Democrats Approve Party Platform—Written Before Harris Became Nominee

 

Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson attend Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024.

The Democratic Party approved its 92-page policy platform Monday, on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago—though the document is largely outdated as it was written before Vice President Kamala Harris was nominated to replace President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket.

Key Facts

The platform—which was approved by the party platform committee July 16, five days before Biden dropped out—is written as though Biden is still the presumptive nominee and details a continuation of his policies, mentioning the president nearly 300 times, compared to just over two dozen mentions of Harris.

Much of the document is dedicated to criticizing former President Donald Trump and drawing a contrast between him and Biden—Trump’s name appears 150 times in document, which states the former president “has a very different vision” from Democrats, “one focused . . . on revenge and retribution, not on the American people, but on himself.”

The platform reiterates Biden’s call for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and touts his push for an “immediate and lasting ceasefire deal” to end the war between Israel and Hamas, along with the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people and a $14 billion aid package for Israel that Biden signed into law, but it does not mention an arms embargo on Israel—a key demand for pro-Palestinian protesters and the “uncommitted” delegates who opposed Biden’s nomination in protest of his Israel-Hamas war policies.

The platform repeats Democrats’ push for a $15 minimum wage for all workers and highlights the increase in minimum wage under Biden to $17.20 an hour for federal contractors, along with his administration’s proposal for a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers—Harris on Friday proposed up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.

It calls for a minimum 25% income tax rate for billionaires and promises to tamp down on life insurance “tax shelters” and various other tax loopholes used by wealthy Americans, while “reviving [IRS] enforcement against wealthy and corporate tax cheats.”

The platform vows to protect access to abortion by fighting restrictions in court, easing access to abortion medication and supporting abortion-related legal defense services, while attacking Trump for his role in Roe v. Wade’s reversal, alleging he “undermined access to contraception as president” and “opened the door to laws that rip away access” to in vitro fertilization.

What To Watch For

Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, is expected to introduce her father ahead of his speech at the DNC on Monday. Harris and First Lady Jill Biden are expected to join the president onstage. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., will also speak on opening night.

Key Background

The convention convenes in Chicago less than a month after Biden dropped out of the race on July 21 and Harris became the party’s presumptive nominee. More than 99% of delegates formally voted to place her and vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the top of the ticket on Aug. 6 in a virtual roll call—a formality typically reserved for the convention, though Democrats will still hold a ceremonial roll call to recognize Harris and Walz’s nomination. The convention comes as Democrats have been reenergized by Harris’ entrance into the race following weeks of division and panic in the wake of Biden’s June 27 debate with Trump.