The White House swiftly corrected a perceived misstatement from Vice President Kamala Harris, who had made a plea for “population reduction,” by amending the official record to read “pollution reduction.” The adjustment, however, didn’t go unnoticed, sparking concerns among conservative quarters who viewed it as a revealing error.
In her address at Baltimore’s Coppin State University, Harris advocated for the Biden administration’s goal to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, highlighting the beneficial impact on environmental and public health.
“Investing in clean energy, electric vehicles, and reducing pollution will lead to healthier children, with access to cleaner air and water,” she stated in her Friday speech.
Although the online transcript was swiftly revised from “population” to “pollution,” the Republican National Committee had already shared the clip on social media, causing unease among right-wing followers.
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie posed the question: “Are you the target of the population reduction she’s advocating?”
Senator Eric Schmitt, a Missouri Republican, expressed his concern via Twitter, commenting on what he perceived as an anti-human ideology from Harris and her fellow climate change advocates, and their apparent aspiration to decrease the human population.
Demands for “zero population growth” proliferated among liberals after the release of the 1968 environmentalist book “The Population Bomb” by Paul Ehrlich. However, such ideas were linked to widespread human rights violations like forced abortions, following China’s implementation of its “one-child policy” in 1979.
Alex Epstein, the writer of “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels,” shared his view, using a PJ O’Rourke quote: “Those who wish to reduce population hold this philosophy: ‘Just enough of me, way too much of you.'”
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican representative from Georgia, questioned on Twitter: “What methods are you suggesting to reduce population in the name of public health? Abortion? Assisted suicide?”
This incident arrives at a time when Harris, known for her occasional missteps, is being seen as a potential political liability as she and President Biden prepare for their 2024 re-election campaign.
Harris had recently been criticized, being nicknamed “bathroom czar,” after she advocated for larger airplane restrooms on Wednesday, referencing the Department of Transportation’s proposed rule for commercial airlines to better cater to larger and disabled passengers.
“From unsuccessful Border Czar to Bathroom Czar,” tweeted Rep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican.
