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Clinton's economic plan

August 11, 2016

Hillary Clinton has outlined her plans for the American economy during a speech at a factory in Michigan. She contrasted herself with her Republican rival Donald Trump, who she said offered "no credible" ideas.

https://p.dw.com/p/1Jgpl
USA Hillary Clinton Wahlkampf in Warren, Michigan
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/E. Cromie

Only three days after Trump delivered his own economic policy speech in Detroit, Clinton ran through a number of policy proposals, from spending more on infrastructure to standing up to China and renegotiating a major free-trade agreement.

At a factory in Warren, Michigan, which makes parts for the aerospace industry, the Democratic nominee offered a far more detailed picture of her plans for the economy than her contender, the billionaire real estate investor and reality TV show personality Donald Trump.

Clinton rejected a number of Trump's proposals, including his suggestion of a new tax loophole that Clinton said would benefit him personally as well as some of the richest taxpayers in the United States.

"He's offered no credible plans to address what working families are up against today," Clinton said.

So far, Trump has shared fewer details on his economic platform than Clinton, who said her platform amounted to "the largest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II." She promised to put Americans to work modernizing the country's infrastructure, including its bridges, roads, ports and airports.

Renegotiation and enforcement

She claimed her plan would create 10 million new jobs, while Trump's would eliminate some 3.4 million jobs.

In her speech, Clinton also reiterated her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a planned free-trade deal that she supported when she was President Barack Obama's secretary of state. She has opposed TPP as a candidate and promised to continue doing so if elected president.

She also said she would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was signed by her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

She admitted that trade deals were too often sold to the American people "with rosy scenarios that didn't pan out."

Clinton also said she would do more to stop unfair trade practices like intellectual property violations or currency manipulation, promising to "stand up to China" or any other country that cheats to get an edge over American businesses.

In order to boost enforcement, she said she would appoint a new chief trade prosecutor, triple the number of enforcement officers and use targeted tariffs as punishment if countries violated the rules.

cjc/jd (dpa, Reuters)