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Kamala Harris Embodies the Subjective Reality of America’s Left
Kamala Harris claims that, although she’s reversed her positions, her “values” remain unchanged. The epitome of hypocrisy in the interest of political expediency, Harris’ claim is also an insight into the subjective reality that she and America’s Left share.
In her first (and long-delayed) media appearance since her nomination, Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz were interviewed by CNN’s Dana Bash on Aug. 30. Bash asked about two of Harris’ claimed position reversals; Harris assiduously avoided responding directly. (READ MORE: Kamala Harris Has a Plan — To Take, Take, Take)
“When you were in Congress, you supported the Green New Deal. And in 2019 you said, quote, ‘There is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.’”
Harris replied “No, and I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020, that I would not ban fracking. As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking.” Interestingly, Harris never made it to a 2020 debate stage, because she dropped out in December of 2019.
Without noting the discrepancy, Bash returned to the question: “In 2019, I believe in a town hall you said — you were asked, ‘Would you commit to implementing a federal ban on fracking on your first day in office?’ and you said, ‘There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking. So yes.’ So it changed in — in that campaign?”
Harris again attempted to claim that she changed her position on fracking in 2020: “In 2020 I made very clear where I stand. We are in 2024, and I have not changed that position, nor will I going forward. I kept my word, and I will keep my word.” (READ MORE: Who Won the Debate? AI Says Kamala Did.)
Moving past whether Harris had reversed her position, Bash asked Harris why she had: “What made you change that position at the time?”
This time, Harris tried to elevate herself out of answering the question entirely by switching her focus from her reversed position to her “values.” Harris responded “Well, let’s be clear. My values have not changed.”
Moving to illegal immigration, another Harris flip-flop, Bash recounted “Just one other question about something that you said in 2019 when you first ran. There was a debate. You raised your hand when asked whether or not the border should be decriminalized. Do you still believe that?”
Harris again attempted a transparent dodge: “I believe there should be consequences. We have laws that have to be followed and enforced that address and deal with people who cross our border illegally. And there should be consequences… And I would enforce our laws as president going forward. I recognize the problem.”
What Harris did not respond to was whether she still believed that illegal immigration “should be decriminalized” as she had in 2019. Instead, Harris acknowledged that “we have laws” (which is obvious) and that she “would enforce our laws as president” (as she would be constitutionally required to do), but she did not say whether she would push to repeal laws that make illegal immigration “illegal” — which was what Bash’s question raised and what Harris supported in 2019.
Concluding, Bash stated: “Generally speaking, how should voters look at some of the changes that you’ve made — that you explained some of here — in your policy?”
Harris again sought to evade by “elevating” her response away from mere positions and onto higher “values”: “Dana, I think the — the — the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed.”
The distinction that Harris was seemingly attempting to make is that despite her claims of having diametrically reversed two key positions, her “values” somehow remain steadfast.
Harris and the Left Don’t Have What Most People Call ‘Values’
For most Americans, this is a confusing contrast. To most people, “values” are a lodestar for action. A route that diverges from the lodestar is either off course, or the lodestar is not, in fact, a lodestar.
The same applies to personal values. Values are, by definition, “universals,” applying to everything all of the time. They should guide us consistently through the vagaries of day-to-day life. If instead, our actions merely mirror life’s vagaries — as Harris claims hers do on fracking and illegal immigration — then we are hardly following values. (READ MORE: The Most Important Question Harris Can’t Answer)
Harris is, of course, caught in a bind — her extremist left positions are extremely unpopular — and now a lie. However, Harris is unintentionally also perfectly demonstrating the application of the American Left’s subjective reality.
For America’s Left, what it propounds is the moment’s reality. Of course, the moment can change, as Kamala so ineloquently demonstrates, but that is the whole point: Reality is whatever America’s Left needs it to be at a particular moment.
Understanding the Left’s subjective reality is what allows us to understand America’s Left.
To Kamala, it is not alarming to claim that her “values” have not changed, even as she claims her fundamental positions on important issues have completely reversed.
For Kamala and America’s Left, there can be no permanent, objective definitions. Words mean whatever they want them to mean. Ditto, the Constitution: it is not to be interpreted in the way words were used at the time they were written, but as they can be reapplied to the Left’s momentary desires.
All are examples of the Left’s subjective reality. And all demonstrate the danger this subjective reality holds for America.
Without objective standards, there is no constraint on America’s Left, which is just what America’s Left wants. And America’s Left will accept no constraint because there is only one constant for America’s Left: the accrual of power. Power is the Left’s only objective value; all else is merely a means to this goal.
While the rest of America stands scratching its collective head at the Left’s ever-changing subjective reasonings, the Left moves inexorably after its objective: more power. Similarly, as Bash and the rest of America stand mystified that Harris would not answer basic questions about her reasons for reversing fundamental positions, Harris blithely moves on in her quest for the presidency.
There is a temptation to write off Kamala Harris as simply a phony: another do-anything, say-anything politician in pursuit of office. Yes, she is all these things. But she is also more. Kamala Harris is the embodiment of the Left’s subjective reality: a series of ever-mutable means in an immutable pursuit of power.
J.T. Young was a professional staffer in the House and Senate from 1987-2000, served in the Department of Treasury and Office of Management and Budget from 2001-2004, and was director of government relations for a Fortune 20 company from 2004-2023.
The post Kamala Harris Embodies the Subjective Reality of America’s Left appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.
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