In an attempt to boost her lagging support among Black males, Vice President Kamala Harris is pledging Monday to legalize recreational marijuana, protect cryptocurrency assets, and give 1 million loans to Black entrepreneurs, National Public Radio reported.
Harris intends to also provide opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in the recreational marijuana industry as part of her legalization plan.
The various initiatives Harris is touting are meant to woo Black voters who could end up being the decisive factor in the close presidential race.
Former Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond, a co-chair of Harris' campaign, said in a statement that the initiatives are part of her Opportunity Economy pledge — “an economy where people don't just get by, but get ahead. Where Black men are equipped with the tools to thrive: to buy a home, provide for our families, start a business and build wealth.”
The Harris campaign intends to target Black men in the closing days of the Nov. 5 election, her campaign said, with events featuring partnerships with influential Black males and discussions with Black business owners.
Last week, former President Barack Obama, the first Black president, came out on the campaign trail in an effort to bolster support for Harris, saying he wanted to "speak some truths" about why enthusiasm for her was far behind what he experienced in 2008.
Obama said that "part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that."
The Black Men for Trump Advisory Board issued a statement in response to Obama’s remarks, declaring them to be “deeply insulting,” adding that "it’s demeaning to suggest that we can’t evaluate a candidate’s track record — especially when Kamala Harris has done more harm than good to Black communities.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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