“Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary on Saturday cited a series of problems with Vice President Harris’ proposed economic plan, calling some of it “really bad ideas.”
Harris formally unveiled her economic plan at a rally in North Carolina last week, which included a wide range of economic policies, including child and homeowner tax credits and a federal ban on unfair food price gouging.
Regarding price hike proposals On CNN“We first tried it in Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea and the Soviet Union,” O’Leary said. [Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]No, that won’t work.”
“It makes no sense that a company would set an unfair price. What does that even mean? That’s why they’re mocked.”
The investor noted that while Harris has been experiencing strong momentum since replacing President Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, she has not yet actively spoken to reporters.
“So you throw anything at the wall and everybody gets free money, which is what every politician does, but there’s no merit to it,” he said. “Realistically, at some point she’s going to have to put forward policies that will be questioned in front of reporters, but I don’t know when that will be. That’s my concern right now.”
Harris came under heavy criticism from the Trump campaign earlier this month for refusing to take questions from reporters in the early weeks of her White House bid, after telling reporters earlier this month that she hoped to do extended interviews by the end of the month.
O’Leary also took issue with Governor Harris’ push to help first-time home buyers by offering $25,000 in down payment assistance and a tax credit for first-time home buyers.
“There are bad ideas, worse ideas and really bad ideas and this falls into that category. When you give someone $25,000 in a constrained market, it creates inflation. So if there are three houses for sale on the street and everyone who bids gets another $25,000, all of that goes to the sellers and it drives up home prices because there’s no supply,” he said.
Harris also proposed building 3 million new homes over the next four years, using a “first-of-its-kind” tax incentive for first-time homebuyers to build their first home.
“[Real estate] “Housing is not governed by federal mandate, it’s governed by state. She has no way of solving that problem. There’s no way she’s going to build 3 million homes. What state is going to give her that mandate?” O’Leary continued.
CNN anchor Jessica Dean noted Governor Harris’ comments about wanting to work with state and local governments and questioned whether this will make a difference in the affordable housing crisis facing the nation.
“Really? So what has she been doing for the last three and a half years? They haven’t solved that problem. What has she been doing?” O’Leary responded, pointing to the cost of housing in California and other states.
O’Leary said he “actually doesn’t care” who wins the White House, saying that as an investor he only cares about policy.
“I want her to succeed, and if she wins, I want her to be a great president with policies that I, as an investor, can invest in,” he said. “But I really hate this rhetoric, this political theater. I want her to put her policies in front of you and reporters to ask her how she can actually implement them. I’m waiting for that, and so are millions of other investors, and by the way, many voters in battleground states. We need some meat on the bone.”
Harris’ economic policies were quickly criticized by the Trump campaign, which compared them to the socialist policies implemented in countries like Cuba and Venezuela, and The Washington Post editorial board called her policies a “populist ploy.”
The Hill has reached out to the Harris campaign for further comment.
