Harris Vows to Ensure America, Not China, Wins the 'Competition for the 21st Century'

She has said that when elected as the U.S. President, Kamala Harris will ensure that America, not China, wins the "competition for the 21st century" and that Washington would not "abdicate" its global leadership.

Accepting the Democratic Party's presidential nomination on Thursday, Harris promised to build an "opportunity economy" that allows everyone to have a fair chance to succeed and compete. "I will make sure that we lead the world into the future on space and Artificial Intelligence, and that America—not China—wins the competition for the 21st century. And that we strengthen—not abdicate—our global leadership," 59-year-old Harris said in her address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

She outlined her plans to bring together different sectors of American society in a way that could create jobs and grow the economy while reducing the costs for everyday needs like healthcare, housing, and groceries. "Whether you live in a rural area, small town, or big city. As President, I will bring together: Labor and workers, Small business owners and entrepreneurs, And American companies, To create jobs. Grow our economy. And lower the cost of everyday needs. Like health care. Housing. And groceries," she said.

Harris touts her commitment to access to capital for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and founders, pledges to end America's housing shortage while protecting social security and Medicare.

She blasted her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, for not fighting for the middle class but for himself and his billionaire friends. "Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends. He will give them another round of tax breaks which will add five trillion dollars to the national debt," she said. Harris further warned that Trump intends to enact a national sales tax, which she called a "Trump tax," that would raise prices on middle-class families by nearly $4,000 a year. Conversely, she promised to pass a middle-class tax cut that would benefit more than 100 million Americans.

She also hit on personal freedoms, specifically reproductive rights, calling out Trump for his role in the Supreme Court's decision to strip away reproductive freedom: "But tonight, too many women in America are not able to make those decisions. Let's be clear about how we got here. Donald Trump hand-picked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom. And now he brags about it," she said.

She shared stories women from all across the country have told her about the risks that come with restricted access to reproductive health care. She said Trump and his fellow political forces would limit accessibility to birth control, ban medication abortion, and implement a nationwide abortion ban with or without Congress.

She also listed other basic liberties that would be lost by this election: the freedom to be safe from gun violence, the freedom to love openly, the freedom to breathe clean air and to drink clean water, and the freedom to vote. She pointed out the need for immigration reform in order to create an earned pathway to citizenship while securing the border. "We can create an earned pathway to citizenship— And secure our border. America is a friend, but we must also firmly stand up for our security and our values abroad," she said.