Clinton Economic Plan

One of the disadvantages of being a moderate is that very few candidates will ever represent my views. I guess we may be a dying breed as the two parties grow farther and farther apart. Both sides are constantly shouting that they are right and the other guys are wrong. From my vantage point in the middle, both sides are usually wrong.
One of the greatest challenges we face today is the state of the economy. It has been barely growing for years. Far too many are unable to find work. Millions more are stuck in low paying jobs that don’t give them an adequate standard of living. I will take a look at each candidate’s economic plan and offer my thoughts.

Let’s start with Hillary Clinton. If you go to her website you will find eighteen separate issues in her economic plan. A number of them are social issues which, if anything, will hurt the economy. Her climate change plan, if enacted, will definitely cost jobs.
First on the list is tax reform. She wants to increase taxes on businesses and the rich. She has picked up the Obama term “fair share”. I know that “soak the rich” is a good way to get votes. The problem is that when rates exceed 50%, people have a greater incentive to find ways to cut taxes than to invest in a way that creates jobs and strengthens the economy.

There are a number of proposals that will increase the cost of doing business. They range from increased regulation to higher minimum wage and paid family leave. Many believe these are desirable ideas but it is important to recognize that they will hurt businesses and lead to fewer jobs. Programs that are supposed to help businesses like increasing manufacturing and additional training would be run by the government.
Her primary solution to job growth is to funnel money to Washington and let them create the jobs. She would do this by investing in infrastructure, clean energy, etc. We saw untold amounts of money wasted in the 2009 stimulus and in questionable energy investments. She wants more of the same.

One area in which we are in agreement is small businesses. That is where much of the job growth comes from. She has a number of good ideas.

Despite its faults, the free enterprise system has created the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the history of the world. Rather than creating growth and jobs, she sees the primary role of the private sector is to pay taxes and help fulfill the liberal agenda.
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Next time I will be skewering Trump and the Republicans.
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