Let’s start this out with a quiz: Can you name the three Vice Presidents that served with FDR? What about Eisenhower’s VP? Nixon’s two? And Bush 41- remember the potatoe/potato guy?
Even if you’re a political nerd kind of person, there’s a good chance you can’t name all of those above because the Vice President doesn’t get that much attention. The reason for that is the responsibilities of the job are few, albeit very important.
So, constitutionally, what is the VP’s role?
They are considered President of the US senate, and can break tie votes when necessary.
They preside over impeachment trials, which haven’t taken place very often until recently.
They preside over electoral vote counts, as in the case of Mike Pence (remember that guy) and his one honest action as Trump’s VP.
They succeed the President in case of death or removal from office, or in case of incapacitation of the President.
Otherwise, the Vice President serves at the pleasure of the President by pursuing causes important to the Oval Office.
So when those who do not know the constitution criticize Kamala Harris for inaction during her first term in office (for those of you who don’t know, Biden’s VP - first woman and first person of color to hold this job), I get a little offended.
We all should, especially when we look at Kamala Harris's exceptional leadership and accomplishments:
VP Harris has spent an abundance of her time waiting to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate: 33 to date, the most ever cast by a vice president. Her votes have included ensuring passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and securing the President’s choices for federal judge appointments, like the first Black and Asian American woman and the fist native Hawaiian woman to sit on the bench.
The Vice President has also been assigned to chair policy areas like abortion and reproductive rights, voting rights, gun violence and immigration. According to CNN, “Her Central America Forward initiative has yielded more than $4.2 billion in private sector commitments" to support creating local jobs and other measures to slow the flow of mass migration.” She is also contributing to foreign policy assignments and chairing the National Space Council .
Just this past summer the VP traveled to 17 states and addressed the following:
She conferred with Black Americans, Latinos, women, young people and students, faith leaders and;
She keynoted:
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Convention,
The Delta Sigma Theta National Conference,
The UnidosUS Conference,
The NAACP National Convention,
The AME Women's Missionary Society Quadrennial Convention,
And Everytown's Gun Sense University.
In September 2023 she was tapped to lead the newly formed Biden Administration "White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention" and in December 2023 she launched the "Safer States Initiative".
A plate full, by even the hardiest skeptic’s standards. Especially for one who must always be on the ready if necessary to fill the number one spot in government.
So, as the 2024 campaign begins to gear up for November, I’ll bet you’ll see VP Harris touting the Biden Administration’s accomplishments, many of which have been thanks to her hard work and dedication. And she’ll be on standby for any tie vote that might land in the Senate. She’ll also be working tirelessly by advocating for the rights of women, campaigning for gun control, and supporting the teaching of history as it really happened - to name a few of her favorite causes.
Look for her on the campaign trail and be proud that this country had the foresight to elect such a woman to be first in line for the presidency.
And quit complaining that she hasn’t done anything because now you know she has.
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