Read on Twitter
Okay, going to put my current opinion about Kamala / the race out here in an absurdly long thread. Apparently some ppl like my thoughts on politics.
Let me start by linking articles that, I've found to be detailed and helpful.
Let me start by linking articles that, I've found to be detailed and helpful.
An accounting of her record focusing on case studies of men she kept in prison. It's a bad record. She ought to answer for many of the things in here that has supported the mass incarceration enterprise in this country. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/opinion/kamala-harris-criminal-justice.html
Here a public defender who reviews her experience opposing Harris. For me there is a legitimate portion of her record that stands up for victims of trafficking. That's important stuff. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2020/08/10/kamala-harris-progressive-pioneer-san-francisco-da-column/3334668001/
This piece takes the cake though on doing a thorough examination. It weaves in much of the warranted complexity. Please read! If it tells you anything, it's that everything could use context from the moment itself. And that there's a lot of bad! https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/1/23/18184192/kamala-harris-president-campaign-criminal-justice-record
Then there's this (convincing) article on *why* she has the record she does. @PeterBeinart says it might be because the world is racist, sexist, and unfair, which sometimes forces capitulation from ppl who want to be standard bearers. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/give-kamala-harris-break/615127/
Let me elaborate a bit more on my views.
Does that mean her actions are forgiveable? No. Does that make it more understandable? Yes. Does the world operate in the greys, where intent can matter more in some cases and less in others when balanced with harmful effects? Yes.
Does that mean her actions are forgiveable? No. Does that make it more understandable? Yes. Does the world operate in the greys, where intent can matter more in some cases and less in others when balanced with harmful effects? Yes.
Then there's this excellence by @perrybaconjr that is an all around round-up of the different things this selection means. Ideologically, symbolically, electorally, etc. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/kamala-harris-biden-vice-president/
Now, more generally, it is indeed a historic selection! Despite all of the flaws, no one in this moment can quantify the positive impacts of such nakedly powerful symbolism. They exist and are out there sneaking their way through society, bettering communities slowly but surely.
In terms of her Senate career, her actual voting record seems to map almost perfectly to progressive leadership. There's more to the job than voting, but it just goes to show how in sync Dem politics actually is at a bill level.
https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/compare-votes/115
https://projects.propublica.org/represent/members/compare-votes/115
Now Harris is clearly weakest on CJR. I'm optimistic in general about a Biden administration on this specifically because of two things. One is that the unity task forces with Bernie seem to be having a bigger impact than is popularly recognized. There are some good folks on CJR.
Two. Don't underestimate the enormity of what this protest movement has done to evolve thinking (mine certainly has). There is genuine evidence that this has impacted Harris via the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. There's good, important stuff here.
https://www.harris.senate.gov/news/press-releases/harris-bass-booker-nadler-introduce-the-justice-in-policing-act-of-2020
https://www.harris.senate.gov/news/press-releases/harris-bass-booker-nadler-introduce-the-justice-in-policing-act-of-2020
There's also the viral video on the anti-lynching bill, which clearly became a passion project, directly through the BLM protests. https://twitter.com/npr/status/1268909376758255625
It'll be important to hold her to these (flip-floppy!) newer impulses. But if John Lewis, a political idol, can love and forgive KKK members, without giving up on his fellow human, I can certainly give Harris a shot on this.
(This is where I acknowledge and resoundingly criticize the crime bill by Biden.)
Harris does great on the environment. Frankly, all the Democrats do. @leahstokes has a good thread talking about this. https://twitter.com/leahstokes/status/1293399991705313280
The Sunrise Movement also put out a statement. https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmt/status/1293299407241314306
On HC she was to the right of the M4A ppl (mostly she was just confusing tho). This is a more controversial position of mine, but due to the relative success of healthcare systems in Canada, Denmark, UK, etc. I'd rather replicate those w/ a public option.
https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/health-care/2019/2/12/18215430/single-payer-private-health-insurance-harris-sanders
https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/health-care/2019/2/12/18215430/single-payer-private-health-insurance-harris-sanders
Btw if you ever want to use international examples to support M4A, you gotta go with Taiwan. Only real success, but still deeply valid. https://www.vox.com/health-care/2020/1/13/21028702/medicare-for-all-taiwan-health-insurance
And if you want to use a fully private healthcare system that functions remarkably well, you can use the Netherlands. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/1/17/21046874/netherlands-universal-health-insurance-private
So on my top issue Harris/Biden are great. Perhaps naively, I see inroads to better Harris on her obvious weaknesses. So, all my cards on the table, I personally think it's fine to celebrate her. Optimism is an essential driver for progress, and it isn't antagonistic to realism.
