I applaud the Tribune editors’ sense of humor in juxtaposing the New York Times op-eds by Jen Harris and Rich Lowry. Jen Harris provides a partisan effort to describe an underlying framework for the Kamala Harris economic strategy and to show that it has appeal across the political spectrum. As an economist, I think she ties together the policy threads quite well and illuminates how Kamala Harris would move beyond the successes of Bidenomics and deal with some of its shortcomings.
The headline for Lowry’s column, “Trump can win on character” suggests we will find a side-by-side comparison of the character of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. This would inform, as did Harris’s column. What is served up, however, is a campaign playbook on the use of character assassination to win elections. Lowry may be correct that the strategy can be effective, an unfortunate commentary on politics today.
I’d be more interested in and informed by what the headline promises — i.e., a side-by-side “character” comparison. Maybe some of Lowry’s previous written comments on Trump could fill the vacuum in his op-ed and thereby illuminate Trump’s “winning character.” He has written:
“while (Donald) Trump’s moral blameworthiness for Jan. 6 is not in doubt, his legal culpability is.” (Bakersfield.com, August 18, 2022).
“the sheer unpredictability of Trump, his anger at being defied or disrespected.” (X, Feb. 21, 2022).
“was it helpful or appropriate for Trump to come up with a derisive nickname for a rising star in the party…and then threaten him with damaging revelations? How did it contribute … to have Trump attacking one of its candidates…(o)r insulting the Senate minority leader and his wife? In all these instances, of course, Trump was thinking only of himself.” (“What Donald Trump Cares About,” Boston Herald, Nov. 12, 2022)
On economic policy, I prefer Jen (and Kamala) Harris’s “new economic vision” to Donald Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy. But if I were voting solely on “character,” Trump would not win my vote, based on Lowry’s own words.
Ken Jameson, Salt Lake City
