Harris, Trump clash over taxes in a debate that’s not about the economy

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump sparred over their tax plans during a debate Tuesday night, with much of the debate focused on social issues like abortion and little on economic issues.

Harris touted her child tax plan and relief proposal for first time home buyers. Specifically, her plans include a $25,000 grant for first-time homebuyers, a $65,000 child benefit for parents with newborns, and a $50,000 tax credit for startups and entrepreneurs.

“We know we have a housing shortage and housing costs are too high for too many people,” Harris said. “We know young families need support to raise their children.”

She also criticized Trump’s plans to expand taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations, outlined in a tax bill he supported while president.

“When you look at his economic plan, it’s all about tax breaks for the wealthiest people,” Harris said. “I offer what I’ve described as an economy of opportunity.”

Trump, meanwhile, defended his plan to raise tariffs on foreign goods.

“Other countries are finally going to pay us back, after 75 years, for all that we’ve done for the world,” Trump said. “And the tariffs are going to be significant.”

Trump also criticized the Biden administration’s economic performance, particularly on immigration and the border.

“Millions of people are coming to our country from prisons and detention centers, from psychiatric hospitals and orphanages,” he said.

“They are destroying our country, they are dangerous,” he said later. “They are at the highest level of criminality and we have to get them out, we have to get them out fast. I have created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country.”

He also repeated attacks on inflation under the Biden administration.

“I built one of the greatest economies in the history of the world, and I intend to build it again,” he said. “It will be bigger, better, stronger, but they are destroying our economy. They have no idea what a good economy is.”

Harris and Trump had sharply different views on the economic impact of his tariff plan.

Harris said it would “actually” increase sales taxes on the middle class. Trump continued to falsely claim that foreign governments, not U.S. importers, would pay the tariff, while Harris pointed to many studies which show that tariffs raise costs for American consumers.

In response to a question about Trump’s past comments about her ethnicity, Harris referred to Trump’s history I was sued by the Department of Justice for violations of the Fair Housing Act in the 1970s.

“Think back to when Donald Trump started… He owned buildings and was under scrutiny because he refused to rent to black families,” she said.

Most of the mentions of housing and economic policy came in response to the first question from the debate moderators.

Although Republicans typically have an edge over Democrats in polls on economic issues, Trump has failed to capitalize on that advantage, offering few specific economic proposals and focusing on discussions about the border and immigration.

Harris, for her part, highlighted the temperamental differences between herself and the former president, as well as their differences on foreign policy, the peaceful transition of power and other issues such as abortion.

The debate — scheduled months ago, before President Biden decided to drop out of the race — is likely the only one between Trump and Harris before Election Day. With polls showing the candidates are practically tiedBoth campaigns saw the debate as perhaps their last and best opportunity to convince undecided voters.