General Discussion

andym

(5,444 posts) Fri Sep 16, 2016, 05:55 PM Sep 2016

Yahoo News: Why Clinton's pitch on the economy is (perceived as) so weak

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/hillary-clinton-is-blowing-it-on-the-economy-193752302.html
Rick Newman Sep 16, 2016

"If you’ve been half-following the presidential campaign, you know Donald Trump wants to get tough on China, stop US companies from moving overseas, round up illegal aliens, slash taxes and, of course, “make America great again." Trump’s plan doesn’t entirely add up, and even economists in his own Republican Party complain that debt would soar and he could cause a recession. But Trump’s plan is tangible, almost like something you can hold. Voters know what he stands for, what he plans to do and what his vision is (something about making America great again).".....

But he continues that nobody in the Yahoo finance news room could tell him what Hillary Clinton wants to do, except more of the same as President Obama.

"Clinton actually has a far more detailed economic plan than Trump does, with plenty of good ideas. Her website features 18 specific policy proposals on the economy, including more infrastructure spending, debt-free college for underprivileged kids, higher taxes on the wealthy, new fees on banks and fresh ways to boost small businesses.

But her economic agenda is about as exciting as a binder filled with think-tank papers, and if she has an overarching economic vision, she hasn’t communicated it with any zeal whatsoever. Clinton considers herself a champion of the underdog, as she tried to convey during her nominating speech at the Democratic National Convention this summer. But she’s also an elitist who gets paid millions in speaking fees and spends more time hobnobbing with millionaire donors than with ordinary people. If Clinton has a populist bent, it is largely lost in her small-ball economic agenda and her unwillingness to muster conviction."

What does he suggest? Well beyond something that I think is a confused idea on free trade. he says "present a small number of big ideas for making America the world’s most desirable economy (again). She could steal Trump’s good idea about growth: Set a target of 4% annually and declare it a national priority akin to winning a war. And then demand that we change the rules so every talented émigré in the world wants to come to America, and can".
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I think focusing on a strong overarching idea is great. That's how Bill Clinton won (the economy, stupid), that's how Obama won although "hope and change" is nebulous, optimism still sells. People want to believe that the person will do great things. Lets hope the Hillary Clinton's team is thinking similar thoughts.

3 replies

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Highlight:

Yahoo News: Why Clinton's pitch on the economy is (perceived as) so weak (Original Post) andym Sep 2016 OP

why yahoo news is (perceived as) so weak unblock Sep 2016 #1

Anyone knowledgeable knows Trump's plans are BS andym Sep 2016 #2

one republican friend of ours admitted the reason she's a republican: unblock Sep 2016 #3

unblock

(52,253 posts)

1. why yahoo news is (perceived as) so weak

Reply to andym (Original post)

Fri Sep 16, 2016, 06:05 PM

Sep 2016

trump's "good" idea to set a target of 4% growth??

that's completely idiotic.

we're in the longest period of economic expansion ever, nearly 8 years. it hasn't been gangbusters, but maybe that's also why it's been so long-lived.

we're not going to have 12 years of uninterrupted growth. it's a near certainty that the next president will oversee a recession at some point.

getting re-elected after, or worse, during a recession is hard enough, but to do so after promising *4%* growth?? political suicide, or at a minimum, that's like going all-in on a complete bluff. there's a very small chance it might work, but it's much more likely that everything comes crashing down on you.

andym

(5,444 posts)

2. Anyone knowledgeable knows Trump's plans are BS

Reply to unblock (Reply #1)

Fri Sep 16, 2016, 06:32 PM

Sep 2016

So were Reagan's to balance the budget by cutting taxes. That's why George Bush called Reagan's plans "voodoo economics."

As the author here said:

"even economists in his own Republican Party complain that debt would soar and he could cause a recession."

And I think only naive voters (plenty of those around unfortunately) actually believe Trump. For many, Trump is like a used card salesman. They know the guy is conning them, but then somewhere in the back of their mind they think they might get lucky anyways.

unblock

(52,253 posts)

3. one republican friend of ours admitted the reason she's a republican:

Reply to andym (Reply #2)

Fri Sep 16, 2016, 07:41 PM

Sep 2016

she figures all politicians from both parties lie, but she likes the republican lies better.

i tried to explain that if they're both lies, there's nothing in it.

if i offered her $1 million to do something ridiculous, or $1 billion dollars to do something else ridiculous, there's nothing in it because i don't have anything close to that kind of money so she's getting nothing either way. the bigger, better lie doesn't get her anything -- because it's a lie!

i could have argued about how republican lies are actually far more damaging lies about their plans and policies, whereas democratic lies are typically small lies, white lies, or lies about personal matters. i also could have argued about how the country always seems to get worse under republicans and better under democrats. but i knew those arguments would just turn ugly, she's a hardcore texas republican from a hardcore texas republican family, they actually know the bushes, etc. good person but lost cause politically.

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