The Truths We Hold: An American Journey

The California Homeowner Bill of Rights was legislation proposed by Kamala Harris to make permanent the protections for homeowners that were established in the national mortgage settlement. This bill aimed to prohibit banks from engaging in predatory practices and gave individual homeowners the right to sue when banks broke the rules. Harris describes the challenging process of getting this bill passed in the face of strong opposition from banking lobbyists.

DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program discussed extensively in The Truths We Hold. It was created in 2012 by the Obama administration to protect eligible undocumented youth from deportation and allow them to obtain work permits. In the book, Harris emphasizes the importance of DACA and the plight of its recipients, often referred to as “Dreamers,” under the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate the program.

The subprime mortgage crisis was a major economic downturn triggered by the collapse of the housing market in the late 2000s. In the book, Harris details how this crisis led to millions of Americans losing their homes due to foreclosure, with particularly severe impacts in California. She describes the human toll of the crisis and her efforts as California Attorney General to hold banks accountable and provide relief to affected homeowners.

The gay and trans panic defense is a legal strategy discussed by Harris in The Truths We Hold. This defense was used by perpetrators of violent crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals, claiming temporary insanity or diminished capacity due to the discovery of the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Harris describes her efforts to ban this defense in California, viewing it as a form of prejudice-based justification for criminal conduct. She sees the elimination of this defense as a crucial step in protecting LGBTQ+ rights and ensuring equal justice under the law.

The Know-Nothing Party is mentioned as an example of historical anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States. It was a nativist political movement that emerged in the 1850s, characterized by its anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic stance. Harris references the Know-Nothing Party to draw parallels between past and present xenophobic attitudes, illustrating the recurring nature of anti-immigrant sentiments in American politics.

Prop 8, short for Proposition 8, was a California ballot initiative that Harris discusses extensively in The Truths We Hold. Passed in 2008, Prop 8 amended the California Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, effectively banning gay marriage in the state. Harris describes the legal battles surrounding Prop 8, including her refusal as Attorney General to defend it in court and her involvement in implementing the Supreme Court decision that led to its invalidation. The fight against Prop 8 serves as a significant example of Harris’s commitment to civil rights and equality in her book.

Recidivism is the tendency for a person convicted of a crime to reoffend or return to criminal behavior after release from incarceration. In The Truths We Hold, Harris frequently discusses recidivism as a critical issue in the criminal justice system. She emphasizes the importance of programs and policies aimed at reducing recidivism rates, such as her Back on Track initiative, which provided support and resources to help former offenders successfully reintegrate into society and avoid future criminal behavior.

Robo-signing was a fraudulent practice employed by banks during the foreclosure crisis, where employees rapidly approved foreclosure documents without proper review or understanding. Harris explains that these “robo-signers” often forged signatures or approved documents they hadn’t read, leading to illegal foreclosures. This practice became a major focus of the multi-state investigation into bank misconduct during the crisis.

Shadow banks are non-bank financial institutions that provide services like traditional banks but operate outside of normal banking regulations. In the book, Harris mentions that major banks invested billions in subprime loans through these shadow banks, effectively continuing risky lending practices despite reforms aimed at preventing such behavior.

Subprime loans are high-risk loans given to borrowers with poor credit histories, often at higher interest rates. In the book, Harris discusses how the proliferation of subprime mortgages contributed significantly to the housing crisis. She notes that even after the crisis, banks continued to invest in subprime loans through shadow banks, perpetuating risky financial practices.