Hillary Clinton Needs To Declare the Trade War Lost
She'll have more credibility if she doesn't try to convince voters they're better off than they are.
In a close race, every constituency is key -- including the long-neglected. A new New York Times analysis of likely voters shows the percentage of white voters without a college degree who say they're planning to vote for the Republican candidate is exactly the same as it was four years ago.
With all the reporting on how Trump is winning white working-class voters, this suggests he's not doing any better than Mitt Romney did. The problem for Clinton, though, is that she isn't doing as well with that group: 35 percent said they were supporting Obama in 2012. Only 29 percent are supporting Clinton. More say they're undecided.
To win them over, Clinton needs to acknowledge that we have lost the trade war and pledge to use every legal means at her disposal to protect American workers and industries from the continued onslaught of imports. Specifically, she should vow to:
- Initiate trade cases against countries that target American industries by subsidizing their exports, exploiting workers, manipulating their currencies and polluting the environment.
- Threaten to impose tariffs on every imported product from countries that refuse to implement the regulations as in US Occupational Safety and Health guidelines.
- Do the same when it comes to US Environmental Protection Agency regulations and federal, state and local tax requirements that are imposed on American businesses.
Last night she mentioned only part of this -- initiating trade cases -- but she tried to put a patina on trade and NAFTA.
Clinton should also be more specific about her promises to build a strong infrastructure. Such a program would put the skills, materials and physical strength of working-class Americans to work and improve the competitive economic environment in economically hard-hit states that she needs to ensure an Electoral College victory. Clinton has identified specific programs but she needs to do more to explain how she will pay for them. Otherwise, her campaign platform will sound too much like an echo of past hollow campaign promises.
She should not let her loyalty to President Barack Obama and her husband jeopardize her credibility. The more Clinton tries to claim the objective conditions are fine, the more trouble she gets into. Does she really believe that the African-American community is not suffering? Does she believe working-class communities have not been hurt by NAFTA?
As for Trump's claim that not paying taxes makes you smart, Clinton needs to respond more directly, reminding working people that it's an option only for the rich with clever accountants. Not paying your fair share isn't "smart." It makes you a crook and un-American.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
In a close race, every constituency is key -- including the long-neglected. A new New York Times analysis of likely voters shows the percentage of white voters without a college degree who say they're planning to vote for the Republican candidate is exactly the same as it was four years ago.
With all the reporting on how Trump is winning white working-class voters, this suggests he's not doing any better than Mitt Romney did. The problem for Clinton, though, is that she isn't doing as well with that group: 35 percent said they were supporting Obama in 2012. Only 29 percent are supporting Clinton. More say they're undecided.
To win them over, Clinton needs to acknowledge that we have lost the trade war and pledge to use every legal means at her disposal to protect American workers and industries from the continued onslaught of imports. Specifically, she should vow to:
- Initiate trade cases against countries that target American industries by subsidizing their exports, exploiting workers, manipulating their currencies and polluting the environment.
- Threaten to impose tariffs on every imported product from countries that refuse to implement the regulations as in US Occupational Safety and Health guidelines.
- Do the same when it comes to US Environmental Protection Agency regulations and federal, state and local tax requirements that are imposed on American businesses.
Last night she mentioned only part of this -- initiating trade cases -- but she tried to put a patina on trade and NAFTA.
Clinton should also be more specific about her promises to build a strong infrastructure. Such a program would put the skills, materials and physical strength of working-class Americans to work and improve the competitive economic environment in economically hard-hit states that she needs to ensure an Electoral College victory. Clinton has identified specific programs but she needs to do more to explain how she will pay for them. Otherwise, her campaign platform will sound too much like an echo of past hollow campaign promises.
She should not let her loyalty to President Barack Obama and her husband jeopardize her credibility. The more Clinton tries to claim the objective conditions are fine, the more trouble she gets into. Does she really believe that the African-American community is not suffering? Does she believe working-class communities have not been hurt by NAFTA?
As for Trump's claim that not paying taxes makes you smart, Clinton needs to respond more directly, reminding working people that it's an option only for the rich with clever accountants. Not paying your fair share isn't "smart." It makes you a crook and un-American.
In a close race, every constituency is key -- including the long-neglected. A new New York Times analysis of likely voters shows the percentage of white voters without a college degree who say they're planning to vote for the Republican candidate is exactly the same as it was four years ago.
With all the reporting on how Trump is winning white working-class voters, this suggests he's not doing any better than Mitt Romney did. The problem for Clinton, though, is that she isn't doing as well with that group: 35 percent said they were supporting Obama in 2012. Only 29 percent are supporting Clinton. More say they're undecided.
To win them over, Clinton needs to acknowledge that we have lost the trade war and pledge to use every legal means at her disposal to protect American workers and industries from the continued onslaught of imports. Specifically, she should vow to:
- Initiate trade cases against countries that target American industries by subsidizing their exports, exploiting workers, manipulating their currencies and polluting the environment.
- Threaten to impose tariffs on every imported product from countries that refuse to implement the regulations as in US Occupational Safety and Health guidelines.
- Do the same when it comes to US Environmental Protection Agency regulations and federal, state and local tax requirements that are imposed on American businesses.
Last night she mentioned only part of this -- initiating trade cases -- but she tried to put a patina on trade and NAFTA.
Clinton should also be more specific about her promises to build a strong infrastructure. Such a program would put the skills, materials and physical strength of working-class Americans to work and improve the competitive economic environment in economically hard-hit states that she needs to ensure an Electoral College victory. Clinton has identified specific programs but she needs to do more to explain how she will pay for them. Otherwise, her campaign platform will sound too much like an echo of past hollow campaign promises.
She should not let her loyalty to President Barack Obama and her husband jeopardize her credibility. The more Clinton tries to claim the objective conditions are fine, the more trouble she gets into. Does she really believe that the African-American community is not suffering? Does she believe working-class communities have not been hurt by NAFTA?
As for Trump's claim that not paying taxes makes you smart, Clinton needs to respond more directly, reminding working people that it's an option only for the rich with clever accountants. Not paying your fair share isn't "smart." It makes you a crook and un-American.