. Punishments for parents of truant children could receive a $2,000 fine and/or jail. Harris believes that curbing truancy will curb crime, this did not seem to result in the desired outcome, and instead just punished low income families.
Overall Harris’s fatal downfall seems to be her inconsistency in beliefs. For example, at one point in time Harris was adamantly opposed to softening the minimum mandatory sentences, despite the fact that her later presidential campaign would reflect the opposite. She also opposed the legalization of marijuana, another standpoint that flipped during her candidacy. Over 1500 people had been incarcerated for marijuana related charges during her time as Attorney General.
With such a polarizing past, one can only hope that Biden and Harris not only stick to promises made, but also listen to the voices of the BLM movement and enact change. Should Biden win the Presidency, he will have to face the movement and their demands. They will likely not be open to compromise, as these changes that BLM advocates for have been largely ignored in the past.
Joe Biden has teamed up with the Human Rights Campaign to host a virtual event to help people stay informed with their votes. You can register simply with your phone number and select one of the several allotted times to join the meeting. Now is the time for key states to understand the pro-equality ideas and beliefs thousands of people have been advocating for. Join the community to stay in the know of America’s future.
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