There Is So Much At Stake This Election. That's Why We Endorse Kamala Harris.

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We're BuzzFeed, and we unequivocally endorse Kamala Harris for president. While we do not believe media endorsements sway opinion, we’re also real people who understand what’s critically at stake in this election.

As the digital media company that reaches the largest number of millennials and Gen Z'ers — the majority of them women — we find it necessary to underscore the importance of protecting abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, the rights of minorities, freedom to protest, and more this election.

While we understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions when it comes to politics, we don't believe human rights are up for debate. Kamala Harris respects people with different opinions; Donald Trump wants to prosecute them. Even here at BuzzFeed, we celebrate a range of viewpoints, but it's clear to us that only one candidate fosters that kind of open conversation — and that's Kamala Harris. With that being said, let's get into it.

As division in our country grows, what has become unequivocally clear is one thing: Donald J. Trump must never again become president of the United States.

Throughout his rampage in the political sphere, Donald Trump has repeatedly undermined our democracy by:

Falsely declaring himself the winner of the 2020 presidential election; purportedly “inciting an insurrection” that led to his second impeachment following the Jan. 6 attack his followers staged on the Capitol; swearing — again and again — that he will imprison, punish, and “handle” any American citizen who stands against him; becoming the first president in US history to be charged for a crime after his now-infamous “hush money” trial, during which he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records; suggesting he will withhold aid from Blue states during national disasters unless Democratic leaders comply with his wishes; clashing with foreign leaders; nearly starting a nuclear war with North Korea via Twitter; and refusing to answer whether he will accept the 2024 election results.

Outside of throwing constitutionality to the wind, the 78-year-old has also proven to falter when it comes to base-level morality.

He has repeatedly bragged about “killing” Roe v. Wade, emboldened and uplifted white supremacist groups, spewed racism and misogyny, fostered an ever-growing connection to Project 2025, allegedly praised Adolf Hitler, referred to fallen American soldiers as “losers,” and he is a predator who has been found liable for sexual abuse. 

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So, when considering who can lead with experience, morals, clarity of mind, care for all Americans, and an actual commitment to the Constitution without threatening recourse, Kamala Harris is the only option.

And though some voters may feel she does not lean far enough into the issues they wish her to stand firm on, Harris is not just an “anti-Trump vote.” Her policies can lead us forward. 

Here are 16 reasons why we support Kamala Harris for president.

1. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Harris has promised to block a national abortion ban from becoming law and sign a bill restoring reproductive freedom.

After Trump took credit for overturning Roe v. Wade, 21 states have since banned or restricted abortion procedures past the standards Roe helped protect. Now, Republicans want access to women’s healthcare records if they choose to cross state lines to receive care; doctors are faced with letting patients circle the drain of death before providing care under strict abortion laws; and a woman has died in what state officials called a “preventable” death as a direct result of abortion bans. Harris is the only major party candidate who has promised to help restore protections in women’s healthcare that could prevent more unnecessary tragedies.  

2. Harris stands for a ceasefire in Gaza and supports Americans’ right to protest.

We may not all agree on the causes of or solutions for the ongoing bloodshed and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but we stand with Vice President Harris in calling for a ceasefire and a solution to the conflict that would allow innocent Palestinian civilians to live in peace, safety, and dignity. And, unlike her opponent, who has repeatedly called to turn the force of the US military against Americans exercising their First Amendment rights, Harris supports the right to protest so that all of our voices can be heard. 

3. Harris has proposed limiting childcare costs to help working parents.

Childcare costs can be exorbitant — in some places, it can cost more than the average monthly rent. Kamala Harris has a plan that would cap these costs at 7% of a family’s income to help middle-class parents get ahead. 

4. Harris listens to scientists on the significance of climate change.

VP Harris calls climate change an “existential threat” and has taken action to support that statement. The Biden-Harris administration granted $1 billion in 2022 to address flooding and extreme heat due to climate change and passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which was the “largest infusion of government cash into climate and clean-energy initiatives,” setting the US on track to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. In 2023, she represented the US at the United Nations Climate Summit, partnering with other nations and the private sector to invest in climate resilience programs worldwide. As president, she has vowed to continue building on climate work at home and abroad to create a cleaner and healthier world.   

5. Harris has vocally stood against Project 2025.

Despite attempts to distance himself from far-right conservatives’ Project 2025, both Trump and his intended VP’s connection is undeniable. The plan promises to dismantle the Department of Education, remove access to abortion drugs nationwide, deploy the US military as law enforcement, remove protections for LGBTQ+ families, make birth control harder to obtain, disallow the FBI from combatting the spread of misinformation, decentering climate change initiatives from the Department of Agriculture, cutting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and more.

On her website, Harris outlines how Project 2025 could hurt everyday Americans, writing that the Project and Trump’s plans will: “Jack up prices, weaken the middle class, cut Social Security and Medicare, eliminate the Department of Education and preschool programs like Head Start, and end the Affordable Care Act… His plans would increase costs for families by at least $3,900 a year by slapping a Trump sales tax on imported everyday goods that American families rely on, like gas, food, clothing, and medicine. Trump would raise rents and add $1,200 a year to the typical American mortgage… Trump’s economic plans would also trigger a recession by mid-2025, cost America over 3 million jobs, threaten hundreds of thousands of clean energy jobs, increase the debt by over $5 trillion, send inflation skyrocketing, and hurt everyone but the richest Americans.” 

6. Healthcare costs can be a huge burden on Americans, but Harris has a plan to make it more affordable.

Unlike her opponent, who wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act with only “concepts of a plan” to replace it, Harris understands how healthcare costs impact the middle class. She plans to continue the Biden administration’s negotiations with drug companies that capped insulin prices at $35 to bring down the costs of even more essential medications. As Vice President, she worked to get medical debt removed from credit reports and got $7 billion in medical debt canceled for 3 million Americans. As president, she will work with the states to get even more medical debt wiped away.

7. Harris plans on protecting LGBTQ+ families.

According to the ACLU, the Biden-Harris administration “ordered federal agencies to protect LGBTQ people against discrimination by ensuring that the Supreme Court’s historic decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, in which the court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, applied in the contexts of not just employment, but housing, health care, and credit lending. The administration also reopened the military to transgender service members, reversing the Trump administration’s ban. Additionally, the administration expanded access to gender-affirming health care through government healthcare programs, including in federal prisons, and expanded access to accurate gender markers on federal government identification documents, such as passports.” Harris plans to keep this momentum going under her presidency. 

8. Harris supports raising the federal minimum wage and other measures to help workers.

The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 per hour since 2009, even as prices on everything from housing to groceries have risen. Instead of cosplaying as a minimum wage worker, Harris has pledged her support for a $15-per-hour federal minimum wage. She also stands against the sub-minimum wage paid in some states to tipped workers and workers with disabilities. Additionally, a Harris administration would work to establish paid family and medical leave and end taxes on tips.

9. Harris plans to work with Republicans to fix the US immigration system.

Kamala Harris wants to secure the US southern border in the most humane way possible by increasing the number of agents at the border and the number of judges who evaluate asylum claims through the bipartisan border bill. Harris also supports increasing ICE’s funding, which will expand detention capacities for migrants and raise asylum claim standards. Harris acknowledges the positive impact that immigrants have on the US, unlike Donald Trump, and wants to increase legal immigration over time by creating more employment and family green-card-eligible visas. 

10. Harris has a plan to bring down the costs of housing and help first-time home buyers.

Whether you rent or own (or dream of being able to afford your own place), housing costs have been stubbornly high for years, thanks, in part, to a housing shortage. Kamala Harris has a plan to build 3 million new housing units in four years to help bring costs down. Her plan would also give $25,000 in down payment assistance to first-time home buyers to help more people achieve the American Dream of owning their own homes.

11. Harris has a plan to take on corporate greed and bring down prices on everyday essentials.

Inflation spiked worldwide after the pandemic, and some corporations took advantage of rising costs to increase their prices even higher, leading to record profits. A Harris administration would crack down on anti-competitive business practices that allow corporations to inflate prices artificially and would ban predatory price gouging so that working people can get some relief from high grocery prices. 

12. In a country where gun violence outshines other parts of the world, Harris plans to uphold the Second Amendment and instate common sense laws to help quell gun violence.

As a gun owner herself — and with potential VP Tim Walz by her side as an avid hunter — Harris strongly stands by the Second Amendment. With this in mind, she hopes to make the US safer in terms of gun violence. According to her website, Harris wants to "ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require universal background checks, and support red flag laws that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people."

During the Sept. 10 presidential debate, Harris told Trump, "We're not taking anybody's guns away, so stop with the continuous lying about this stuff."

13. Harris plans to cut taxes for the middle class and get the wealthy to pay their fair share.

Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged that she will not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year, and that she will restore two tax credits that benefit the middle class: the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. Harris also supports a minimum income tax on billionaires and raising the corporate tax rate. 

14. While Trump is calling fallen American soldiers “losers” and “suckers,” Harris and Walz have mapped out a plan to take care of veterans at home.

Under a Harris-Walz administration, the two say they will “fight to end veteran homelessness, investing in mental health and suicide prevention efforts, and eliminating barriers to employment and expanding economic opportunity for military and veteran families.”

15. Small businesses and entrepreneurs would get a boost from Harris’s economic plans.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs are the backbone of the American economy, and Harris has a plan to help these essential businesses prosper. Harris would offer $20,000 forgivable loans for Black entrepreneurs, raise the start-up tax deduction from $5,000 to $50,000, and dedicate more federal funds to helping small businesses grow. 

16. And finally, Harris believes in the freedom of the press, as written in the First Amendment of our Constitution.

Harris does not view news outlets that disagree with her positions as “enemies.” Recently, she sat down for an interview with Fox News Host Bret Baier — a journalist and news station who criticize her — proving she is willing to engage with all forms of media and respects their right to report. She has advocated for combatting misinformation while also maintaining press freedom. Harris understands the freedom of the press as a core aspect of our democracy and will fight to protect it. 

We deserve more than a concept of a plan. Make your voice count and register to vote here.

After you vote, don't forget to make your own custom 'I Voted' sticker here.

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