By Gary Wickert
In the grand arena of American politics, where the spectators are as fickle as the weather, few have mastered the art of political gymnastics quite like Kamala Harris. With the agility of an Olympic athlete, Harris has flipped, flopped, and contorted her positions in ways that leave even the most seasoned political observers in awe. If there were medals for political flexibility, Harris would surely be draped in gold.
The Many Faces of Justice
Let’s begin with the topic that first put Harris in the national spotlight: criminal justice. As California’s Attorney General, Harris built a reputation as a tough-on-crime prosecutor. She supported the death penalty, fought to keep non-violent offenders incarcerated, and resisted calls to investigate certain police shootings. Back then, it was all about law and order, and Harris wore the badge proudly.
Fast forward to her presidential campaign, and suddenly, Harris the prosecutor had transformed into Harris the reformer. She called for the abolition of private prisons, decried the death penalty, and championed criminal justice reform. It was a full 180-degree turn, leaving some to wonder if they were watching the same person. One moment she’s the top cop, and the next, she’s the crusader for justice. It’s almost as if she realized that her previous positions weren’t quite in line with the progressive base she needed to win over.
Health Care Acrobatics
But Harris’s political gymnastics aren’t confined to criminal justice. Her stances on health care have also seen more flips than a Cirque du Soleil performance. During the 2020 Democratic primary, Harris famously co-sponsored Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All bill, boldly declaring that she was all in on the idea of eliminating private health insurance. It was a bold move, aligning herself with the left wing of the party and signaling a break from the more moderate approach.
But then, like a gymnast reconsidering her routine mid-air, Harris began to pivot. She introduced her own health care plan, which still included a role for private insurers. It was Medicare for All, but with a twist—a ten-year phase-in period and a hybrid public-private system. By the time she exited the race, it was hard to tell exactly where she stood. Was she for Medicare for All? Medicare for Most? Or maybe Medicare for Some? The only thing that was clear was that Harris was determined to stick the landing, even if it meant changing direction mid-jump.
The Dance Around Immigration
Immigration is another area where Harris’s positions have exhibited the kind of flexibility that would make a yogi jealous. As a Senator, she was a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, particularly the separation of families at the border. She called it a “human rights abuse” and demanded accountability. It was a strong, principled stance that resonated with many Americans.
However, Harris’s record as Attorney General tells a slightly different story. Under her watch, the California Department of Justice defended the state’s use of solitary confinement for undocumented immigrants and supported laws that criminalized certain aspects of immigration. These were not the actions of someone who saw immigration as a simple issue of human rights. But in the political world, what’s a little inconsistency when there are votes to be won?
The Green New Flip-Flop
Environmental policy is another area where Harris has shown her remarkable ability to pivot. During her presidential campaign, she enthusiastically endorsed the Green New Deal, positioning herself as a champion of bold climate action. She spoke passionately about the need to address climate change with the urgency it demands, framing it as a moral imperative.
But as Vice President, Harris has had to temper her environmental zeal. The Biden administration’s approach to climate change, while ambitious, has been more moderate than the Green New Deal. There’s been support for natural gas and fracking, and a focus on incremental progress rather than the sweeping changes that the Green New Deal advocates. It’s a balancing act that Harris has had to perform, walking the tightrope between her progressive past and the more pragmatic demands of governing.
Foreign Policy Footwork
Even on foreign policy, Harris has shown her ability to adapt to changing circumstances. As a Senator, she was critical of the Trump administration’s approach to North Korea, arguing that diplomacy with a dictator like Kim Jong-un was naive and dangerous. She emphasized the importance of standing firm against autocrats and prioritizing human rights in American foreign policy.
Yet, as part of the Biden administration, Harris has had to navigate the complex realities of diplomacy, including engaging with regimes that don’t exactly have stellar human rights records. The administration’s approach to Saudi Arabia, for instance, has been one of cautious engagement rather than outright condemnation. It’s a far cry from the moral clarity Harris once championed, but as with all things in politics, the situation is fluid.
Lying Her Way Through Her Routine
Kamala and the Democrats have learned that the simplest way to run a campaign is to lie—lie about your record and fearmonger about your opponent. If there were an easy way to combat these lies and a complicit, lying mainstream media, the Democratic Party wouldn’t even exist as an organization. But there isn’t; so the lies continue. The Washington Post recently wrote an article entitled “The Self-Defeating Nature of Harris’s Lies About Trump. She has said that “Donald Trump will terminate the Constitution” (whatever that means). She said that “Trump would be a dictator on day one” and that he’d “weaponize the Department of Justice against his political opponents”, something the rabid Left actually has done. She said Trump would “ban abortion nationwide”—a statement that doesn’t even make any sense because a president doesn’t have the power to do that and Trump has repeatedly said that he opposes a nationwide ban. After years of claiming that Biden was “sharp as a tack”, she joined the cabal to oust him from office. What the Left doesn’t realize is that the more attacks they levy against Trump, the less believable each one becomes.
Conclusion: The Gold Medalist of Political Gymnastics
Kamala Harris’s political career is a testament to the art of adaptation. In a world where the political winds can change direction at a moment’s notice, she has shown an uncanny ability to pivot, shift, and realign her positions to stay in the game. Some might call it inconsistency, and her brain-washed sycophants will call it pragmatism. But whatever label you choose, there’s no denying that Harris has mastered the craft of political gymnastics.
As you watched—if you watched—the Democratic National Convention, you were hard-pressed to hear Kamala’s supporters outlining her policy positions, because anything they say can and will be used against them by the Trump Campaign. They can’t even with a straight face come out and talk about her desire to cut taxes for the middle class (she will try) because until recently she has trumpeted Bernie Sanders’ income tax hike for households making over $29,000, as well as her own corporate tax hike to 28% which economists say will hurt the middle class and minorities the hardest.
As we watch the sad, but somewhat amusing contortions Kamala Harris performs as she tries to ascend in American politics, it’s worth taking note of the twists and turns she engages in and calling them out for what they are—a complete lack of moral conviction about anything and a willingness to do and say anything to get elected. Whether you agree with her positions or not, you can’t help but be confused by her ability to flip, flop, turn somersaults, perform a full gainer with a two and a half twist, and still land on her feet to the throngs of ignorant applause. After all, in the high-stakes world of politics, it’s not about how many times you lie or flip—it’s about sticking the landing.