From: The New York Times <nytdirect@nytimes.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 27, 2024 at 3:35 AM
Subject: The Morning: 21 questions for Harris
To: <stevescott@techacq.com>
Good morning. We're covering unanswered questions about a Harris administration — as well as the Telegram founder, an attack in Ukraine and an Oasis comeback tour.
What would she do?Kamala Harris has largely avoided answering questions since her campaign began: She hasn't participated in a town hall or given an extended media interview. She and her aides say she will do one soon. In the meantime, I've worked with my Times colleagues to put together a list of 21 questions that could help the country understand how she would govern. Here they are, separated into four categories. Economic policy
1. Madam Vice President, your agenda revolves around helping the middle class — such as offering a credit of up to $25,000 for first-time home buyers and increasing the child tax credit. You haven't said much about some big related issues, though, including paid leave and universal preschool. Will you try to revive President Biden's plans? 2. You support raising taxes on households that make more than $400,000. But these tax increases may not be large enough both to pay for your agenda and to reduce the federal debt, as you've promised. How would you reduce the debt? 3. Biden has been more populist than other recent Democratic presidents. He's skeptical of free trade and has subsidized manufacturing. Are you as populist as he is? Or are there any policy areas in which you would return to a more market-friendly, neoliberal approach? 4. Biden has cracked down on monopoly power, and a central player in this fight is Lina Khan of the Federal Trade Commission, who has focused on Big Tech. Some of your campaign donors in Silicon Valley want you to fire her. Would you? 5. The Biden administration made an important change on climate policy, emphasizing subsidies for clean energy rather than taxes on dirty energy. This approach is more politically popular. Is it delivering fast enough climate progress? 6. You support the PRO Act, which would make it easier for workers to join unions. Recent Democratic presidents have supported similar bills — but failed to pass them. How would you give wary labor leaders confidence that the PRO Act will be a priority? 7. You've blamed corporate price gouging for high grocery prices. Many economists disagree, arguing that the industry has too much competition for widespread gouging to be a problem. Can you explain how your anti-gouging policy would lower prices? 8. The U.S. government has done little to regulate social media, and social media has contributed to some big problems, like polarization and loneliness. Now we have a new technological force: A.I. How would you regulate it? Social issues
9. Would you support eliminating the filibuster to pass a bill that restores nationwide abortion rights? 10. You have changed your position on immigration. You once called for decriminalizing illegal border crossings. Now you are an immigration hawk who promises to secure the border better than Donald Trump would. Can you explain your evolution? 11. Four years ago, you said, "It is actually wrong and backward to think that more police officers will create more safety." Do you still believe that? Foreign policy
12. Many Ukraine supporters think the Biden administration has been too cautious with its aid. Would you be more aggressive with the kind of weapons you sent? 13. Military analysts are skeptical that Ukraine can ever regain all of its prewar territory. How does this war end? 14. It can be hard to see a path to peace for Israelis and Palestinians. How would you both alleviate Palestinian suffering and protect Israel from the enemies that seek its destruction? 15. The Biden administration initially distanced itself from Saudi Arabia but has since signaled that the U.S. needs the Saudis — much as the Trump administration believed — both to help moderate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to counter Iran's aggression. What would your Saudi policy be? 16. Iran has made progress toward being able to build a nuclear weapon. If intelligence agencies told you that Iran was building a weapon, would you order a military attack? Or can the world live with a nuclear-armed Iran? 17. Taiwan is a thriving democracy that China evidently wants to conquer. Biden has said that the U.S. would fight to defend Taiwan if China attacked. Still, some experts doubt the U.S. would. If China did invade, what would you do? 18. Trump frequently criticizes U.S. allies for not pulling their weight. Do you think Western Europe, Japan and Canada spend enough on their militaries? If not, how would you pressure them? Politics and more19. Donald Trump can sound unhinged, telling frequent lies and rejecting basic democratic traditions. Yet millions of Americans — including more voters of color than in the past — support him. Why do you think so many people are frustrated enough that they find Trump appealing? 20. Your campaign spends less time describing Trump as an existential threat than Biden or Hillary Clinton did and more time ridiculing Trump. What do you think are the most effective ways to persuade swing voters that he shouldn't be president? 21. Are there any U.S. presidents you particularly admire — besides Biden, Barack Obama and the typical answers of F.D.R., Lincoln and Washington — and why? More on the election
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