Kamala Harris took formal acceptance of the presidential nomination this Thursday during the event. Let’s delve into some of the key points from her speech.
On the theme of “For Our Future,” the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago featured speeches from various legislators, social rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, comedian D.L. Hughley, and musical performances by The Chicks and Pink.
Harris addressed several policy issues during her speech, covering healthcare, taxes, and abortion laws.
CLAIM:
Harris: “[Trump] intends to impose what amounts to a national sales tax – let’s call it a Trump tax – which could raise prices for middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year.”
SOURCES
RESPONSE
Harris’s comparison of Trump’s proposal to impose a 20% tariff on imports (up to 60% on Chinese imports) with a “national sales tax” may not be entirely accurate. While tariffs do impact prices on imported goods, they are not the same as a national tax applicable to every purchase made by Americans.
Economists estimate that Trump’s proposed tariffs could indeed increase costs for middle-class Americans. The Center for American Progress Action Fund estimates that a combined 20% general tax with a 60% tax on Chinese goods could add up to a $3,900 tax increase for a median-income family.
However, Trump has also presented a 10% overall tariff on imported goods instead of 20%. Some estimates suggest that the proposed 10% universal tax for middle-income Americans may result in tax increases lower than the CAP’s estimate.
The Peterson Institute for International Economics projects that such tariffs could cost a median-income household around $1,700 in tax increases every year.
CLAIM:
Harris: “[Donald Trump] plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and will require states to report on abortions and women’s losses.”
SOURCES
RESPONSE
VERIFY found no record of Trump supporting an “anti-abortion coordinator” or mandatory state reporting on abortions and losses by women. In fact, as recent as April, Trump stated that states should decide on pregnancy monitoring.
The claim seems to stem from proposals outlined in the Project 2025, an agenda created by the right-leaning think tank, The Heritage Foundation. The project suggests that the CDC establishes a “national abortion monitoring system.”
While many states already report certain abortion statistics to the CDC, Project 2025 proposes stricter requirements, including reporting all abortions, losses, and birth deaths.
The Project 2025 does not propose an “anti-abortion coordinator” to oversee this monitoring system. It does suggest appointing a “politically appointed and pro-life general coordinator for the Office of Women, Children, and Families” – which is unrelated to national abortion surveillance.
Several individuals who have worked on Trump’s administration and authored Project 2025 have praised The Heritage Foundation in the past. However, Trump has not publicly endorsed Project 2025 and recently denounced some of its ideas as “ridiculous and abysmal.”
CLAIM:
Harris: “[Donald Trump] tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act.”
SOURCES
RESPONSE
It is true that Donald Trump has attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the past.
On his first day as president, Trump emphasized this goal in an executive order requesting federal agencies to minimize unjustified economic and regulatory burdens of the law and prepare states for more flexibility and control to create a freer and more open healthcare market.
During Trump’s presidency, Republicans proposed the American Health Care Act of 2017, which could have made significant changes to the ACA and Medicaid. However, the bill did not garner enough votes in the Senate.
In November 2023, Trump declared in Truth Social that he was “seriously evaluating alternatives” to the ACA, also known as “Obamacare.” A month later, the former president wrote that “the cost of Obamacare is out of control, plus it is not good healthcare,” adding that he would create “a better and cheaper alternative.”
CLAIM:
Harris: “[I] secured $20 billion for middle-class families facing foreclosure lawsuits.”
SOURCES
RESPONSE
Harris was referring to an agreement she negotiated with major banks in 2012 while serving as Attorney General of California. The deal offered economic relief of $20 billion to California homeowners affected by the foreclosure crisis.
However, many homeowners did not remain in their homes as a result of the agreement, according to reports from multiple news platforms.
The Wall Street Journal reported in August 2024 that banks offered $18 billion in mortgage aid, along with $2 billion in additional financing and transition assistance for California homeowners. This is where the $20 billion figure mentioned by Harris originated.
Harris’s office intended to use most of that money for mortgage principal reductions. The aid was meant to ensure homeowners could “truly benefit and stay in their homes,” as stated by the former official’s office at the time. However, this did not materialize for many Californians who received assistance under the agreement, as reported by the Los Angeles Times in 2016.
Short sales accounted for more than half of the debt relief aid offered to Californian homeowners, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Overall, Kamala Harris’s speech at the DNC covered crucial policy issues and her responses to various claims provided valuable insights into these topics.
