Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton delivers a speech on the U.S economy at Futuramic Tool & Engineering August 11, 2016 in Warren, Michigan. “I oppose it now, I’ll oppose it after the election, and I’ll oppose it as president”.
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CLAIM: “Then there’s the Estate Tax, which Trump wants to eliminate altogether”.
But the Democratic nominee, speaking at a MI manufacturing company, didn’t focus on top marginal income tax rates, or corporate tax rates, or even crowd-pleasers like the estate tax, which she mentioned only in passing.
By and large, Clinton didn’t introduce any new policy points on Thursday, and didn’t respond to some of the criticisms levied at her own economic policy plan, including that her tax plan could make the existing tax framework more complex and could slow economic growth. Let me repeat that: “the Trump family gets a $4 billion tax cut. and 99.8 percent of Americans get nothing”. “Nothing on student loans or the cost of prescription drugs”.
“Nothing for communities of color in our cities to overcome barriers of systemic racism”, she went on. She said that according to independent analysis “under my plans, we’ll create about 10.4 million new jobs”. He publicly named his economic advisers last week, which Clinton mocked as “six guys named Steve”. “Now those challenges emerged long before the recession, and they’ve persisted through our recovery”. “It is just too hard to get ahead today”.
While the USA economy has improved since the 2007-2008 economic nose dive that sent the global economy reeling, millions of Americans continue to struggle today. With few exceptions, Trump has provided more of a philosophical basis for an economic plan than specifics, although he did call for greater child care deductions for families. “Because it’s sure not America”. He’s made Trump ties in China and Trump suits in Mexico instead of here in MI. He keeps saying it’s not possible to make these things in America anymore. As Republican leaders sounded alarms about Trump’s unconventional approach, Clinton attacked was she dubbed “outlandish Trumpian ideas” that have been rejected by both parties. “If team US was as fearful as Trump Michael Phelps and Simone Biles would be cowering in the locker room”. Instead, they’re winning gold medals.
Trump’s call to erase the estate tax, she said, is a clear-cut handout to the rich, since the tax applies only to inheritances of more than $5 million per individual and affects just 0.2 percent of all estates.
Keeping – or even hiking – the effective corporate tax rate in combination with other Clinton policies (a federal minimum wage of $12 or more and paid family leave) would act as drags on investment.
The site of Clinton’s speech, at a Macomb County company that expanded its auto supply business into the defence and aerospace industries, was selected with electoral politics in mind.
She questioned what might have happened to her family if her father had done business with a man like Trump, whose companies have been accused by scores of contractors of refusing to pay for work they did.
Clinton, of course, could debate policy all day.
Her overarching message was a common one echoed in many past national elections: that the Republican candidate is prioritizing the wealthiest over everyone else.
Former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard said he expects there to be more ‘”Hillary Republicans” in Michigan.
“You’re talking about 36 whatever years ago, and a lot has changed”, Blanchard told CNN. I think they trust me. And even if a Trans-Pacific Partnership flip-flop sent some of Bernie’s backers to Jill Stein, Clinton could probably make up their votes through the defections of moderate Republicanwomen.
But Clinton’s campaign sees it as fertile territory for her to seize on Trump’s vulnerabilities by questioning his commitment to the American economy by noting his history of outsourcing.
Trump overwhelmingly won Macomb County in the Republican Primary, winning nearly 50% of the vote in a crowded field.
Clinton’s speech came at the same time that her campaign is mounting a concerted effort to win over Republicans disaffected by Trump’s candidacy.
Clinton on Thursday ran through numerous policies she has outlined over the past year to contrast herself with Trump, who has given far fewer details about his plans, as the presidential campaign heads towards the November 8 election.
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Blanchard says he has no doubt that Clinton will carry MI and win the election.
