Harris’ policies are in the spotlight of the debate

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Kamala Harris has unveiled some centrist-leaning policy proposals, abandoned some previous positions and left much else vague as she prepares for a crucial U.S. presidential debate with Donald Trump.

The Democratic vice president published a list of policy measures on her website on the eve of the conflict. Republicans then accused her of changing her mind on important issues.

Here is where the White House contender stands in five key areas:

Harris emphasized her commitment to the American middle class, citing her own background as the child of a single mother in California, and said she wanted to create an “economy of opportunity.”

Her most concrete measures to date include a $6,000 child tax credit for newborns. She has also promised tax cuts for 100 million Americans while raising taxes on the rich and lowering housing prices.

Taxes are one of the few policy areas where she has broken with President Joe Biden. As a concession to moderate voters, she wants a 28 percent tax on capital gains, less than the 39.6 percent proposed by Biden.

Harris has also promised to eliminate taxation on tips for service sector workers, weeks after Trump announced a similar measure.

She has announced that she will crack down on corporate “price gouging” to get a handle on high prices – one of her biggest weaknesses against Republican Trump – but her plans on that front remain vague.

Harris has not outlined a detailed environmental policy, except for one key area: fracking.

She has vowed not to ban the process of extracting oil and gas under high pressure – although she had previously spoken out against it.

In her first and only television interview since becoming the Democratic candidate, she told CNN that her “values ​​have not changed,” even though her position has changed.

According to the news site Axios, Harris has also backed away from her opposition to plastic straws.

As Vice President, she strongly supported Biden’s energy transition as part of the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act.”

Illegal migration across the US-Mexico border is one of the most sensitive issues in the election campaign.

Harris said in her CNN interview that there will be “consequences” for people who cross the border illegally.

She supported Biden’s efforts to tighten migration policy and advocated investments in the “border wall” demanded by Trump – despite her previous criticism of it.

However, Biden’s proposals never made it through the divided Congress as Republicans blocked them in an attempt to inflict political damage on Democrats.

Harris’ stance on abortion, another central campaign issue, is beyond doubt.

She has repeatedly criticized Trump for boasting that he allowed the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn federal abortion laws.

Harris has stated that if elected, she will work to enshrine abortion protection in U.S. law.

Harris was more outspoken than Biden on the issue of civilians killed by Israel in the Gaza war, leading to speculation that she might take a harder line against the US ally.

But in her CNN interview, she said she would not stop arms sales to Israel despite calls from Democrats and Arab-American voters to do so and promised to help Israel defend itself.