Vice President Harris Unveils $100 Billion Manufacturing Plan in Pittsburgh Speech

Harris pitches herself as "pragmatic" capitalist as she tries to win more support

Pittsburgh -- Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about lowering costs for the middle class and cast herself as a pro-business, "pragmatic" capitalist in an address Wednesday that focused on toplines of her economic plan and kept the details broad. In describing her economic philosophy, Harris invoked Franklin Roosevelt and said she'd engage in "bold, persistent experimentation." She called for "practical solutions" not "constrained by ideology" and said she would take "good ideas from wherever they come." CBS News' recent polling shows her cutting into former president Donald Trump's lead among voters who say the economy is a "major factor" in their vote, but primarily among those who believe the economy is good or improving. Harris' speech reiterated proposals she has already announced on housing affordability, calling for a federal ban on price gouging and expanding tax credits for young parents and those looking to start a small business. She also suggested that she'd continue or expand on Biden administration policies if elected. Her three-pillar plan would expand or restore tax cuts enacted during the Biden administration, such as the earned income tax credit or child tax credit. She also said she'd work to expand Medicaid, lower prescription drug costs and prioritize union contracts for government projects. Harris also spoke about spurring domestic manufacturing and innovation through a set of tax incentives. She said the U.S. must "recommit to global leadership in the sectors that will define the next century" such as bio-manufacturing, artificial intelligence and Blockchain, the technology that enables cryptocurrency. As part of an existing push to improve infrastructure, Harris also said she would work to reform permitting. Asked during an interview Wednesday with MSNBC how she'd finance her economic plans, she pointed to a hike in the corporate tax rate and pledged no taxes would be raised for those making under $400,000. "I'm not mad at anyone for achieving success, but everyone should pay their fair share," she said. Harris' plan also signals she'd continue Mr. Biden's antitrust approach by directing her administration to "crack down on unfair mergers and acquisitions that give big food corporations the power to jack up food." A previous policy sheet for her campaign specifically cited the merger of Kroger-Albertsons, two big grocery store chains, as one that would be "closely scrutinized" by her administration. CBS News has reached out to the Harris campaign on if she would keep Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, who has enacted an aggressive antitrust record, as some of her biggest Democratic billionaire donors have pushed for Khan's ouster. Khan told "60 Minutes" she would "absolutely" serve in a Harris administration if asked. Although Mr. Biden, when he was still running for president, often touted job growth and unemployment numbers to defend his economic record, Harris acknowledged the rise in the cost of living and highlighted her own upbringing in a middle-class home. "Let's be clear, for all these positive steps, the cost of living in America is still just too high. You know it, and I know it, and that was true long before the pandemic hit," Harris said on Wednesday. "I understand the pressures of making ends meet. I grew up in a middle-class family, and while we were more fortunate than many," Harris said, "I still remember my mother sitting at that yellow Formica table late at night, cup of tea in hand with a pile of bills in front of her, just trying to make sure that she paid them off by the end of the month." The inflation rate in the months leading up to the pandemic, during the Trump administration, was closer to between 2% and 2.5%, according to U.S. Labor Bureau data. It climbed as high as 9.1% in June 2022, during the Biden administration but has gradually dropped to 2.5% as of August 2024. Trump has repeatedly slammed Harris and sought to tie her to high inflation during the Biden administration. "Kamala goes to work every day in the White House. Families are suffering now. So if she has a plan, she should stop grandstanding and do it," Trump said Wednesday in North Carolina. On Wednesday, Harris highlighted her differences with Trump on the economy, record and personal background. She pointed to manufacturing jobs lost during his administration in the White House and touted approval from economists of her plan over his. "His agenda would weaken the economy and hurt working people and the middle class. You see for Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers, not those who actually build them, not those who wire them, not those who mop the floors," Harris said. Businessman and investor Mark Cuban, who attended Harris' speech, praised her plan as "clear and precise" but called for more specifics on healthcare and prescription drug pricing. Asked what Harris needs to do to convince more voters to choose her vision for the economy over Trump, Cuban said "it just takes time." "You're not going to convert everybody on day one. It's like opening up a business, right? You don't just throw your product out there and expect everybody to buy it. It takes time to communicate what it's about, why yours is better and the benefits of that product, and she's got until Nov. 4 to communicate those messages," he told reporters.

Harris outlines $100 billion manufacturing plan, vowing pragmatism over ideology

PITTSBURGH -- Kamala Harris vowed to govern as a pragmatist who won't be captive to ideology in an economic speech Wednesday while outlining some $100 billion in new investments in manufacturing, a major issue in this battleground state. Harris proposed an "America Forward" agenda that calls for tax credits to boost investment and industrial job creation, along with investments in artificial intelligence, science and energy development, as well as supporting American-made products. "This plan will cost approximately $100 billion and will be paid for by a portion of the proceeds of international tax reform, which seeks to prevent a global race to the bottom and to discourage inversions, outsourcing, or international tax strategies designed by corporations to avoid paying their fair share to the United States," the Harris campaign said in a fact sheet. Harris also called for cutting red tape to build in the U.S., and endorsed nixing "unnecessary" college degree requirements for various federal jobs, mirroring a policy that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro enacted in this battleground state. "I promise you I will be pragmatic in my approach," Harris told a tightly packed crowd here. "Because I believe we shouldn't be constrained by ideology and should instead seek practical solutions to problems." "I'm a capitalist. I believe in free and fair markets," she said. The Democratic vice president, who is battling criticism for being light on various policy issues, sought to claim the mantle of the middle-class candidate while portraying Republican rival Donald Trump as the candidate of the billionaire class. The speech was light on new policy details and heavy on framing the broad contrast she's seeking to drive. "Donald Trump has no intention of lowering costs for the middle class. In fact, his economic agenda would actually raise prices," she said, citing nonpartisan economists who have examined Trump's plan for aggressive tariffs. The speech marks an attempt by Harris to neutralize Trump's advantage on who would best handle the economy and address the cost of living, which consistently rank as top issues for voters. Her campaign has already made inroads with voters about handling the economy, slashing Trump's 22-point lead over Joe Biden in January to a 9-point lead over Harris in a new NBC News poll. For undecided voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania, it could be crucial. Economic concerns have been a liability for Democrats throughout the 2024 campaign cycle, as the post-pandemic global economy saw inflation rise. Republicans tried to pin responsibility domestically on Democrats, arguing it was fueled by the large spending bills President Joe Biden signed into law. And while domestic economic policies can have reverberating impacts, the supply chains that caused higher prices are, at least in part, beholden to global economic conditions. Before he dropped out of the race in July, Biden tried to embrace ownership of the economy, a bet that conditions would improve by Election Day and that voters would reward him for his record. Harris has offered a different message, saying she recognizes there's still too much economic pain and focused her new planks on relieving the pressure of high costs for the middle class. Overall, Harris hasn't departed dramatically from Biden on policy. Trump has sought to paint his economic policies as solutions to Democratic woes, focusing heavily on tax cuts and tariffs as a panacea, while making lofty promises about slashing energy costs. He has struggled when asked to get specific about how he would bring down costs and deal with issues like child care. Trump has also sought to define Harris not by the moderate positions of her 2024 campaign but by the left-leaning stances of her failed bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination. Voters who attended Harris' speech expressed confusion that other Americans see Trump as good for the economy. "I don't understand how you can trust someone who repeatedly lies," said Angela Garcia, who lives in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and watched the speech in person Wednesday. Susan Bails of Pittsburgh, who is retired, noted that inflation is "a global phenomenon" due to the pandemic, one that has hurt her too, being on a fixed income. "I'm really scratching my head at why anybody is thinking Republicans are good on the economy," Bails said, adding that the last few GOP presidents -- Trump and George W. Bush -- expanded the deficit and left the economy in ruins. Denise Meyers, a 74-year-old Harris supporter who attended the speech, cited Trump's anti-union record to argue he's bad for the middle class. "I do not think, with all of his bankruptcies, that he's good for the American economy," Meyers added. "I feel he's out of touch. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth." As for Harris, Meyers said, "I think she has good economic ideas to grow and help the middle class." Harris touted her plans for expanding the child tax credit, tackling prices for housing, food, and prescription drugs, and expanding tax breaks for small businesses. She also said she would "invest in our industrial strength" and counter China's global strength. She said that includes propping up factory towns -- many in this area have suffered economically in recent decades. She said she would work with Congress and businesses to "reform permitting" and cut red tape in order to boost job creation. "My opponent Donald Trump makes big promises on manufacturing," she said. "On Trump's watch offshoring went up and manufacturing jobs went down across our country... He constantly got played by China."

Harris heads to Pittsburgh (again) to make a manufacturing pitch to voters

Vice President Harris speaks at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on Sept. 25 about manufacturing and her economic platform. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images hide caption Vice President Harris gave the lengthiest economic speech of her campaign on Wednesday, describing what she called a "pragmatic" vision that would work with the private sector to help grow opportunities for the middle class. In Pittsburgh -- a city known for its steel industry in a state seen as key to the upcoming presidential election -- Harris talked about plans to invest in new technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain, as well as ideas to double the number of apprenticeships and reform tax laws to make it easier to create profit-sharing plans. "I believe we shouldn't be constrained by ideology, and instead should seek practical solutions to problems, realistic assessments of what is working and what is not, applying metrics to our analysis," Harris said. Harris affirmed her intention to support labor unions if she became president, but also work with the private sector and entrepreneurs. Harris has previously laid out ideas to cut costs for housing and families and give incentives to small businesses. On Wednesday, she said she is concerned that it takes too long to start new projects in the United States compared to China -- and would crack down on dumping, unfair subsidies and counterfeits from China. "I will never hesitate to take swift and strong measures when China undermines the rules of the road at the expense of our workers, our communities, and our companies," she said. Harris' speech was long on vision and short on details -- her campaign has said it believes voters are less interested in hearing intricate policy proposals than they are about Harris' priorities. She listed sectors where she wants to see growth -- biomanufacturing, aerospace, AI, quantum computing, advanced batteries -- but also said that her administration would invest in "factory towns" and "agricultural centers." Her campaign later said that Harris would propose tax credits for companies investing in those sectors. It also said she would scale up a pilot project in AI research at the National Science Foundation so that more companies could access AI tools. Harris' campaign said her plan would cost about $100 billion and would be paid for by tax hikes on corporations that move their headquarters outside the United States and other such strategies. With early voting starting, and only 40 days left before Election Day, both Harris and former President Donald Trump are trying to reach undecided voters in swing states. This was Harris' eighth visit to Pennsylvania since she started running for president in July. She spent a few days in Pittsburgh earlier this month while preparing for her debate against Trump. Harris used her speech to draw a contrast with Trump, painting herself as a product of the middle class while her Republican opponent came from wealth. "For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers. Not those who actually build them. Not those who wire them. Not those who mop the floors," Harris said. Trump was in Georgia -- another battleground state -- on Tuesday, and said if elected he would lower the tax rate for manufacturers, cut regulation, hike tariffs on imported goods, and offer federal land to manufacturers. On Wednesday in Mint Hill, N.C., Trump said Harris' plan to raise the corporate tax rate - announced previously in her campaign - would drive manufacturing out of the country. He said she could have done more to support manufacturing and wealth creation in her role as vice president. "She's been there for almost four years, and she didn't do it. She didn't create wealth," Trump said. When it comes to the economy, most polls have shown that Trump has had an edge on Harris. But it's a smaller lead on the issue than he had over President Biden. President Biden focused his economic policy on manufacturing, building on some of Trump's policies by using tariffs and subsidies to try to bring companies back from overseas. But those measures failed to gain traction in polls, which showed voters blamed Biden for the high cost of living.

Harris lays out plan for 'opportunity economy' in Pennsylvania address

Democratic presidential nominee fleshed out economic vision for the middle class and small businesses Millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, Kamala Harris has said, as the Democratic presidential candidate fleshed out the economic agenda she hopes to adopt in the White House. Conceding that the cost of living in America "is still just too high", the vice-president argued this was true "long before" the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the global economy, and she took office with the president, Joe Biden. Harris pledged to put the middle class at the heart of the US economy - and claimed Donald Trump was only interested in helping "himself, and people like himself" if he regains the presidency. Addressing the Economic Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Harris sought to provide a stark contrast to Trump's agenda as she outlined policies to support families, small businesses and manufacturers. "I believe we have an extraordinary opportunity to make our middle class the engine of America's prosperity, to build a stronger economy where everyone, everywhere has a chance to pursue their dreams and aspirations, and to ensure that the United States of America continues to out innovate and out compete the world," said Harris. "I still remember my mother sitting at that yellow formica table, late at night, cup of tea in hand, with a pile of bills in front of her, just trying to make sure that she paid the month by the end of the month, like so many Americans trying to make it all work every day," she continued. "Millions of Americans are sitting around their own kitchen tables and facing their own financial pressures. "Because over the past several decades, our economy has grown better and better for those at the very top - and increasingly difficult for those trying to attain, build and hold on to a middle-class life." Harris laid out her stall as her campaign bids to challenge Trump on the economy. While some polls have put Harris ahead on the issue, which is consistently ranked as among the most important for voters, Trump has maintained a lead in others. In her speech on Wednesday, Harris touted her proposals to enact a $6,000 tax credit for families during the first year of a child's life; introduce a $3,600 tax credit per child for working families; and refrain from increasing taxes on households with less than $400,000 of annual income. She also cited previously announced economic proposals from her campaign including a $25,000 tax credit and other incentives for first-time home buyers, expanding a small business creation tax break, taxing long term capital gains for wealthy individuals at 28%, universal childcare and paid family leave, and enacting a federal ban on corporate price gouging. Harris tried to contrast such plans with Trump's policy platform, which includes plans to cut corporate tax rates and impose tariffs to protect US companies from foreign competition. "I intend to chart a new way forward and grow America's middle class," Harris said. "Donald Trump intends to take America backward to the failed policies of the past. He has no intention to grow our middle class. He's only interested in making life better for himself and people like himself, the wealthiest of Americans. You can see it spelled out in his economic agenda. "I call my vision the opportunity economy, and it's about making sure everyone can find a job and more. Because, frankly, having a job should be baseline, and we should aspire and have the ambition and plan to do more. I want Americans and families to be able to not just get by, but be able to get ahead, to thrive." Harris cited a goal to achieve 25 million new small business applications in the US by the end of her first presidential term, and a goal to double the number of registered apprenticeships by the end of her first term. "At the same time that Donald Trump was giving a tax cut to big corporations and billionaires, he tried to slash programs for small businesses and raise borrowing costs for them," she said. "Instead of making it easier, he actually made it more difficult for them to access capital." She also asserted support to ensure the US leads in future industries rather than China, arguing building infrastructure - from housing to factories - takes too long."We will invest in bio-manufacturing and aerospace; remain dominant in AI and quantum computing, blockchain and other emerging technologies; expand our lead in clean energy innovation and manufacturing,. No one who grows up in America's greatest industrial or agricultural centers should be abandoned." Harris was introduced by Andréa Stanford, Pittsburgh regional manager of the Bank of New York Mellon. "We've seen what Donald Trump did as president," Stanford said. He blew up the national debt, gave tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires, at the expense of working people and created incentives to ship jobs overseas."

Harris Casts Herself as a Pro-Business Pragmatist in a Broad Economic Pitch

Nicholas Nehamas reported from Pittsburgh, and Reid J. Epstein from Washington. Vice President Kamala Harris laid out a broad vision of her economic plan on Wednesday as she sought to bridge the political divide between the progressive senator who ran for president in 2019 and the pragmatic, pro-business candidate she is presenting herself as now. During a speech in Pittsburgh in which she declared "I am a capitalist," Ms. Harris promised to protect and expand U.S. manufacturing as she tried to convince voters that she will defend and lift up the middle class. "From our earliest days, America's economic strength has been tied to our industrial strength," she said. "The same is true today. So I will recommit the nation to global leadership in the sectors that will define the next century." Speaking not with the trappings of a raucous campaign rally but in front of the sober signage of the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, Ms. Harris delivered remarks seemingly tailored to voters sitting in wood-paneled offices reading the print edition of The Wall Street Journal. Such voters may have supported John McCain and Mitt Romney, and might believe the economy was better four years ago, but the Harris campaign appears to be hoping that many will now have trouble stomaching the idea of voting for former President Donald J. Trump. Ms. Harris revealed little new about her economic plans in her 39-minute speech, but she reiterated many of the populist themes of her economic agenda. She promised tax increases on the largest corporations while pledging tax breaks for small businesses and homebuilders. She also pledged to invest in what she described as some of the most promising industries of the 21st century: bio-manufacturing, aerospace, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and clean energy.

Harris admits costs in US are 'just too high' as Trump taunts her...

Vice President Kamala Harris tried to shed more light on her economic vision in battleground Pennsylvania Wednesday -- after admitting costs are "just too high" under her administration and former President Donald Trump blasted her for not doing more over her past three years in office. "The cost of living in America is still just too high. You know it, and I know it, and that was true long before the pandemic hit," Harris told the Economic Club of Pittsburgh before proclaiming that she would adopt Franklin D. Roosevelt's philosophy of "bold, persistent experimentation." "I believe we shouldn't be constrained by ideology, and instead should seek practical solutions to problems, realistic assessments of what is working and what is not," Harris rambled at one point, "applying metrics to our analysis, applying facts to our analysis, and staying focused then, not only on the crises at hand, but on our big goals, on what's best for America over the long term, and part of being pragmatic means taking good ideas from wherever they come." Some of what Harris promised was a rerun of earlier planks in her platform, including a $6,000 child tax credit to new families and up to $50,000 in tax deductions to new small business. The veep also said that she would provide a $25,000 handout toward a down payment for new homeowners, with the goal of constructing 3 million new dwellings -- with no detail about how she would accomplish the latter goal. She also promised to reduce the cost of building, promising that "as president, if things are not moving quickly, I will act. We will reform permitting, cut red tape, and get things moving" without explaining why the current administration had not been able to accomplish those goals. In the closest thing to a new policy announcement, Harris, 59, said she would commit to investing in biomanufacturing, aerospace, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain and other emerging technologies and "expand our lead in clean energy innovation and manufacturing" -- but offered no specific goals or dollar figures for investment. A couple of hours earlier, Trump pointed out at a rally in North Carolina that Harris has helped run the country for more than three-and-a-half years without making notable progress on lowering prices or boosting manufacturing. "Now today, Kamala Harris is supposedly announcing her so called plans to support manufacturing and wealth creation. Why didn't she do it three and a half years ago?" the Republican nominee asked rhetorically. "They've done nothing. Why didn't she do everything? Three and a half years ago -- she's been there for almost four years, and she didn't do it. She didn't create wealth. "Kamala goes to work every day in the White House," he went on. "Families are suffering now. So if she has a plan, she should stop grandstanding and do it. Just do it. You have -- you have a few months left. Do it. Do it. You have plans for the border. Do it now. You know you don't need anything at the border. All you need is the President of the United States to say the border is closed." President Biden also managed to tie Harris more closely to his unpopular administration during an appearance on ABC News' "The View" Wednesday morning. "As vice president, there wasn't a single thing that I did that she couldn't do," he said, "and so I was able to delegate her responsibility on everything from foreign policy to domestic policy." Harris' Pittsburgh speech came one day after Trump laid out his plan in Georgia for convincing foreign businesses to move to the US. Similar to Trump, Harris promised to provide tax credits for those who expand union jobs in manufacturing communities across the country. "We will invest in the industry that, for example, made Pittsburgh the Steel City," she said, "by offering tax credits for expanding good union jobs in steel and iron and manufacturing communities like here, in Mon Valley and across all these industries of the future, we will prioritize investments for strengthening factory towns." Trump promised Tuesday that foreign companies would receive 15% corporate tax rates if they manufacture in the US, as well as fewer regulations, cheaper energy, and access to both federal land and port infrastructure -- or face tariffs if they refuse. Harris also claimed she would be tougher on China than her rival, saying Trump "constantly got played" by Beijing. "I will never hesitate," she said, again ignoring her own exalted status, "to take swift and strong measures when China undermines the rules of the road at the expense of our workers, our communities and our companies."

Harris promises tax breaks, investments for US manufacturers

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday she would offer tax credits to domestic manufacturers and invest in sectors that will "define the next century," as she detailed her economic plan to boost the U.S. middle class. Speaking at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, the Democratic candidate in the November 5 presidential election said she would give tax credits to U.S. manufacturers for retooling or rebuilding existing factories and expanding "good union jobs," and double the number of registered apprenticeships during her first term. Harris also promised new investments in industries like bio-manufacturing, aerospace, artificial intelligence and clean energy. Harris' speech, which lasted just under 40 minutes, did not detail how these policies would work. She highlighted her upbringing by a single mother, in contrast with former President Donald Trump, the wealthy son of a New York real estate developer. "I have pledged that building a strong middle class will be the defining goal of my presidency," Harris said, adding that she sees the election as a moment of choice between two "fundamentally different" visions of the U.S. economy held by her and her Republican opponent, Trump. The vice president and Trump are focusing their campaign messaging on the economy, which Reuters/Ipsos polling shows is voters' top concern, as the election approaches. The divide between rich and poor has grown in recent decades. The share of American households in the middle class, defined as those with two-thirds to double that of median household income, has dropped from around 62% in 1970 to 51% in 2023, Pew Research shows. These households' income has also not grown as fast as those in the top tier. Harris said she was committed to working with the private sector and entrepreneurs to help grow the middle class. She told the audience that she is "a capitalist" who believes in "free and fair markets," and described her policies as pragmatic rather than rooted in ideology. Harris in recent months has blunted Trump's advantage on the economy, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Tuesday showing the Republican candidate with a marginal advantage of 2 percentage points on "the economy, unemployment and jobs," down from an 11-point lead in late July. Trump discussed his economic plan in North Carolina on Wednesday and said Harris' role as vice president gave her the chance now to improve the economic record of the Biden administration. "Families are suffering now. So if she has a plan, she should stop grandstanding and do it," he said. While Trump has proposed across-the-board tariffs on foreign-made goods -- a proposal backed by a slim majority of voters -- Harris is focusing on providing incentives for businesses to keep their operations in the U.S. Boosting American manufacturing in industries such as semiconductors and bringing back jobs that have moved overseas in recent decades have also been major goals for Biden. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act -- all passed in 2021 and 2022 -- fund a range of subsidies and tax incentives that encourage companies to place projects in disadvantaged regions.

Kamala Harris pledges $100 billion to boost manufacturing and take 'America Forward'

Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday outlined her $100 billion plan to boost U.S. manufacturing and take on China while helping middle-class Americans. "I believe we have an extraordinary opportunity to make our middle class the engine of America's prosperity to build a stronger economy where everyone, everywhere, has a chance to pursue their dreams and aspirations," the Democratic presidential nominee said at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, before touting the Biden administration's investments in manufacturing. Harris said her potential administration would create an "America Forward" strategy to build on her predecessor's big investment bills, like the Inflation Education Act and the Chips and Science Act. That plan would include offering new tax credits linked to how workers are treated and whether they have the right to freely unionize, as well as support investment in energy, manufacturing, and agricultural communities, the campaign said in a fact sheet. Those credits would help companies across a series of sectors that the U.S. sees as necessary to compete with China due to both national security concerns and a need to protect domestic jobs. That includes automakers, artificial intelligence firms and data centers, semiconductor manufacturers, and firms working on clean energy. The investments will ensure "the next generation of breakthroughs -- from advanced batteries to geothermal to advanced nuclear -- are not just invented, but built here in America by American workers," Harris said. "And we will invest in the industries that made Pittsburgh the Steel City, by offering tax credits for expanding good union jobs, in steel, iron, and manufacturing communities like here in Mon Valley." She also pitched plans to eliminate unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs, support groups working on apprentice ships and other training opportunities, increase domestic production of critical minerals, like lithium or aluminum, and slash red tape. According to the Harris campaign, her plan will cost $100 billion, although it claims it will be paid off by proceeds from international tax reforms. Harris on Wednesday also sought to remind voters that "I'm a capitalist" and shut down attempts to paint her as a socialist or a Marxist, as rival Former President Donald Trump has done. Throughout her speech she paraphrased legendary investor Warren Buffett, Alexander Hamilton, and innovators like Allen Newell and Herbert Simon, who founded Carnegie Mellon University's computer science school. "Look, I am a capitalist. I believe in free and fair markets," Harris said. "And I know the power of American innovation. I've been working with entrepreneurs and business owners my whole career." Harris' promises come in addition to her prior pledges, including tax credits for families with young children and efforts to take on high drug prices and Wall Street's home buying spree. Harris has said much of her policies would be paid off by increasing the corporate tax rate and other taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Trump has made his own pledges to boost American manufacturing and take on China in the form of increased tariffs, which he says would offset the cost of lowering taxes on corporations and individuals. Tariffs on Chinese imports could be raised by as much as 50% under Trump's proposals, which would make those goods considerably pricier for consumers. In an interview Wednesday evening with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle, Harris bashed Trump's thoughts about tariffs "not very serious." Earlier in the day, while speaking in Pittsburgh, Harris called Trump "one of the biggest losers ever on manufacturing, citing an incorrect statistic.

Harris lays out manufacturing framework in Pittsburgh

Vice President Harris on Wednesday announced a framework for her manufacturing agenda, which she said was aimed at "making sure America, not China, wins the competition for the 21 century." Her plan is to increase investments in biomanufacturing, aerospace, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain and other emerging technologies. She also said she would offer tax credits to companies who expand "good union jobs in steel and iron and manufacturing," to support existing workers and factory towns. She said she would work to eliminate degree requirements while increasing skills development and also call on the private sector to emphasize skills and not only degrees for workers. "One of the recurring themes in American history is that when we make an intentional effort to invest in our industrial strength, it leads to extraordinary prosperity and security, not only for years but for generations," the vice president said in remarks at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, Pa. "Across all these industries of the future, we will prioritize investments for strengthening factory towns... retooling existing factories, hiring locally, and working with unions. Because no one who grows up in America's great industrial or agricultural centers should be abandoned," she said. The address was given in Pennsylvania, perhaps the key state in the race between Harris and former President Trump. Harris suggested the U.S. can't afford to fall behind China in making changes to its manufacturing sector to make it more competitive. "China is not moving slowly, they're not. And we can't afford to either," she said. "As president, if things are not moving quickly, I will demand to know why and I will act, I will work with Congress, workers and businesses...to reform permitting, to cut red tape and get things moving faster." Harris bashed Trump throughout her remarks, calling him "one of the biggest losers ever on manufacturing," in part because he promised to build factories but some were scaled back like the Foxconn facility in Wisconsin. She also argued that Trump's economic agenda would weaken the economy and hurt working people. "For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers, not those who actually build them, not those who wire them, not those who mop the floors. I have a very different vision for our economy," she said. Trump gave an economic-focused speech earlier this week, also in Pennsylvania. He spoke about his plan to use tariffs to help U.S. industries, and threatened Illinois-based John Deere with massive tariffs on its products if it outsources some of its manufacturing to Mexico, as it had previously announced. In a statement, the Trump campaign criticized Harris's address. "Kamala Harris is right about one thing -- it's time to turn the page," Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "She's had three and a half years to prove herself, and she has failed. Personal savings are down, credit card debt is up, small business optimism is at a record-low, and people are struggling to afford homes, groceries, and gas."