As Vice President Kamala Harris seeks to move up to the presidency, she is haunted by her own past actions. Harris cast deciding votes to pass both the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which critics say have fueled the inflationary crisis gripping the country.
In 2024, inflation remains a top concern for American families, with prices still rising and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increasing by 0.2% in the most recent report. Core inflation is up by 0.3%, higher than anticipated, adding to voter frustrations. Bloomberg’s Michael McKee explained that these increases were more significant than economists predicted, with year-over-year inflation figures at 2.4% and 3.3% for headline and core inflation, respectively.
Unemployment is also a growing issue, with jobless claims jumping from 225,000 to 258,000 in a single month, adding more pressure on Harris’ campaign. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden continues to tout Harris’ involvement in his administration, saying she has played a key role in everything from foreign to domestic policy.
Harris’ struggle to distance herself from the economic woes she helped foster could be a critical obstacle to her campaign.