Harris promises price controls during her speech in Raleigh

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke Friday at Wake Tech Community College's North Campus about her plans to combat inflation and rising costs if she is elected in November. Her appearance in North Carolina followed former President Trump's speech in Asheville earlier this week. Trump also spoke about his plans to combat inflation if he is elected in the fall, but the policy points highlighted the candidates' very different approaches to the economy.

Vice President Harris blamed grocery stores and price gouging for rising food prices, while Trump focused on controlling federal spending and extending tax cuts.

“We all know that prices went up during the pandemic as supply chains shut down and failed, but our supply chains have since improved and prices are still too high,” Harris said. “A loaf of bread costs 50% more today than it did before the pandemic. Ground beef has gone up nearly 50% in price. Many of the major food companies are posting their highest profits in two decades, and while many grocery chains are passing on those savings, others still aren't. Look, I know most companies are creating jobs, contributing to our economy and playing by the rules, but some aren't, and that's just not right, and when that's the case, we need to take action.”

Harris promised to enforce a nationwide ban on food price gouging if elected.

“I will work to pass a first-ever federal ban on food price gouging,” Harris continued. “My plan includes new penalties for opportunistic companies that exploit crises and break the rules. We will also support smaller food companies that are trying to play by the rules and get ahead of the game. We will help the food industry become more competitive because I believe that competition is the lifeblood of our economy. More competition means lower prices for you and your families.”

Before Harris' speech, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley spoke in Knightdale, North Carolina, about Trump's plan to combat inflation.

Chairman Whatley noted that the most important issue facing North Carolinians today is the economy. Prices for groceries, gasoline, and rent have increased by 20%, 50%, and 20%, respectively. Wages have not increased; they have actually decreased.

“This inflation cycle we're in right now is hurting every family in North Carolina because they're not making 50% more, they're making 20% ​​more,” Whatley said. “In fact, real wages have gone down. They're between three and four percent lower for every family.”

Whatley explained that former President Trump had a plan to reduce inflation that began with extending the “Trump tax cuts.”

“Kamala Harris has said she's going to phase out the tax increases, which would be the largest tax increase in the history of this country,” Whatley continued. “He (Trump) has also said he's going to create a tax exemption on tips, which will be very helpful for people who work in a restaurant like this. And he's also not going to raise taxes on retirees and Social Security, which is very, very important for people on a fixed income. Second, the steps he's going to take to unleash American energy, lower gasoline prices and end inflationary spending are absolutely critical.”

In her comments in Raleigh on Friday, Harris echoed the Biden administration's characterization of Trump's proposed universal 10% tariffs on imported goods as a “national sales tax,” saying it would raise prices on daily necessities and essentials.

“That will mean higher prices on virtually every commodity, a Trump tax on gasoline, a Trump tax on food, a Trump tax on clothing, a Trump tax on over-the-counter drugs,” Harris said.

Whatley says the real reason for today’s inflation is increased government spending.

“Every single major economist has said if you add this level of federal spending to the economy, inflation is going to skyrocket. It's already up to 9%,” Whatley told the Carolina Journal. “Under President Biden or President Trump, it's been under 2% every year, right? And now that they're bringing it back down to 3%, they're saying inflation is down. It's not down; it's still higher than it was under President Trump, and the total of those four years was 20%. We need to stop this inflationary spending. We need to leave more money in the pocket of every American family, which is why he's going to fight very hard to extend his tax cuts. And Kamala Harris wants to raise taxes more right now than any president in history. If she wins, she will.”

Harris concluded her speech by stating that Donald Trump has “no serious plan to reduce costs for middle-class families” and “no plan to improve access to housing or health care.”

The John Locke Foundation's Sowing Resilience project, released earlier this week, found that rising energy, housing and transportation costs are straining American families' budgets and making it harder for them to afford food. In many cases, they must choose between buying food for their families and paying another major bill, such as utilities or rent, according to a May John Locke survey. Last year, 22.9% of North Carolinians had to choose between buying food and paying another major bill.

“The reality is that costs have increased at every point in the supply chain, starting with the farmer, who, by the way, is already having a hard enough time making a profit in the current economy,” Kelly Lester, policy analyst at the John Locke Foundation's Center for Food Power and Life, told the Carolina Journal. “Blaming price gouging on grocery stores, which already make extremely small profits of 1-3%, is dangerous and inaccurate, and completely ignores the serious problems currently facing the food supply chain.”