Kamala Harris continues to tout Goldman Sachs’ review of her economic plan despite CEO’s dismissal

WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA: Vice President Kamala Harris sparked controversy with a Goldman Sachs report while promoting her economic plan at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Harris boldly claimed that a review by Goldman Sachs supported her policy, or so she said. However, the situation became complicated when Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon challenged her assertion.

Kamala Harris faces backlash over economic claims during rally

At the rally, Kamala Harris wasn’t holding back. “Independent economists like Goldman Sachs have said my plan would grow our economy and [former President Donald Trump’s] plan would shrink the economy, reignite inflation, and send us into a recession by the middle of next year,” she declared. 

It was a bold statement, and she certainly made it seem like Goldman Sachs was fully backing her.

But here's the catch: while Harris highlighted the report in her favor during a debate with Trump, Solomon later stepped in to clarify. He stated that she had exaggerated the report’s significance, explaining that it wasn’t produced by Goldman Sachs itself but by an independent analyst.

“I think this blew up into something that’s bigger than what it was intended to be,” Solomon remarked to CNBC on Wednesday.

So, what did the report really say? Solomon clarified that the difference between Harris’ plan and Trump’s was not as significant as she had suggested.

“What the report did is it looked at a handful of policy issues that have been put out by both sides, and it tried to model their impact on GDP growth,” Solomon explained. “The reason I say a bigger deal has been made of it is what it showed is the difference between the sets of policies that they’ve put forward is about two-tenths of 1%.”

Naturally, Trump’s campaign seized the moment and accused Harris of lying about the findings. They argued that she had twisted the report to fit her narrative.

Kamala Harris introduces job reform proposal amid criticism of Donald Trump’s policies

Kamala Harris didn’t limit her criticism to the Goldman Sachs report. At the rally, she also targeted Donald Trump’s stance on Social Security and Medicare, claiming he planned to cut these programs. She suggested that Trump’s future policies would follow the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint.

However, Trump’s campaign platform does not mention cutting Social Security or Medicare. In fact, Trump has consistently stated that he would protect these programs with "no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age."

Additionally, Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, stating that he hasn’t even read the think tank’s policy suggestions.

While Harris was at it, she introduced a new campaign promise: eliminating unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs. However, it wasn’t entirely novel, as the government has already been implementing similar initiatives.

“As president, I will get rid of the unnecessary degree requirements for federal jobs to increase jobs for folks without a four-year degree,” she told her Keystone State supporters. “Understanding that requiring a certain degree does not necessarily talk about one’s skills. And I will challenge the private sector to do the same." 

Interestingly, the US Office of Personnel Management has already made moves in this direction. According to their federal jobs portal, "except for certain professional and scientific positions, a college education may not be necessary" to apply for various government jobs.

The website notes, “You can qualify for many federal jobs based on job-related work experience.” Additionally, in April, the White House announced that certain federal IT and cybersecurity roles would transition to skills-based hiring.

Early voting in Pennsylvania draws attention as election day approaches

Pennsylvania is a key battleground state, and with mail-in voting starting on Monday, it’s drawing significant attention. The state’s 19 Electoral College votes will be crucial in November’s election.

Democratic State Representative Bridget Kosierowski, 53, is quite enthusiastic about the early voting setup.

She told the New York Post, “It’s great. The earlier we [allow] people to get out and vote, give them time and access to such, is very important.” She added, “I think it’s a fair, legal process,” noting that she intends to vote on Election Day but her children will vote by mail. 

Kosierowski also gushed about Harris’ focus on issues like women’s health, child care, and protecting the Affordable Care Act, saying Harris “gets what people are thinking about.”

James Ayrton, a 42-year-old higher education administrator, also had some thoughts on Harris. “I like holding on to Obamacare. I like her ideas in the Middle East, finding solutions to problems. And economically, having a fair tax system,” he told the Post. 

However, when it came to her debate performance against Trump, Ayrton wasn’t convinced it would be very beneficial. “Unfortunately, I don’t know that it helps a lot,” he said. “Maybe Trump’s poor performance actually helps more than her good performance.”

Harris is currently leading Trump by the slimmest of margins in Pennsylvania, holding a razor-thin 0.1% lead according to the latest RealClearPolitics average.