Supporting Kamala Harris in her 2024 presidential bid may appear contradictory to those dedicated to socialist politics. Harris, who served as San Francisco’s District Attorney from 2004 to 2011, implemented anti-truancy initiatives during her tenure. These initiatives were criticized for disproportionately impacting low-income families and people of color. Despite her opposition to the death penalty, she faced criticism for not seeking it in a case involving a police officer’s killer. As California’s Attorney General from 2011 to 2017, Harris oversaw numerous marijuana-related convictions and defended California’s three-strikes law, contributing to mass incarceration. While her office’s stance on prison labor faced backlash, she later distanced herself from that position. On the positive side, she secured a $25 billion settlement for homeowners affected by the mortgage crisis, refused to defend California’s ban on same-sex marriage, and worked to address the backlog of untested rape kits. As a U.S. Senator, she has supported significant criminal justice reforms, such as co-sponsoring the Marijuana Justice Act to decriminalize marijuana federally and expunge past convictions.
From a socialist perspective, supporting Harris makes sense as she offers a path toward progressive politics. Unlike Joe Biden, who has maintained a centrist approach, Harris has shown progressive inclinations and can be pushed further left to adopt economic populism and address systemic injustices. This is crucial in countering the far-right agenda of Trump.
Socialist groups and individuals strategically engage in bourgeois electoral politics to achieve long-term revolutionary objectives, a practice dating back to the days of the International Workingmen’s Association. Marx advocated for participating in elections to gain political power and implement socialist reforms. Similarly, Rosa Luxemburg emphasized the importance of engaging in political action as a means to reduce harm, gain immediate benefits for the working class, and create conditions favorable for future revolutionary change.
John Halle and Noam Chomsky’s Eight Point Brief for Lesser Evil Voting argued that radical social change advocates should reduce potential harm inflicted by far-right policies through strategic voting to protect vulnerable communities and continue organizing for progressive changes.
A key step Harris can take to address past harm related to incarceration and the prison industrial complex is the federal rescheduling of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act, allowing for pardons related to cannabis-related offenses. She is also expected to make significant reforms in reproductive justice, especially in the context of the repeal of Roe v. Wade and conservative control of the Supreme Court.
While Harris’s stance on international politics is less clear, her less hawkish position on Israel than Biden and her support for policies like a cease-fire in Gaza suggest a potential shift in foreign policy towards a more progressive direction. From a socialist perspective, supporting Harris in the 2024 election aligns with principles of addressing systemic injustices and pushing for progressive changes in various policy areas.
