Harris Lays Out Her Economic Vision, Casting Trump’s as Backward-Looking

Vice President Kamala Harris unspooled her economic agenda on Friday in her first major policy address, casting her vision as one for the future and former President Donald J. Trump’s as of the past, as she argued that she would improve the lives of middle-class Americans and benefit generations of their descendants.

In a roughly 30-minute speech in Raleigh, N.C., she painted a sharp contrast between herself and Mr. Trump, who has spent more time attacking President Biden’s economic policies than laying out his own.

“This election, I do strongly believe, is about two very different visions for our nation,” Ms. Harris said. “One — ours — focused on the future and the other focused on the past. We see that contrast clearly in many ways, including when it comes to how we think about the economy.”

The speech reflected her fight with Mr. Trump over how to frame the economic debate in the election. While she tries to make it a choice between competing policy agendas, with diverging possible effects on workers, families and the nation’s economic health, Mr. Trump has tried to present the issue as a referendum on the economic stewardship of Ms. Harris and Mr. Biden. Mr. Trump has focused particularly on the surge of inflation on the Biden administration’s watch.

In her speech, Ms. Harris emphasized middle-class Americans’ everyday experiences, like sitting at the kitchen table paying their bills or browsing grocery-store shelves. She detailed how she would build what she called an “opportunity economy” that would lower the cost of living, provide economic security and remove barriers to building generational wealth.

“As president, I will be laser-focused on creating opportunities for the middle class that advance their economic