Reacting briefly to Harris's book

 So, as I settle in for the debate, I do want to announce that I read her book from her 2020 campaign while on break and finished it today. 

Honestly? I think she's hiding her power level. She shows a pretty decent command of the issues, and while her work fixation is cringey to me, she's shown openness to medicare for all and even basic income. While I dont think she's realized the full potential of such programs, especially UBI, she actually is open to it. She's also on the money with housing and I see where she got her housing ideas from. Why no LIFT act or medicare for all? Well, I blame Biden and the democratic party. 

Harris is a "team player". She's not gonna rock the boat, or upset things probably, and she's supposed to be a continuation of the Biden administration, which hamstrings her agenda, and she's running as a democrat, which also hamstrings her agenda significantly, as all pressure within the party is "you have to run right to get elected." So she's abandoning ideas that make her seem super far left, even if they're right, and is kind of triangulating in order to win.

And sadly, considering the race is 50-50 and a lot of independents think she's "too far left" for some reason, she's having to hide her power level so to speak to ensure that she wins. Ugh, if it needs to be done, so be it, but I don't like that, AT ALL. Anyway, I can't blame Harris, she's constrained by institutions and other parties. Much like AOC, much like Bernie Sanders. I wont say she's as left as them, but she's probably more progressive than she's letting on and if the public pressured her on healthcare and even UBI...she'd likely happily acquiesce. 

So yeah, I'd give her a vote just for that. We might be pleasantly surprised.

Admittedly, I do find her to be frustratingly moderate at times. Like, sometimes she seems so close to getting it, like on poverty and UBI and then she just kind of still says stupid crap like "most americans don't want it easy" or "most americans like to work" and i just DESPISE those virtue signals. Hell yeah, we should make life easier. Hell yeah, we should get rid of work, the problem is we're so brainwshed with these sentiments, and these sentiments persist so strongly, that people are effectively pressured to go along with them. People who don't accept them are considered just weird, or "entitled" (yeah I still hate that word), or lazy, or something is "wrong" with them. They may face social sanctions, losing jobs because "well if you dont wanna work, let's just cut off your access to basic needs, after all, it's voluntary." They may face social sanctions like loss of relationships with others. Our society literally does operate like a cult and those who don't accept the teachings and beliefs are castigated. Why do you think I'm writing this stuff anonymously? If people knew who I am I'd never get a job and be forced to the margins of society with my attitude.

But yeah other than that, I find Harris to be....one of the best options the democrats would allow. We're getting some milquetoast brand of politics foisted on us whether we like it or not. Harris is the best person of the options allowed though. I say vote for her and hope she "powers up" after the election. She could pleasantly surprise us.