United States Vice President Kamala Harris will propose a federal ban on food price gouging this Friday in her first speech on economic policy as the Democratic nominee at the White House in North Carolina.
The ban is aimed at preventing food companies from unjustifiably raising prices and is part of the presidential candidate’s broader plan to combat inflation, Harris’ campaign said in a statement today.
According to the campaign, in her first 100 days in office, Harris aims to enact the first-ever federal ban on rising food prices, setting clear rules to prevent big companies from artificially raising prices to make huge profits.
If elected and implemented, the plan would allow state attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission, the government agency that protects consumers, to investigate and punish companies that violate the federal ban.
At the same time, the plan includes federal government investments to combat anti-competitive practices and funds to support small businesses in the food industry, including independent meat processors, since the sector is now dominated by large corporations.
In fact, Harris’ campaign said that in her North Carolina speech on Friday, the Democratic nominee plans to specifically target the meatpacking industry, where four large companies control most of the market and have seen record profits since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Because of the lack of competition, these industries have traditionally had the freedom to set prices as they see fit, forcing consumers to pay more for their products and reducing the amount they pay farmers.
In her speech, Harris will contrast her economic platform with that of former President and Republican nominee in November’s election, Donald Trump, whom she will accuse of advocating economic policies that will harm the middle class.
Harris’ speech comes at a time when the economy remains a top issue for voters.
According to an NPR/PBS poll released last week, Americans trust Trump more than Harris to handle the economy, though opinions are sharply divided: 51% say Trump would do a better job handling the economy, while 48% prefer Harris.
Harris’ speech is also symbolic because North Carolina is a state that Democrats hope to win in this election, but which has always voted for the Republican presidential candidate for the past half-century, with the exception of Barack Obama in 2008 and Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Harris, whose campaign has generated new enthusiasm, is focusing her message on the economy ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where she will be formally announced as the party’s nominee for November.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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