I plan to vote for Kamala Harris. Why? Simply because she is not Donald Trump. In my judgment, Trump is (1) an authoritarian narcissist whose rhetoric is mean-spirited and untethered from reality and (2) an isolationist with wrong-headed views on trade and immigration and downright scary views on national security issues like NATO, Ukraine, and Taiwan.
But every time Harris says something specific about economic policy, she makes my voting for her more painful. For example: No taxes on tips, stricter rules against price gouging, expanded price controls on pharmaceuticals.
My take on these issues:
1. The janitor who cleans the restaurant after it closes should not face a higher tax rate than the waiter who earns much of his income in tips.
2. Inflation is about supply and demand, not price gouging. Ask Janet Yellen or any of the other excellent economists in the Biden-Harris administration.
3. Greater pharmaceutical price controls mean less research and fewer cures in the future, as the Wall Street Journal points out today.
I read that, in the coming days, Harris plans to be vague about her policy plans. I hope that is true because by advocating specific ill-advised (if politically attractive) policies during the campaign, she might feel compelled to follow through on them after she is elected. After the election, good policy is more likely to win out against good politics. At least I hope so.
Ms. Harris, you have my vote, but please, don't make it any more painful for me.