**Silence Speaks Volumes: Kamala Harris Avoids Tough-On-Crime Initiative in California**
As California grapples with rising crime and the fallout from lenient laws, Vice President Kamala Harris remains conspicuously silent on a proposed ballot measure aimed at addressing these critical issues.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Harris has not disclosed her position on Proposition 36, a measure that seeks to strengthen penalties for repeat offenders of drug and property crimes by scaling back the leniency of Proposition 47. While a significant majority of Californians—approximately 56%, according to a recent UC Berkeley poll—support the new initiative, Harris’s evasiveness raises questions about her commitment to combatting crime.
During her tenure as California's Attorney General, Harris avoided taking a firm stance on Proposition 47, which has been criticized for contributing to an uptick in crime by reclassifying many felonies as misdemeanors. Many residents, frustrated by escalating drug-related offenses and an alarming increase in homelessness, may find her lack of leadership on this issue troubling.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has also been hesitant to take a clear position on Proposition 36, despite rising public discontent over crime rates. In fact, Newsom has even urged city officials to allow for increased police action amid growing chaos in cities like Oakland. The situation has become dire enough that local residents are forming gun clubs for self-defense.
Harris has historically positioned herself as a champion of social justice, promising to “stop criminalizing poverty” during her 2020 presidential campaign. However, her previous comments suggest a potential conflict with public desire for tougher crime sanctions, leaving many questioning her alignment with the voters who desire change.
The absence of a response from the Harris campaign further underscores the disarray within the Democratic leadership. Politicians’ reluctance to address the crime wave may reflect a wider disconnect from the electorate, which increasingly favors measures that prioritize public safety over leniency.
As Republicans seize upon this moment, they have an opportunity to position themselves as the party of law and order at a time when the public’s appetite for tougher crime measures is burgeoning. Harris’s silence could very well become a detrimental factor as she navigates her campaign for the presidency, especially in light of growing evidence that voters are losing faith in liberal solutions to crime.
In a landscape where public opinion is shifting, can the Democratic Party afford to ignore the calls for accountability and safety, or will Harris be forced to react before it’s too late?
Sources:
dailycallernewsfoundation.orgpjmedia.comthecentersquare.com