Kamala Harris: Trailblazer

“Politics is like a stage. Each politician plays his part according to the lines that are given to him.”-Ashwin Sanghi. Women’s Leadership and Political Participation . The phrase 'glass ceiling' refers to an invisible barrier that prevents someone from achieving further success. It is most often observed in the workplace. It is covert and cannot be seen. The term was first printed in a 1984 book by Gay Bryant. 'Cracking the glass ceiling' is the phrase used when women or people in minority groups have made gains or achieved some success in the workplace. In the United States of America women have occupied all offices except that of president. Harris is on the cusp of history. A Harris presidency will break the ‘glass ceiling’ and send a strong signal to girls that they are worthy of holding any office in the land. Globally, only 7.2 per cent of Heads of State and 5.7 per cent of Heads of Government are women, only 19.1 per cent of Speakers of parliament are women, and only 18.3 per cent of government ministers are women. The Inter-Parliamentary Union states that various obstacles continue to hinder women’s equal participation and leadership in politics, including the lack of empowerment policies for women and girls, stereotyping, persistent discrimination against women in law and practice, harassment, intimidation and violence. As of 1 June 2024, there are 27 countries where 28 women serve as Heads of State and/or Government. Disturbingly, at the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. Women add that only 26.9 per cent of parliamentarians in single or lower houses are women, up from 11 per cent in 1995. The women’s empowerment is the process by which women become aware of gender-based unequal power relationships and acquire a greater voice in which to speak out against the inequality found in the home, workplace, and community. Women’s empowerment has five components: women’s sense of self-worth; their right to have and to determine choices; their right to have access to opportunities and resources; their right to have power to control their own lives, both within and outside the home; and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just, social and economic order, nationally and internationally. The United States of America has always been at the fore of women’s leadership and participation. In the 2006 midterm elections, Nancy Pelosi led the Democrats to a majority in the House for the first time in 12 years and was subsequently elected Speaker, becoming the first woman to hold the office. It must be noted that women’s empowerment is enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Joe Biden has always been a keen supporter of female empowerment and representation. Biden went outside of the political thinking and appointed Kamala Harris as his vice president. Biden also nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Is Donald Trump a supporter of women’s empowerment? Was it not Trump who presided over the overturn of a woman’s right to reproductive health as the Conservative Supreme Court overthrew Roe versus Wade in June of 2022? Kamala Harris. Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. She is the daughter of immigrants. Her father was from Jamaica, and her mother was from India. Harris’ father is originally from Browns Town in the parish of St. Ann. Harris and her sister were raised in the San Francisco Bay area of California, where they attended a Baptist church and a Hindu temple. After high school Harris attended Howard University, in Washington, D.C. She graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics. She went on to earn a law degree in 1989 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Harris worked as a deputy district attorney in Oakland from 1990 to 1998. She earned a reputation for being tough as she prosecuted cases of gang violence and other major crimes. In 2003 she was elected to serve as the district attorney for San Francisco. (The district attorney is the head lawyer in charge of making sure criminals are charged for their crimes.) She served in that role until she was elected the attorney general (the chief law officer) for the state of California in 2010. Harris was the first woman and the first Black person to hold that post. Harris ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2016. During her campaign she called for reforms to immigration and the criminal justice system. She also campaigned for an increase to the minimum wage. Harris won the Senate seat by nearly 3 million votes. In August 2020 Joe Biden picked Harris as his vice presidential candidate for the 2020 presidential election. It was the fourth time a woman appeared on a Democratic or Republican presidential ticket. Biden and Harris won the election in November. Harris officially became the vice president of the United States on January 20, 2021. Mass Mobilization. The Democratic Party has no time to drop the ball or mope over Biden’s selfless decision to step aside. Now is the time for mass mobilization of supporters ahead of November’s presidential election. The minority groups in particular, such as the Latinos and African Americans should ensure that they are registered to vote. Another minority group which should not be overlooked is that of the LGBTQ is an acronym that stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (or "questioning"). On the other hand, Trump supporters believe he shares their Christian faith and values. This is especially so as it relates to being Pro- Life. Many of Trump’s supporters are white men. At a Trump rally earlier this year many of the hats and t-shirts had religious slogans such as “Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president” and “God, Guns and Trump.” Being registered to vote and voting are separate but overlapping situations. Harris and her team are well aware that the road to the White House runs through seven swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama must play an integral role in this mass mobilization campaign that will be required should the Democrats hope to keep the White House. Actor George Clooney has also endorsed Kamala Harris. It is expected that most of the Hollywood biggest stars will be giving their endorsements in due course. Gen Z Voters. Younger voters could prove essential to the outcome of the 2024 election. These voters are more technologically savvy. Gen Z not only grew up on the internet, but they have also shown they know how to use social media to organize to push for change. Vice President Kamala Harris made a big entrance during her first official visit to her campaign headquarters on Monday evening, walking out to Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.” A source close to Harris stated that Harris got approval from Beyoncé’s representatives to use the song throughout her presidential campaign. Soon after President Biden endorsed Harris, the internet was flooded with meme photos and videos of everything from Harris dancing to coconut trees. In May of 2023 Harris at a swearing-in ceremony of commissioners at an initiative focused on expanding educational opportunities for the Hispanic community. Harris spoke about “a difference between equality and equity” and personalized it with a family story. She referenced her mother who stated that young people believed that they fell out of a coconut tree. The internet responded with coconut memes that again gained traction on Sunday as a way to show support. The Harris campaign returned the sentiment with a line on the Harris HQ X account that reads: “Providing context.” Without a doubt Harris brings a sharp, youthful exuberance to the presidential campaign. November 2024. Over the years we have witnessed how fragile Joe Biden has become. In recent press conferences he has mixed the names up of world leaders. It has been sad to see this beloved president struggle even with walking. With the exit of Biden, age should still be a factor in November’s election. Donald Trump is 78 years, should he win he will be 82 when he leaves office. The same questions that were asked of Joe Biden regarding age and suitability should now be asked of Donald Trump. On the other hand Kamala Harris is much younger at 60 years old. Harris is intelligent, articulate and very well aware of both national and international affairs. She is also respected on the global scene. Trump on the other hand is a convicted felon. So in November’s presidential election it will be a former prosecutor against a convicted felon. Is America ready for a woman to lead? The same question was asked in 2016 when Hilary Clinton got the Democratic nominee and lost to Trump. Will history repeat itself? Will the American electorate vote this time around for stability? One thing is sure; US democracy and women’s rights will be on November’s ballot regardless of who wins. The presidential elections will be held in the United States of America on Tuesday, November 5th, 2024. The endorsement by President Joe Biden of Kamala Harris was not shocking. Since Biden’s announcement it has been reported in various US media that Kamala Harris has the support of enough Democratic delegates to win the party’s nomination for president. It will be interesting to see who she selects as a potential vice president. This coveted position will be keenly contested. Given the diverse racial composition of the United States of America it will be critical that Kamala Harris selects a white man as her vice president. While Harris will be popular with minority groups there are certain demographics that only a man, a white man will be able to appeal to. It is important to remind ourselves that every vote will count in November’s election. Most well thinking Americans are disappointed that Biden’s exit from political office ended the way it did. Biden has given over 50 year’s service at various levels to public service. Biden has faced personal tragedies over his lifetime. His son Beau Biden died in 2015. A federal jury convicted his remaining son Hunter Biden on all three federal felony gun charges concluding that he violated laws meant to prevent drug addicts from owning firearms. Donors. A successful campaign is not possible without donors. It has been reported that many donors had stopped contributing to the Biden’s re election bid. However, since Biden announcement that he was not seeking to be re elected the Harris campaign has seen an influx in donor contribution. Since Biden’s announcement, Democrats have poured in more than $240 million in donations for Vice-President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. This is historic as Harris now holds the record for the most successful 24 hours of fundraising in American history. On the other hand, Trump had a financial advantage over Biden leading up to Biden’s announcement to end his presidential re election bid. Mr. Biden entered June with $212 million on hand combined with the party. The Trump operation and R.N.C. had $235 million. Mr. Trump’s joint operation had out-raised Mr. Biden’s by $141 million to $85 million in May, after bringing in $25 million more than the Biden team in April. Other Variables. Undoubtedly, Biden’s decision to make himself unavailable has reenergized the Democratic Party as well as remove the momentum from the Republican Party. Interestingly, a Harris candidacy will also reenergized the Republican Party. Will Harris be a formidable candidate and win the White House? There are so many unanswered variables which can only be answered with time. Many of Trump’s supporters give their support blindly. Sadly, issues are not interrogated for this category of supporters. However, November’s presidential election will be about reproductive rights of women, immigration, economics as much as it will be about democracy. Perhaps, childlessness should also be added to the list. JD Vance's 2021 comment that Vice-President Kamala Harris and other Democrats were "a bunch of childless cat ladies miserable at their own lives" resurfaced after Trump selected the Ohio senator as the Republican vice-presidential candidate. It is fair to say that Kamala Harris’ domestic policy is well known, however, her international policy is not as clear cut. Trump on the other hand has made it clear that NATO countries should pay the USA for protection against Russia. Many European leaders will be uncomfortable with a second Trump presidency. We should brace ourselves that the issue of immigration will be weaponized as Trump seeks to paint the Democratic Party as being weak on immigration. On the issue of economics while the US economy has done well under Biden’s presidency many families are feeling the sting of inflation as their bills especially for groceries have increased since the end of Trump’s presidency. The euphoria surrounding Kamala Harris will not last forever. So much will be at stake in November’s presidential election. The work must begin in earnest and as such continue to read the tea leaves. In the words of Harold Wilson, a week is a long time in politics. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #KamalaHarris