Well, isn’t this a mess? The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) have pulled the trigger on the first strike in 50 years, effectively shutting down Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports just weeks before a general election. And who comes waltzing into the middle of this mess, arms wide open? None other than Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. She’s not just showing sympathy for the striking longshoremen; she’s fully embracing them, which means she’s also embracing the economic disaster that’s about to unfold. Bold move, Kamala. Bold, but probably not smart.
Vice President Harris didn’t waste any time making this political. On Wednesday, she made her pitch to the strikers, voicing full-throated support for their walkout while predictably bashing Donald Trump in the same breath. According to Harris, this strike is all about “fairness,” with foreign shipping companies raking in record profits and longshoremen just wanting a fair piece of the pie. The problem? By planting her flag on the side of the strikers, she’s now on the hook for every ounce of economic fallout that comes next. Rising prices, empty shelves, supply chain disasters, potential layoffs—yeah, that’s all hers now.
“This strike is about fairness. Foreign-owned shipping companies have made record profits, and executive compensation has grown. The Longshoremen, who play a vital role transporting essential goods across America, deserve a fair share of these record profits,” Harris said in a statement.
And her digs at Trump? Classic Kamala. She claims Trump wants to take workers back to some dark, pre-union age. Of course, there’s no truth to that, but why let facts get in the way of a good soundbite? In fact, if you’ve been paying attention, Harris isn’t exactly known for staying tethered to reality. She’s built a career on dodging facts, and this moment is no exception.
But let’s get real here. This strike, and Harris’s cozying up to it, could be a game-changer—just not in the way she hopes. The economic impact is already looming, and while the Department of Energy has reassured everyone that the strike won’t immediately impact crude oil or fuel supplies, industry experts are already sounding the alarm. Adam Ferrari, an oil and gas executive, isn’t buying the government’s optimistic outlook. He’s warning of the domino effect—rising gas prices, stock market volatility, and economic uncertainty rippling across every industry. And given Biden’s previous missteps—like draining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve dry to keep gas prices low—there’s not exactly a lot of cushion to fall back on.
Our ports have been shut down for 24 hours. The first time in 50 years. This happened under the watch of @KamalaHarris and @JoeBiden . Yet somehow, people think she’s capable of running the country? pic.twitter.com/jBsnaBCDkz
— Phillip Mazet (@officialmazet) October 2, 2024
And let’s not forget who’s at the center of this strike: Harold J. Daggett, the head of the ILA. For all Kamala’s talk about “fairness,” Daggett’s personal payday last year was a cool $900,000. Yep, that’s right—the union boss fighting for the “little guy” raked in nearly a million bucks while American families are struggling to buy groceries. Not exactly the hero of the working class, is he? It’s tough to muster sympathy for a union leader pulling in a seven-figure salary when families are scraping together whatever they can just to keep the lights on.
China’s ports are fully automated where they can unload a container in 0.39 seconds.
Meanwhile our country is being extorted by the Longshoremen who went on strike after turning down a 50% raise. They also insist on no new automation in our ports.
Time to automate our ports… pic.twitter.com/SQk6HlCFI1
— The Liberal Lampoon (@Liberal_Lampoon) October 1, 2024
So, what’s Kamala’s game plan here? It seems like she’s betting that supporting the strike will earn her some working-class credibility, but she’s miscalculated. She now owns this strike and all the headaches that come with it. The economy is teetering as it is, and if this thing drags on into November, Harris will have no one to blame but herself when voters make her pay the price at the ballot box.
Head of the Longshoremen’s Association, 78 yr old Harold Daggert, brags about “crippling the U.S.” with his strike.
He makes $900k a year, owns a 76’ yacht, and drives a Bentley. pic.twitter.com/04hcJaOFRc— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) October 1, 2024
And for Trump? This might just be the October Surprise he’s been waiting for. You can bet his campaign will hang this strike—and Kamala’s enthusiastic support of it—around the Democrats’ neck like a lead weight. Voters aren’t stupid. They see what’s happening, and they know who’s standing with the strikers as the economy slides toward chaos.
In the end, Kamala may have just handed Trump a political gift on a silver platter.