Jonah Patel
Kamala Devi Harris, born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964, has had a notable career in American politics. From serving as the District Attorney of San Francisco and Attorney General of California to becoming the first Black woman and person of colour to be elected Vice President of the United States, Harris has broken barriers and made history. In this paragraph, we will explore the key achievements and milestones of Kamala Harris' political journey, highlighting her impact on American politics and the challenges she has faced.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 20 October 1964 |
| Place of Birth | Oakland, California |
| Education | Degree in Political Science and Economics, Howard University; Juris Doctor, University of California, Hastings College of the Law |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Political Career | District Attorney of San Francisco; Attorney General of California; United States Senator; Vice President of the United States |
| Policy Issues | Immigration, guns, cost of living, social security, corporate tax rate, mortgage assistance, tax credit for parents of newborns, price gouging, workers' rights, safer workplaces, labor protections, fair wages, agricultural and domestic workers' rights, small business relief, maternal health crisis |
| Publications | Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safer; The Truths We Hold: An American Journey; Superheroes Are Everywhere |
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What You'll Learn
Harris' political career
Kamala Harris has had a long and illustrious political career. She served as the District Attorney of San Francisco, a role in which she broke barriers as a woman of colour. She then went on to become the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2016, fighting for safer workplaces and fair wages for agricultural and domestic workers. She took on the big banks and defended vulnerable workers against wage theft.
Harris then became a United States Senator in 2017, where she championed progressive tax programmes and co-sponsored a bill with Bernie Sanders to expand social security for the elderly. She also supported vital legislation, including the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. As a senator, she also set a new record for casting the most tie-breaking Senate votes in history.
In 2019, Harris ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, selecting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. She released a detailed policy guide, focusing on her economic and foreign policy agenda. She also supported a corporate tax rate of 35%, up from 21% at the time.
Harris then served as the Vice President of the United States from 2020 to 2024, working with President Biden to pass major economic legislation, including investments in infrastructure and green energy. She also expanded the Child Tax Credit to cut child poverty in half and provided $450 billion in relief to 6 million small businesses. As vice president, she also led the push for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act, federal worker unionization, and overtime pay for farmworkers.
Harris has also written two nonfiction books and one children's book.
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Her time as Vice President
Kamala Harris served as Vice President of the United States from 2020 to 2024, alongside President Joe Biden. Harris became the Democratic Party's nominee for president relatively late in the 2024 contest, replacing Joe Biden, and selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
As vice-president, Harris worked with President Biden to pass major economic legislation, often labelled "Bidenomics". This included significant investments in infrastructure and green energy, with a focus on growth and job creation. Despite strong economic growth and job creation, inflation and high interest rates continued to affect Americans. In her convention acceptance speech, Harris promised mortgage assistance for first-time homebuyers, a tax credit for parents of newborns, and bans on price gouging at grocery stores.
Harris set a new record for the most tie-breaking Senate votes cast by a vice president in history. She also led the push for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act, federal worker unionization, and overtime pay for farmworkers. She took charge of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, breaking down barriers for workers forming unions. Harris also provided $450 billion in relief to 6 million small businesses and sponsored legislation to expand and strengthen Social Security.
Harris also focused on issues such as workplace safety and labour protections. She fought for fair wages for agricultural and domestic workers and supported the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. Additionally, she championed the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis.
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Her 2024 presidential campaign
Kamala Harris, the former Vice President of the United States, was the Democratic Party's nominee for president in the 2024 election. She became the nominee relatively late in the contest, replacing Joe Biden, and selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
Harris' 2024 presidential campaign focused on her economic and foreign policy agenda. She released a detailed policy guide in early September, offering voters a sense of what a Harris-Walz administration would look like. One of her highest priorities was to "support and strengthen the middle class", and she promised to tackle the cost of living. She also planned to create "an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed".
As a senator in 2017, Harris supported a number of progressive tax programmes. She co-sponsored a bill with Bernie Sanders to expand social security for the elderly by increasing the tax rate on investments. As a presidential candidate in 2019, she supported a corporate tax rate of 35%, up from 21%. This was more aggressive than Biden's proposal to increase the rate to 28%, which she also backed. During her time as vice president, Harris worked with Biden to pass major economic legislation, regularly labelled "Bidenomics", which included major investments in infrastructure and green energy.
Harris has a history of breaking barriers and fighting for Americans. She previously served as Attorney General of California, a United States Senator, and District Attorney of San Francisco. As vice president, she set a new record for the most tie-breaking Senate votes cast by a VP in history and expanded the Child Tax Credit to cut child poverty in half. She also provided $450 billion in relief to 6 million small businesses and led the push for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act, federal worker unionization, and overtime pay for farmworkers.
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Her support for workers' rights
Kamala Harris has a strong record of supporting workers' rights. As Vice President, she served as the Chair of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, helping to advance policies that make it easier for workers to organize, raise wages, and strengthen their bargaining power. Harris has been described as a "champion for working people" by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), who highlight her efforts to support and protect workers across the nation.
Harris has played a major role in making the Biden-Harris Administration the most pro-union, pro-worker administration in several decades. She has personally met with CWA leaders and members on numerous occasions to hear their concerns and ensure that the White House's agenda aligns with their needs. In 2023, she demonstrated her solidarity with workers by cancelling an appearance and changing her hotel reservations to avoid crossing picket lines.
Harris has been a strong advocate for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, aiming to provide domestic workers with basic protections and rights on the job. She has also sponsored legislation to strengthen whistleblower protections and Occupational Safety and Health Act protections against heat stress in the workplace. Additionally, she established a cooperative task force with the U.S. Department of Labor to increase investigations and enforcement against wage theft.
Furthermore, Harris has a history of supporting progressive tax programmes and expanding social security. As a senator in 2017, she co-sponsored a bill with Bernie Sanders to expand social security for the elderly by increasing the tax rate on investments. As a presidential candidate in 2019, she supported a corporate tax rate of 35%, even higher than President Biden's proposal. Harris understands the struggles of everyday workers, having grown up as the daughter of a single mother and worked at McDonald's herself. She has used her position in the White House to rally behind care workers fighting for unionization and to push for safe-staffing mandates in nursing homes.
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Her writing
Kamala Harris has authored two nonfiction books and one children's book. In 2009, she co-authored 'Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safer' with O'C. Hamilton, Joan. The book was published by Chronicle Books, San Francisco.
In 2019, Harris published two books. The first, 'The Truths We Hold: An American Journey', was published in London by Penguin. In the same year, she also published a children's book titled 'Superheroes Are Everywhere', which was released by Penguin Young Readers Group.
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Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris has had a long and varied career in public service. She has served as District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, a United States Senator, and Vice President of the United States.
Kamala Harris has been a strong advocate for workers' rights throughout her career. As Vice President, she took charge of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, breaking down barriers for workers forming unions. She also fought for labor protections, fair wages, and safer workplaces for all workers, including agricultural and domestic workers.
Kamala Harris has supported a number of progressive tax programmes and co-sponsored a bill with Bernie Sanders to expand social security for the elderly. As Vice President, she worked with President Biden to pass major economic legislation, including investments in infrastructure and green energy. She has also promised mortgage assistance for first-time homebuyers and a ban on price gouging at grocery stores.
Since losing the 2024 election to Trump, Kamala Harris has considered running in California's gubernatorial race. She has also been meeting with Senior White House and Administration officials, and her supporters believe she could make a successful run for president in 2028.
