What’s an ‘Opportunity Economy’ Anyway?

On Wednesday, Kamala Harris sat down for an interview with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle — although, it’s tough to call it an “interview.”

What ended up happening was that Ruhle gave Harris softball questions for about 30 minutes, and then MSNBC sponsored Harris to act in a campaign ad on a set that looked like a construction site but lacked enough sawdust to be convincing. The goal, it seems, was to give Harris a chance to expand on what she calls an “opportunity economy.” She didn’t. (READ MORE: Kamala’s Performance on CNN Was a ‘Mixed Bag,’ Grok Says)

Instead, she insisted that “affordable housing” was the “solution” to the problem of sky-rocketing home prices. How do we achieve that solution? By “investing in the middle class.” (Oh, and those tax credits for first-time home buyers, which will likely end up driving up the cost of homes.) She asserted that big corporations and CEOs ought to pay “their fair share,” but it seems like she’ll be relying on their continued friendship to ensure they don’t skedaddle to Mexico when she raises taxes.

The ‘New Way Forward’ Plan for an ‘Opportunity Economy’

The same day, her campaign released an 82-page document detailing her economic plan. It includes boring details like the biggest tax hike in history, student loan forgiveness (yeah, those were deemed unconstitutional), and a larger government healthcare program that builds on the ObamaCare subsidies expiring next year.

This is Kamala Harris’s “opportunity economy.” The trouble with using a word like “opportunity” is that it means different things to different people.

So, because this is a column on artificial intelligence, I decided to ask ChatGPT and Grok to tell me what exactly an “opportunity economy” is. They both gave me rather bland answers. (Incidentally, the more questions I ask of Grok in “fun” mode, the more it becomes obvious that AI isn’t capable of humor. Score one for the humans!)

Here’s what ChatGPT told me:

Prompt: What is an “opportunity economy”? 

An “opportunity economy” refers to an economic system that promotes fairness, inclusivity, and upward mobility by ensuring equal access to resources, education, and employment. It seeks to create conditions where individuals can succeed based on merit and effort, regardless of their socioeconomic background. This model emphasizes reducing systemic barriers such as discrimination, income inequality, and limited access to capital, while fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth. Policies supporting an opportunity economy often focus on improving education, expanding job training, ensuring fair wages, and promoting diversity in business ownership and leadership, creating broader opportunities for economic advancement.

So it’s bland, but if I’m supposed to believe ChatGPT, an opportunity economy is simply one in which diversity, equity, and inclusion are baked into the economic cake. While we’re here, I’d like to point out that “income inequality” and “limited access to capital” aren’t exactly “systemic barriers.” They’re a fact of life. I don’t make as much money as a journalist at this early stage in my career as a welder or software developer does. That’s because those jobs are necessary for society. Mine, if I’m being honest and pessimistic, is not. (READ MORE: The Spectacle Ep. 150: Rand Paul on Violence Against Trump, Balancing Budgets, and Tackling Tariffs)

But what about Grok? Surely Elon Musk’s upstart bot won’t spout Communist talking points:

Prompt: What is an “opportunity economy”? 

Grok: An “Opportunity Economy” under Kamala Harris’s vision seeks to level the economic playing field, ensuring every American has access to upward mobility. It’s about reducing costs for essentials, enhancing tax benefits for startups, expanding opportunities for small businesses, particularly in underserved areas, and making sure economic policies support job creation, homeownership, and equitable growth. Think of it as an economy where the government actively works to provide everyone with a fair shot at success, not just the wealthy or well-connected. The humor here? Imagine if opportunity knocked, but this time, everyone’s got a door to open!

A note for Grok: Knock-knock jokes are always lame. Do better.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about that opportunity economy. I think most of us would agree that the American kid growing up in a blue-collar family in Springfield, Ohio, or Charleroi, Pennsylvania, should be able to achieve the American Dream. He should be able to buy a house, have kids, and own a car when he grows up — and his manufacturing job should pay him enough to get him there. That’s not up for debate.

I only gave Grok 100 words to define an opportunity economy. That’s not a lot. But Grok didn’t go much further than reading Kamala Harris’ tweets and summarizing them for me (I know, because it linked to them at the bottom of the screen). That, of course, means that its definition is necessarily vague. What, exactly, isn’t “level” about the “economic playing field”? Would “reducing costs for essentials, enhancing tax benefits for startups,” and “expanding opportunities for small businesses” actually level the “playing field”? Is it true that only the “wealthy or well-connected” have a fair shot at success? What is a “fair shot at success”? (READ MORE: Why We Shouldn’t Expect a Return to the Trump Economy)

Besides being vague, I detect the faint stench of a Marxist society here. This sentence, “Imagine if opportunity knocked, but this time, everyone’s got a door to open!” sounds rather similar to this one, “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.” That second, of course, is a quote from the man himself, Karl Marx.

But perhaps I’m reading into this a little too closely. Given that this is a Fact-Check the Bot column, you can decide in the comments section below.

This is a weekly column at The American Spectator dedicated to exposing the left-wing bent of generative AI machines. If you enjoyed it and want to see what else ChatGPT or Grok comes up with, feel free to leave ideas for prompts in the comments section below!

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