Financial matters took heart stage within the vice presidential debate Tuesday evening between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The candidates defended their tickets whereas debating intensely on inflation, housing, youngster care and well being care.
The controversy, held in New York Metropolis and hosted by CBS, gave Walz and Vance the chance to extra clearly outline themselves to voters, as each have been thrust shortly into the nationwide stage this summer season. In distinction to the presidential debate three weeks in the past between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the vice presidential debate was strongly centered on coverage.
Additionally in contrast to the primary debate between Trump and Harris, the Walz-Vance debate remained civil and typically agreeable. The pair even discovered frequent floor in the truth that each have made public misstatements prior to now — Vance in his prior condemnation of Trump and Walz incorrectly stating that he had been in Hong Kong throughout the 1989 Tiananmen Sq. bloodbath.
However it was nonetheless a debate between candidates with stark conflicting views on most points, particularly abortion and immigration. They used their time to assault the others’ rivals on the high of the ticket. The most important second of stress between the 2 males got here when Walz confronted Vance about whether or not he believed that Trump misplaced the 2020 election — Vance bypassed the query and as a substitute pivoted to a declare about pandemic-related censorship on Fb.
As Walz and Vance supported their respective operating mates, right here’s what they needed to say on some key financial points:
Vance stated Harris has already had the time to enact her coverage plans, a few of which he stated “even sounds fairly good”: “If Kamala Harris has such nice plans for tips on how to deal with middle-class issues, then she must do them now.”
Walz attacked Trump for his contributions to the state of the financial system the Biden-Harris administration inherited. He stated: “We have been already, earlier than Covid, in a producing recession — about 10 million folks out of labor, largest proportion for the reason that Nice Melancholy.”
Walz additionally gave his attraction to voters on the subject of Trump’s tax insurance policies: “How is it truthful that you simply’re paying your taxes yearly and Donald Trump hasn’t paid any federal tax within the final 15 years?”
Harris needs to extend housing manufacturing and encourage first-time house shopping for by way of downpayment assist. Walz supported Harris’ plans and attacked Trump’s plan to grab federal lands
Trump needs to make housing extra inexpensive by seizing federal lands, offering tax incentives and deporting immigrants. Trump has acknowledged many occasions that migrants have pushed up competitors and elevated housing costs — this declare is fake, however Vance stated he would share proof after the controversy by way of social media. Vance stated that one of many methods for decreasing housing prices (along with Trump’s plan to deport migrants) can be decreasing vitality costs.
The VP candidates did agree on one factor, type of. Walz stated “The issue we have had is that we have got numerous people that see housing as one other commodity.” Vance additionally stated “We must always get out of this concept of housing as a commodity,” earlier than returning to extra rhetoric associated to immigration.
Vance promised to cowl preexisting situations if Trump is elected.
Walz spoke about Trump’s opposition to the Inexpensive Care Act and his makes an attempt to repeal it throughout his time in workplace.
On abortion, Vance rebuffed the conjecture that he supported a nationwide ban on abortion, though he did assist a invoice that may have completed simply that in 2022. He added that he needs the Republican Get together to be pro-family: “I would like us to assist fertility remedies. I would like us to make it simpler for mothers to afford to have infants.”
In the meantime, Walz fiercely denied Trump’s accusation that he helps abortion within the ninth month of being pregnant.
Vance claimed that Trump’s plan to levy a ten% tariff on all overseas imports (with as much as 60% for Chinese language imports and 100% for car imports from Mexico) would usher in cash that may assist convey down youngster care prices. Walz disagreed and stated the tariffs would increase costs, which has been backed up by economists from all around the spectrum, together with the nonpartisan Tax Basis.
Walz stated Harris would make a paid household go away a precedence. “A federal program of paid household medical go away and assist with this can improve our workforce, improve our households and make it simpler to have the kids that you really want.” Vance stated there’s a bipartisan resolution to youngster care.
There aren’t any further debates scheduled for both the presidential or vice presidential candidates.
By midnight on the East Coast, the Polymarket, a prediction market platform, projected a 65% probability that upcoming polls will present Vance received the controversy.
Picture by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photographs
