Behind the Curtain: America's shocking agreement
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
At our most polarized time in living memory, the two parties have never been more unified on ideas.
Why it matters: Vice President Harris and former President Trump have vastly different worldviews — but actually disagree a helluva lot more about style than substance if you take them at their word.
The reason: A combination of shifting demographics and political coalitions has formed a loose American consensus on many major policy topics.
- For the candidates, general election season often means sprinting to the center — both Trump and Harris have abandoned past positions and moderated on some of the campaign's biggest issues.
Reality check: Harris and Trump have massive disagreements on the power of the executive, use of the Justice Department, abortion access, environmental regulations, taxes — plus America's place in the world, including support for Ukraine.
But they basically agree on:
- Stronger borders and tougher immigration laws: Harris and the Biden administration have embraced restrictions on asylum that resemble Trump policies they once opposed.
- A tougher stance against China: The House Select Committee on China is the most bipartisan body on Capitol Hill. Both Trump and Biden policies treat Beijing as the greatest national security threat of the 21st century — even as wars in the Middle East and Ukraine dominate the news.
- Increasing domestic energy production, including fracking: Trump constantly talks about wanting to "drill, baby, drill" on Day One of his presidency. But as Harris pointed out in their debate, U.S. oil and gas production has actually hit record highs under President Biden.
- Not over-regulating AI.
- Providing incentives for U.S. manufacturing: The free-trade consensus of the 1990s has collapsed, fueled by the hollowing out of America's industrial base. Trump wants to deploy massive tariffs to compel companies to manufacture in the U.S., while Harris favors tax credits like the ones in the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act.
- Supporting Israel and its wars: The rhetoric on Gaza is different. But the policies are largely the same: Both parties support continuing military aid to Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prosecutes a regional war against Iran and its proxies.
- Providing more child-care assistance to parents: Harris has proposed expanding the child tax credit to $6,000 for new parents. Sen. JD Vance has floated a $5,000 child tax credit and embraced consensus on the child-care crisis in last week's VP debate.
- Protecting IVF treatment: Trump scrambled to portray himself as a champion of fertility treatments after backlash to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling earlier this year. He's even proposed making IVF free for all women who need it — raising eyebrows from his own party.
- Opposing a national abortion ban: Trump recently said he would veto a federal abortion ban if it ever passed Congress, trying to neutralize one of his biggest vulnerabilities after appointing the Supreme Court justices who helped end Roe v. Wade.
- Ignoring the deficit: Both candidates' platforms would add trillions to already-enormous U.S. fiscal deficits over the next decade, although Trump's plans are more expensive.
- Protecting Social Security and Medicare: Trump has pledged not to touch the third rail of politics, even floating a plan to cut Social Security taxes for seniors.
- No tax on tips.
The explanation: Trump's base is now the working class, and he's making inroads with union members and non-white voters. He's more open than ever to spending lots of government money on big government programs.
- Harris' base includes more rich white people than ever, and she's making a concerted play for Never-Trump Republicans to win key swing states. So she's moderated her most liberal positions.
Hence, the surprising agreement.
- Axios' Zachary Basu contributed reporting.
