WASHINGTON. — Senator Kamala Harris's appointment as Joe Biden's running mate has been greeted with enthusiasm by Democratic voters, judging by polls and the increase in donations.
But she has also been met with criticism of her supposed "radicalism" by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who has chosen simply to insult her.
[Who is Kamala Harris? A short biography of Joe Biden's running mate]
The Democratic Party sees Harris as reinforcing the progressive policies of Biden, a centrist Democrat. During his failed presidential campaign, Harris nevertheless came under fire for fluctuating his stance on expanding Medicare insurance, and for his career as California attorney general.
Instead, he was praised for his fight for social and minority rights (he has also been one of the most visible faces against racial injustice, which now centers the political and social agenda of the country).
The website for Harris' presidential bid already addresses Biden's campaign, which has said Harris supports his positions. But these are the positions and statements that, at the time, the senator maintained on the central issues in the electoral campaign until November 3:
Racial justice
Harris has been criticized for his tenure as attorney general in California because he allegedly did not do enough to correct the mass incarceration and generally avoided prosecuting cases involving shootings by police officers.
He supported a 2010 state law allowing parents to be arrested if their children missed many days of school, although last year he lamented its "unintended consequences."
During his presidential campaign, Harris proposed extensive criminal justice reform that included measures such as an end to mass incarceration and the death penalty; the establishment of a review board of police departments; and free education at universities with high percentages of black students.
"People suffer. We must listen to them," Harris said, participating in one of the street protests against systemic racism in May.
Kamala Harris appreciates the trust of Joe Biden and being part of "his family"
Aug. 12, 202002: 46Health
Harris co-sponsored Senator Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All legislation in 2017 , considered one of the most liberal measures of the Democratic caucus. He also appeared to support the elimination of private health insurance to replace it with a centralized system.
In the face of strong criticism, Harris presented a moderate plan in July 2019 that advocated the expansion of Medicare - the health program for the elderly and retirees - but left the option of private insurance standing.
"No parent who panics holding a sick child should worry about a costly hospital bill. No elderly person should ration their medications to meet their needs," Harris said.
Immigration
Harris has supported comprehensive immigration reform that legalizes the undocumented population; championed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for more than 650,000 dreamers; and he has advocated eliminating funding for the border wall and private detention centers.
"Let's be clear: this nation was founded by immigrants. Unless its history is of ancestors who were kidnapped and brought in on slave ships, unless they are Native American, its people are immigrants," Harris said during an MSNBC forum in May. of 2019.
As the daughter of immigrants, Harris repeated during the primaries that the country "does not need walls but bridges" between people.
Being the daughter of immigrants, one of the reasons Biden chose Harris
Aug. 12, 202004: 56Economy
Launching his presidential campaign in January 2019, Harris claimed that the middle class had been abandoned, promising low- and moderate-income families a tax credit of up to $ 6,000 a year.
But unlike his contending rivals like Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Harris focused on helping the middle class rather than raising taxes on billionaires.
Education
During the primaries, Harris proposed a modest plan to forgive up to $ 20,000 in student loans to those who set up businesses in poor communities, and a salary increase for teachers, averaging $ 13,500.
"We have an opportunity gap in our country, and one thing we need to do is support black entrepreneurs. I have a plan to do that on multiple fronts," Harris said.
The plan for teachers cost more than $ 300 billion over a decade, and would have been funded by an increase in estate taxes.