HFA Statement on New Trump Proposal

Hillary for America released a response to Donald Trump’s child care proposal. Senior policy advisor Maya Harris released the following:

“After spending his entire career — and this entire campaign — demeaning women and dismissing the need to support working families, Donald Trump released a regressive and insufficient ‘maternity leave’ policy that is out-of-touch, half-baked and ignores the way Americans live and work today. Instead of asking those at the top to pay their fair share, he’s robbing Peter to pay Paul by raiding unemployment insurance funds, and giving the most to the wealthy while providing far less relief to middle-class and working families.  The lack of seriousness of this proposal is no surprise given his history of disrespecting women in the workplace and the fact there’s no evidence he ever provided paid family leave or childcare to his own employees.  Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton — who has a lifelong record of fighting for women and families — has a comprehensive plan that will support 21st century families.”

POLICY ANALYSIS


TRUMP MATERNITY LEAVE CLAIM: “The Trump plan will guarantee six weeks of paid maternity leave by amending the existing unemployment insurance (UI) that companies are required to carry. The benefit would apply only when employers don’t offer paid maternity leave, and would be paid for by offsetting reductions in the program so that taxes are not raised.”

EXPLAINER:

• Trump’s plan will undercut women in the workplace and depress their wages. Trump’s plan casts women as the sole child caretaker and actually encourages employers to discriminate against women. Studies have shown that providing paid leave to new mothers, but not to new fathers, negatively affects women’s return to the workplace, can discourage employers from hiring or promoting female employees, and can increase the gender pay-gap. By only providing leave to new mothers, Trump’s plan also undercuts working dads, including gay couples and single-fathers.

• Trump’s plan is paid for on the backs of Americans most in need of support: those who have recently lost their job. By cutting unemployment insurance – rather than asking the wealthy to pay their fair share – he’s putting working families at risk.

• Trump’s plan would provide no relief to many working families. Unlike comprehensive and effective paid family leave proposals, Trump’s plan does not guarantee workers a portion of their wages while on leave, rather workers would receive an undefined percentage of unemployment insurance. In Florida, for example, this means a mother would only receive, at most, $275 per week.

• Trump’s numbers simply don’t add up to a real paid leave plan.  The absurdly low projected cost of his policy means it will not provide sufficient support for middle class families to actually afford taking time off to care for a child.

• Hillary’s plan for paid family leave is actually responsive to the needs of working families in the 21st century. It would guarantee twice as many weeks of leave as Trump’s plan; ensure hardworking Americans get at least two-thirds of their current wages; apply to fathers and those who need to care for an ill family member; and is funded by making the wealthy pay their fair share—not by robbing recently laid-off workers of the support their families need.

TRUMP CHILD CARE CLAIM: “The Trump plan will rewrite the tax code to allow working parents to deduct from their income taxes child care expenses for up to four children and elderly dependents…Individuals who have no tax liability…will claim an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, equivalent to half of their payroll tax contribution.”

EXPLAINER:

• Trump’s child care plan gives at least twice as big a tax benefit to the wealthy than the middle class.  After changing his child care proposal numerous times, Trump’s latest child care deduction remains highly regressive – Trump’s plan give around 43 cents on the dollar to 470,000 families with children in the top income tax bracket, and less than half as much to tens of millions of working families in the middle class. That’s because taxpayers in the top income tax bracket can deduct at their income tax rate of 39.6% plus around 4% for half of their payroll taxes.

• Trump’s child care plan gives 12 million hard-working families just 4 cents on the dollar. For the 12 million families with children who do not have federal income tax liability, Trump’s plan would give just a few cents on the dollar – half of their payroll tax obligations, or around 4 cents on the dollar. That’s almost 10 times less than the highest-earning families eligible for the plan.

• Trump’s plan could give thousands more to wealthy than working families. For example, in states like New York and Massachusetts where the average cost of childcare can be around $15,000, a family in the top bracket could get a $6,000-$7,000 tax cut by deducting at the top bracket rate of 39.6% (and potentially plus around 4% for half of their payroll tax obligations), compared to just around $200 for a family spending $5,000 a year on child care, and relying on Trump’s proposal to get a roughly 4% credit.

• Trump’s new child care proposal might offer families less than currently available tax credits. In fact, the more than 30 million middle-class families with children in the 15% bracket or lower might get less under Trump’s plan than under the current-law Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, which offers a 20% tax credit against up to $6,000 in child care expenses, because under Trump’s plan, they might only be able to deduct up to 15%.

• Trump’s plan could actually bring down the quality of childcare for working families. By making child care less expensive for wealthy families, while doing close to nothing for millions of middle class Americans, Trump’s plan could actually increase economic segregation in the child care setting. Decades of early learning research shows the negative impact of such segregation on children.

• Hillary’s plan will actually make childcare affordable for hard-working families. Hillary believes quality, affordable childcare should be available for every family—not just those at the top. That’s why she will fight to ensure no family in America pays more than more than 10% of its income to afford care.

TRUMP SAVINGS ACCOUNT CLAIM: “The Trump plan would create new Dependent Care Savings Accounts (DCSAs) so that families can set aside extra money to foster their children’s development and offset elder care for their parents or adult dependents.  These new accounts are available to everyone, and allow both tax-deductible contributions and tax-free appreciation year-to-year.”

EXPLAINER:

• Trump’s plan creates a new, regressive tax break for expensive private schools and nannies.  Trump’s new savings account creates a regressive new tax break for nannies, private school and other spending for the most fortunate.

• Trump’s plan offers more to high-earning families than the middle-class. The highest-earning families, like millionaires in the top bracket, could deduct 40 cents on the dollar for spending on private schools, nannies and other expenses they don’t need a tax break for.

• Trump’s plan gives much more to high-income families than lower income families. For example, a high-income family putting $2,000 into a savings account would get almost a $800 tax break. A middle-class family who put in $2,000 might only get $300 if they were in the 15% tax bracket. And even lower-income families eligible for a match would get less than the highest earning families.

• Hillary’s plans will provide caregivers with real relief: Hillary will actually provide tax relief to families that need it most. She will offer a 20 percent tax credit to help family members offset up to $6,000 in caregiving costs for their elderly family members, allowing caregivers to claim up to $1,200 in tax relief each year.

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S DISMAL RECORD ON SUPPORTING FAMILIES

No Evidence Trump Provides Paid Family Leave to Employees

The Trump Presidential Campaign And The Trump Organization Did Not Respond To Questions About What Their Family Leave Policy Was. “The Daily Beast reached out to the Trump presidential campaign, the Trump Organization, and Ivanka Trump, to ask about the family leave policy at the Trump Organization. A representative from Ivanka Trump’s brand replied quickly to say that employees of the former model’s small fashion and lifestyle shop were provided with eight weeks of paid leave… ‘In addition, since we have flexible working hours with a focus on results rather than face time, we are supportive of all working moms who some days may need or choose to work from home,’ she said. ‘My colleague Melissa, cc’d, can advise on Trump Org.’ After three follow-up emails, Melissa from the Trump Organization wrote back: ‘We will have no further comment.’” [Daily Beast, 8/15/16]

Only One Former Trump Employee Of Nine Willing To Speak Recalled Any Family Leave Offered At The Company And It Was Unpaid. “As an alternative to the tight-lipped corporate communications department, The Daily Beast reached out to over 100 former employees to ask about the company’s family-leave policy…Of the nine ex-employees who were willing to speak, only one was able to recall any maternity leave—in this instance, it was apparently unpaid leave—being offered at the company, although none of them could say conclusively that no such leave was offered.” [Daily Beast, 8/15/16]

Trump Lied About Providing Childcare to Employees

Donald Trump Said He Provides Child Care For His Employees And It Was Very Inexpensive To Do So — “I Do It All Over, And I Get Great People Because Of It.” “Donald Trump doesn’t understand why so few companies provide affordable, in-house child care for their employees like he does at some of his companies. ‘It’s not expensive for a company to do it,’ Trump said during a town hall at a community college in this small town on Thursday afternoon. ‘You need one person or two people, and you need some blocks and you need some swings and some toys. You know, surely, it’s not expensive. It’s not an expensive thing. I do it all over, and I get great people because of it… It’s something that can be done, I think, very easily by a company.’” [Washington Post, 11/19/15]

“Trump Kids” And “Trumpeteers” Were Programs For Guests Of Trump’s Hotels And A Golf Club, Not His Employees. “But the two programs Trump cited — ‘Trump Kids’ and ‘Trumpeteers’ — are programs catering to patrons of Trump’s hotels and golf club. They are not for Trump’s employees, according to staff at Trump’s hotels and clubs across the country.” [Associated Press, 8/11/16]

• AP: Trump touts child care programs, but they’re for guests only
• The Daily Beast: Donald Trump Says He Gives His Workers Childcare. His Workers Say That’s Baloney.
• Huffington Post: Donald Trump Has No Idea What ‘Trump Kids’ Actually Entails
• Vox: Trump said he gave his staff child care, but the programs were actually for his hotel guests
• The Hill: Report: Trump touted nonexistent childcare programs for employees
• New York Magazine: The Child-care Services Trump Says He Provides His Workers Don’t Exist
• NYDN: Donald Trump brags about his hotels’ on-site child care, but employees say programs are only for guests’ kids
• Mother Jones: Liar or Idiot? Yet Again, Donald Trump Poses the Eternal Question.
• Glamour: Those Child Care Services Donald Trump Says He Offers to All Employees? They Don’t Exist
• Washington Post: The Daily 202: Trump lied about providing child care for his employees.

Some of Trump’s Statements On Working Women, Mothers, And Caregivers

Trump Said He Probably Would Not Have Had A Baby If His Wife Had Expected Him To Change Diapers. “’Do you actually change diapers?’ host Anthony Cumia asked Donald Trump on the Opie and Anthony show in November of 2005. The then-59-year-old businessman, whose wife Melania was pregnant with his fifth child and her first, responded bluntly: ‘No, I don’t do that.’… ‘If I had a different type of wife,’ Trump said laughing, ‘I probably wouldn’t have a baby, ya know, cause that’s not my thing. I’m really like a great father but certain things you do and certain things you don’t. It’s just not for me.’” [BuzzFeed, 4/24/16]; Opie And Anthony Show, 11/06]

• Trump: “There’s A Lot Of Women Out There That Demand That The Husband Act Like The Wife.” “‘There’s a lot of women out there that demand that the husband act like the wife and you know there’s a lot of husbands that listen to that,’ Trump added.” [BuzzFeed,4/24/16]; Opie And Anthony Show, 11/06]

Trump: “I Like Kids. I Mean, I Won’t Do Anything To Take Care Of Them. I’ll Supply Funds And She’ll Take Care Of The Kids.” “‘Cause I like kids,’ said Trump. ‘I mean, I won’t do anything to take care of them. I’ll supply funds and she’ll take care of the kids. It’s not like I’m gonna be walking the kids down Central Park.’” [Buzzfeed, 2/24/16; Howard Stern Show, 4/05]

Trump On How Employers Could View Working Mothers: “She’s Not Giving 100 Percent, She’s Giving Me 84 Percent, And 16 Percent Is Going Towards Taking Care Of Children. So Maybe You Can Also Understand The Employer’s Point Of View.” BRZEZINKI: “So are we at the point where women employees who are mothers aren’t as valuable, because we have kids and we balance other things? Or does having children actually increase our value?” TRUMP: “I think the most important thing is the children, and frankly [caring for them means taking] time away, and an employer could say she’s not giving one hundred percent, she’s giving me eighty-four percent, and sixteen percent is going towards taking care of children. So maybe you can also understand the employer’s point of view.” [Mika Brzezinski, Knowing Your Value: Women, Money, And Getting What You’re Worth, p. 161, 2011; Huffington Post, 5/25/16]

Trump: Pregnancy Was “Certainly An Inconvenience For A Business.” “In an October 2004 interview with NBC’s Dateline, Trump said pregnancy is ‘a wonderful thing for the woman, it’s a wonderful thing for the husband, it’s certainly an inconvenience for a business. And whether people want to say that or not, the fact is it is an inconvenience for a person that is running a business.’” [NBC News, 5/26/16]

2011: Trump Called A Lawyer Who Requested A Break From A Deposition To Pump Breast Milk “Disgusting,” Before Ending His Testimony And Leaving The Room. “Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump once called a lawyer who requested a break from a 2011 deposition to pump breast milk ‘disgusting’ before ending his testimony and leaving the room. ‘He got up, his face got red, he shook his finger at me and he screamed, ‘You’re disgusting, you’re disgusting,’ and he ran out of there,’ Beck told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on Wednesday morning, calling it ‘an absolute meltdown.’” [CNN, 7/29/15]

December 2015: Donald Trump Dismissed A Question About Child Care: “It’s A Big Subject, Darling… She Wants To Know My Thoughts On Child Care. Come On, We’ll Talk For About 10 Hours.” “When Trump was asked about child care late last year by a member of the women’s policy organization Make It Work, he mocked the questioner: ‘It’s a big subject, darling,’ he said. ‘She wants to know my thoughts on child care. Come on, we’ll talk for about 10 hours.’” [Vox, 7/21/16; Press Availability, Council Bluffs IA, 12/16/15]

UPDATE (9/14/2016): Today, Hillary for America’s senior policy advisor Maya Harris responded to Donald Trump’s new proposals:

“With 56 days left in this campaign, Donald Trump has finally decided to talk policy and it’s everything we’ve expected it to be: out of touch, half-baked, and ignoring the way Americans live and work today.  His ‘maternity leave’ plan is demeaning and damaging as it’s only available to women, not sufficient to provide support to working families and paid for by raiding unemployment insurance.  His so-called child care plan could only be the brainchild of someone living in the penthouse of Trump Tower, leaving millions of middle class and working families with no support or pennies on the dollar while carving out a regressive tax break to pay for nannies and private schools.  The choice could not be more clear between Hillary Clinton’s comprehensive paid family leave and childcare plans geared toward the needs of 21st century families and Donald Trump’s 11th hour giveaway to wealthy families like himself.”

On the other hand, Hillary Clinton’s comprehensive child care plan and a family leave plan put children and working families first.

Here are three key take-aways from his maternity leave plan:

1. Trump’s plan would not provide enough support to working families for them to actually afford forgoing wages and taking time off. Trump admits that under his maternity leave plan, a woman would receive “much less” than her “regular paycheck.” Unlike comprehensive and effective paid family leave proposals, Trump’s plan does not guarantee workers a portion of their wages while on leave, rather workers would receive an undefined percentage of unemployment insurance. In Florida, for example, this means a mother would only receive, at most, $275 per week.

2. Trump’s proposal only covers women, which is both demeaning and harmful. Trump’s plan casts women as the sole child caretaker and actually encourages employers to discriminate against women. Studies have shown that providing paid leave to new mothers, but not to new fathers, negatively affects women’s return to the workplace, can discourage employers from hiring or promoting female employees, and can increase the gender pay-gap. By only providing leave to new mothers, Trump’s plan also undercuts working dads, including gay couples and single-fathers.

3. Trump’s plan is paid for on the backs of Americans most in need of support: those who have recently lost their job. By cutting unemployment insurance to pay for his proposal – rather than asking the wealthy to pay their fair share – Trump would put working families at risk. Trump’s false claims to the contrary, Hillary’s plan to actually provide working families paid family and medical leave is fully paid for by making the wealthy pay their fair share and puts no additional costs on businesses.

Here are three key take-aways from his child care plan:

1. Close to 80% of families might, at most, get only four cents on the dollar — and millions of these families could very well get nothing. As Trump clarified in a new fact sheet about his plan, Trump’s new plan requires “no double dipping” with “benefits already provided for child care expenses.” Under current law, working families are already eligible for a 20% (or higher) tax credit for child care expenses. Since families can’t “double dip,” the 76% of families (around 38 million in total) in the 15% tax bracket or below might not benefit at all from Trump’s plan. That’s because the 20% they can deduct under current law is higher than the amount they could deduct against their tax bracket under Trump’s proposal. And at best, the families within this category that don’t take advantage of the existing credit, would likely get a paltry 4 cents on the dollar from Trump’s plan (up to half of payroll tax expenses).

The example family that Trump cites might not actually benefit from his plan: For example, Trump’s plan states “For a family earning $70,000 per year in the 12 percent tax bracket with $7,000 in child care expenses, the deduction would reduce taxes by $840 per year.” However, this family could likely get a tax credit of $1,200 under the current law Child and Dependent Care Credit if they have two kids – meaning the family Trump is citing does not appear to benefit from Trump’s own plan.

2. Trump’s plan could actually bring down the quality of childcare for working families. By making child care less expensive for wealthy families, while doing close to nothing for millions of middle class Americans, Trump’s plan could actually increase economic segregation by family income in the child care setting. Decades of early learning research shows the negative impact of such segregation on children.

3. Trump’s plan creates a new, regressive tax break for expensive nannies, and other spending for the most fortunate. The highest-earning families, like millionaires in the top bracket, could deduct 40 cents on the dollar for spending on private schools, nannies and other expenses they don’t need a tax break for. For example, a high-income family putting $2,000 into a savings account would get almost a $800 tax break. A middle-class family who put in $2,000 might only get $300 if they were in the 15% tax bracket. And even lower-income families eligible for a match would get less than the highest earning families.

Reviews of the plan are in:

Esquire: Why Donald Trump’s New Child-Care Plan Is a Joke

“Donald Trump’s track considers breastfeeding—and Hillary Clinton’s bathroom breaks—’disgusting.’ It thinks a woman’s opinion is disqualified if she has ‘blood coming out of her wherever.’ In 1994, Trump said, ‘Putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing.’ In 2004, Trump said a pregnant employee was ‘certainly an inconvenience for a business.’ Trump’s been barreling down that darkly lit tunnel for years. Then, when convenient, he flips on his high beams for a few seconds.”

Quartz: Trump’s childcare and maternity leave policy is unlike his actual treatment of and statements about women

“Once, a lawyer who was deposing Trump in a lawsuit over a failed real estate venture asked for a medical break to pump breastmilk for her 3-month-old baby. Trump and his lawyers insisted the deposition go on. When she put her pump on the table, Trump said to her ‘You’re disgusting,’ and stormed out of the session. In 1994, Trump famously compared his wives to buildings, and said he had mixed feelings about them working.”

Vox: Donald Trump’s plan to fund a paid family leave program is totally absurd

“Hillary Clinton’s plan to offer 12 weeks of leave at two-thirds of a worker’s previous salary would cost $300 billion over 10 years. Even assuming Trump’s is much less generous, offering six weeks instead of 12 and a smaller fraction of salary, there isn’t enough unemployment fraud in the United States to come close to paying for it.”

CAP: Don’t Be Fooled by Trump’s Smoke and Mirrors on Child Care and Paid Leave

“Unfortunately, Trump’s latest attempt to appeal to everyday workers is a new coat of paint on a tired message. Wealthy people like Trump and his children benefit the most, while working parents struggle to make ends meet. At face value, Trump’s plans appear to address the lack of paid leave and growing cost of child care. But when you look beneath the surface, these plans do not actually support working families. Trump announced four proposals.”

Salon: Trump’s child-care policy: A combination of the useless and the inadequate

“Donald Trump will stop by Aston, Pennsylvania, this evening to lay out a more fully developed version of the child-care policy he teased about last month. Going by early indications, it looks like the Republican’s proposal is a mix of useless and inadequate policies that won’t really fix the problem of wildly expensive child care.”

Huffington Post: Donald Trump Just Radically Broke With Republicans On Maternity Leave; But his proposal may actually lead to increased discrimination against women.

“By limiting this benefit to  mothers, Trump is inadvertently incentivising employers to discriminate against women, said Carmel Martin, a vice-president for policy at the Center for American Progress. ‘Conservative economists have acknowledged that limiting benefits to mothers creates an incentive for employment discrimination and an increased gender wage gap,’ she said.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Washington Post

Tim Kaine Pens Higher Education Op-Ed

Time magazine published an op-ed from Tim Kaine today in which he touted the education plan proposed by Hillary Clinton. Kaine writes about the rising cost of a college education and the importance of being college educated in today’s workforce. He explained that the Clinton-Kaine plan will help students reduce their current debt and will provide tuition free education to students whose families make less than $125,000 per year. Kaine says, “The Clinton-Kaine ticket is fully committed to sending every child in this country to world-class schools with great teachers, no matter where they come from. But higher education is a distinct challenge—which is why our plan will help anyone willing to work for a quality, affordable college degree.” The full text of Kaine’s op-ed is below.

When I graduated from college in 1979, education costs were manageable for many working families. By the time my own kids started college in the 2000s, it was a very different story.

So what happened?

The cost of a higher education skyrocketed by every measure. American students and graduates hold more than $1.2 trillion in debt today—and each indebted graduate can expect to owe nearly $30,000.

If you’re a current college student reading this, I want you to know that Hillary and I know what you’re going through. As the father of three, a lifelong supporter of educational opportunity for all and a former teacher at the University of Richmond’s Law School, I want to make one thing clear: We can do better.

These questions of access and affordability aren’t new to us. Hillary Clinton’s first job out of law school was working for the Children’s Defense Fund, where she went door-to-door in the fight to help kids with disabilities get the schooling they deserve. I ran a technical school in Honduras, an experience that inspired my ongoing support for those kinds of programs here at home. And my wife Anne’s decades-long career fighting for kids and families recently culminated in her service as Virginia’s Secretary of Education.

The Clinton-Kaine ticket is fully committed to sending every child in this country to world-class schools with great teachers, no matter where they come from. But higher education is a distinct challenge—which is why our plan will help anyone willing to work for a quality, affordable college degree.

Our plan would make debt-free college available to everyone, and make tuition free for in-state students from families with income under $125,000. It will free millions of Americans from the existing debt they’re struggling to pay off. And because I know that a four-year degree isn’t the only path to success, we’ll open up new opportunities for students beyond traditional degrees.

Meanwhile, institutions and states alike will have to commit to lowering costs and raising their own investments in education if they want to continue receiving federal funding. From restoring year-round Pell Grants to supporting HBCUs and on-campus childcare, our plan leverages commonsense, sustainable changes for the public good.

After all, an American with a college degree will earn about $570,000 more in their lifetime than one without—but they’ll also be expanding our national economy and building up our middle class along the way. That’s the real beauty of this plan: When everyone does their part, it’s a win-win all around.

But then there’s Donald Trump’s plan—or lack thereof.

Though he brags about his own four-year degree from an Ivy League school, he has no intention of offering anyone else the same opportunity. Trump University, currently the subject of multiple class-action lawsuits, made a mockery of higher education while its namesake and his cronies unapologetically scammed thousands of student out of thousands of dollars.

Trump has long said that the United States spends too much on education. Instead of reconsidering how that money should be spent, he wants to all but nix the Department of Education, an agency that offers an array of resources to support our most vulnerable students. Hillary wants to build on what works there; Trump wants to pull the rug out from under everyone not in his tax bracket.

Hillary and I believe passionately in advancing educational opportunity from pre-k through higher education and career and technical training. Trump chose a running mate, Mike Pence, who as Governor of Indiana turned down millions of federal dollars that could have expanded access to preschool for low-income kids and cut funding for schools serving Indiana’s most vulnerable students.

When it comes to expanding access to higher education, the choice in November is clear. We’re siding with students and with every American seeking an affordable college degree.

I hope you join us!

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Time

Hillary Clinton Apologizes for “Basket of Deplorables” Comment

Last night, Hillary Clinton made a comment during a New York fundraiser that has gotten negative press. In her remarks, Clinton spoke about the supporters of Donald Trump saying that half of them are a “basket of deplorables.” Today, Clinton apologized for making the comment saying she was being “grossly generalistic.” She went on to outline her criticisms of Trump saying that she understands that many of his supporters are hard working Americans that, if elected, she will work for because she wants to build a country that is “strong together.” A copy of Clinton’s statement is below.

“Last night I was ‘grossly generalistic,’ and that’s never a good idea. I regret saying ‘half’ — that was wrong. But let’s be clear, what’s really ‘deplorable’ is that Donald Trump hired a major advocate for the so-called ‘alt-right’ movement to run his campaign and that David Duke and other white supremacists see him as a champion of their values. It’s deplorable that Trump has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia and given a national platform to hateful views and voices, including by retweeting fringe bigots with a few dozen followers and spreading their message to 11 million people. It’s deplorable that he’s attacked a federal judge for his ‘Mexican heritage,’ bullied a Gold Star family because of their Muslim faith, and promoted the lie that our first black president is not a true American. So I won’t stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign. I also meant what I said last night about empathy, and the very real challenges we face as a country where so many people have been left out and left behind. As I said, many of Trump’s supporters are hard-working Americans who just don’t feel like the economy or our political system are working for them.  I’m determined to bring our country together and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Because we really are ‘stronger together.’”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: USA Today

HFA Releases Series of New Videos

Hillary for America released a new series of videos going after Donald Trump’s record. The first, titled “Sacrifice,” spotlights Trump’s disrespect for the country’s veterans and military families. The second video talks about the concerns of Trump’s comments on national security. The third highlights Clinton’s focus on bringing people together to solve the nation’s problems and not scapegoating segments of the population. Next, the campaign released a video of featuring Windsor Heights, Iowa native Janelle Turner discussing her battle with breast cancer. Then, a new campaign ad featuring Republicans who have spoken out against Trump. The final set of videos are Spanish language ads criticizing Trump’s comments about immigrants and highlighting Hillary Clinton’s record working for families and children. The videos are embedded below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Ohio and Illinois on Labor Day

On Labor Day, Hillary Clinton campaigned in Cleveland, Ohio with running mate Tim Kaine. Kaine spoke first saying that “this is the home stretch.” Clinton then took the stage and had a brief coughing spell before she spoke about her plans to build an economy that works for everyone by increasing the minimum wage and investing in the country’s infrastructure. She spoke about her jobs plan which would create the most jobs in the country since World War II. Clinton then spoke about her strong support for working families and organized labor. A video from the Cleveland rally is below.

Today, the Clinton campaign also unveiled a new campaign plane. The Boeing 737 will be used for the remainder of the campaign cycle and is large enough for Clinton, her staff, and the press pool to travel on from event to event. Clinton welcomed the press to the plane and answered several questions from reporters on a range of topics including her thoughts on the hacking of Democratic Party emails, the FBI report about her emails, and the Clinton Foundation. A video of Clinton’s Q&A with the press is below.

Clinton then spoke at the 49th Annual Salute to Labor in Hampton, Illinois. During her speech, Clinton continued to discuss the economy and her jobs plan. She spoke about her plans to invest in the country’s infrastructure, expand the clean energy sector, and committed to building the manufacturing sector of the country. Clinton also criticized Donald Trump for not being a friend of working people saying, “My opponent thinks that wages are too high. I don’t know who he talks do.” A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Cleveland.com, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post

HFA’s Response to Trump’s Latest Misleading Ad

On Monday, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds released the following in response to Donald Trump’s latest campaign ad.

“Donald Trump’s reckless approach to business has devastated working families and communities. He will do and say whatever is in his interest, even if it means swindling working families to make millions for himself. Now Trump is promising the same reckless, self-centered approach to running the country’s economy – with large tax breaks for the wealthy, and a plan that independent experts say would cost millions of jobs. Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who will work to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top, and has a plan that would create jobs, grow incomes and help small business and the middle class. No misleading ad can change that fact.”

V/O: In Hillary Clinton’s America, the middle class gets crushed SUPER: middle class CRUSHED “America’s Shrinking Middle Class: A Close Look at Changes Within Metropolitan Areas,” Pew Research Center, 5/11/16	CLINTON’S PLAN WOULD MAKE THE ECONOMY WORK FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST THOSE AT THE TOP Hillary for America Fact Sheet: Stronger Together: Hillary Clinton’s Plan for An Economy That Works for Everyone, Not Just Those at the Top [Hillary for America Fact Sheet, 6/22/16] Hillary Clinton is running for President to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. And she is setting five big goals to get there: 1  Break Through Washington Gridlock to Make the Boldest Investment in Good-Paying Jobs Since World War II 2  Make Debt Free College Available to All Americans 3  Rewrite the Rules to Ensure That Workers Share in the Profits They Help Create 4  Ensure That Those at the Top Pay Their Fair Share 5  Put Families First by Matching Our Policies to How Families Live, Learn, and Work in the 21st Century Economy INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS FOUND LOW- AND MIDDLE- INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WOULD BENEFIT MOST FROM CLINTON’S PROPOSALS Moody’s: “Those Who Would Benefit Most From Secretary Clinton’s Economic Proposals Would Be Low- And Middle-Income Households.” “Those who would benefit most from Secretary Clinton’s economic proposals would be low- and middle-income households.” [The Macroeconomic Consequences of Secretary Clinton’s Economic Policies, Moody’s Analytics, July 2016] RESEARCH CITED BY TRUMP CAMPAIGN DOES NOT MENTION CLINTON “America’s Shrinking Middle Class: A Close Look at Changes Within Metropolitan Areas,” Pew Research Center, 5/11/16
V/O Spending goes up SUPER: spending goes UP “Analyzing Clinton’s Health and Education Expenses,” CRFB, 7/27/16 “Estimating the Costs of Candidate Clinton’s Proposals,” American Action Forum, 6/4/16	CLINTON’S PLANS WOULD NOT ADD TO THE NATIONAL DEBT Wall Street Journal: Study Sees Debt Jumping Under Trump, Staying Steady Under Clinton [Wall Street, Journal, 6/26/16] Study: Clinton’s proposals would not significantly increase national debt [The Hill, 5/2/16] Budget group: Debt jumps under Donald Trump, remains steady under Hillary Clinton [CBS News, 6/27/16]
V/O: Taxes go up SUPER: Taxes go UP “Estimating the Costs of Candidate Clinton’s Proposals,” American Action Forum, 6/4/16	CLINTON WOULD NOT INCREASE TAXES ON FAMILIES WITH INCOMES LESS THAN $250,000 Politifact Gave A “Pants On Fire” To Donald Trump’s Claim That “Hillary Clinton Wants To Raise Taxes On The Middle Class.” [Politifact, 8/5/16] Research Cited By Trump Campaign Notes That Clinton Would Not Raise Taxes On Incomes Less Than $250,000 Tax Foundation: “Consistent With The Clinton Campaign’s Pledge Not To Raise Taxes On Households Earning Less Than $250,000, We Assumed That The New Schedule For Long-Term Gains…” “Consistent with the Clinton campaign’s pledge not to raise taxes on households earning less than $250,000, we assumed that the new schedule for long-term gains only would apply to the top marginal tax rate of 20 percent.” [“Details and Analysis of Hillary Clinton’s Tax Proposals,” Tax Foundation, 1/26/16]
V/O: Hundreds of thousands of jobs disappear. It’s more of the same but worse. SUPER: Clinton’s Tax Plan: hundreds of thousands of jobs disappear “Details and Analysis of Hillary Clinton’s Tax Proposals,” Tax Foundation, 1/26/16	MOODY’S FOUND THAT UNDER CLINTON’S PROPOSALS, THE ECONOMY WOULD CREATE 10 MILLION JOBS Moody’s: “During Her Presidency, The Economy Would Create 10.4 Million Jobs, 3.2 Million More Than Under Current Law.” “Employment also receives a lift under the secretary’s plan. During her presidency, the economy would create 10.4 million jobs, 3.2 million more than under current law. Unemployment is also lower, with the unemployment rate falling as low as 3.7% in the middle of her term, and ending her presidency in 2020 at 4.4%. Under current law, the unemployment rate hovers just below 5% between now and the end of the decade.” [The Macroeconomic Consequences of Secretary Clinton’s Economic Policies, Moody’s Analytics, July 2016] Moody’s: Clinton’s Economic Proposals Will Results In A “Stronger U.S. Economy With Increased GDP And More Jobs” That “Will Mostly Benefit Middle- And Lower-Income Households.” “Even allowing for some variability in the accuracy of the economic modeling and underlying assumptions that drive our analysis, four basic conclusions regarding the impact of Secretary Clinton’s economic proposals can be reached: 1) They will result in a somewhat stronger U.S. economy with increased GDP and more jobs; 2) they will mostly benefit middle- and lower-income households; 3) they have little impact on the nation’s fiscal situation, as they result in somewhat larger deficits but a mostly unchanged debt-to-GDP ratio; and 4) they exhibit faith in the ability of government policy to positively influence economic behavior.” [The Macroeconomic Consequences of Secretary Clinton’s Economic Policies, Moody’s Analytics, July 2016]
V/O: In Donald Trump’s America, working families get tax relief SUPER: Families Get Tax Relief “A Pro-Growth Tax Code for All Americans,” GOP: A Better Way, 6/24/16	TRUMP’S TAX PLAN WOULD DO LITTLE TO NOTHING FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, WHILE GIVING PEOPLE LIKE HIM A HUGE TAX BREAK HEADLINE: “Economists: Trump Tax Plan Offers Almost Nothing For The Middle Class.” [Washington Post, 8/8/16] Center On Budget And Policy Priorities: Trump’s Proposed 15% Tax Rate On Pass-Through Income “Would Be An Expensive Tax Cut That Would Flow Primarily To The Wealthiest Americans.” “A central element of Donald Trump’s tax plan, which he’s expected to discuss in a high-profile speech in Detroit today, is a special 15 percent tax rate on business income claimed on individual tax returns, known as ‘pass-through’ income.  Mr. Trump says it’s designed to help small businesses, which he contends shouldn’t pay a higher tax rate than large corporations.  Mr. Trump, who has proposed a 15 percent corporate tax rate, proposes a pass-through rate of 15 percent as well. The Trump pass-through proposal would be an expensive tax cut that would flow primarily to the wealthiest Americans.  That’s because more than two-thirds of pass-through business income flows to the highest-income 1 percent of tax filers.” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 8/8/16] Trump’s Financial Disclosure Revealed He Had Holdings In More Than 200 Pass-Through Entities, Which Would See Their Tax Rate Dramatically Reduced Under His Plan. “A little-noticed provision in Donald Trump’s tax reform plan has the potential to deliver a large tax cut to companies in the Republican presidential nominee’s vast business empire, experts say. Trump’s plan would dramatically reduce taxes on what is known in tax circles as ‘pass-through’ entities, which do not pay corporate income taxes, but whose owners are taxed at individual rates on their share of profits. Those entities are the most common structure for small businesses and increasingly popular for larger ones as well. They are also a cornerstone of the Trump Organization. On his 2015 presidential financial disclosure report, Trump listed holdings of more than 200 limited liability corporations, which is a form of pass-through.” [Washington Post, 8/10/16] TRUMP DIDN’T EVEN CITE HIS OWN TAX PLAN IN HIS AD HEADLINE: “Trump Ad Credits Tax Plan He Doesn’t Support” [NBC News, 8/29/16] Donald Trump’s New Ad Cites Two Contradictory Tax Plans — One That Trump Has Explicitly Ruled Out and Another That He Has Yet To Endorse. “Donald Trump’s new $10 million TV ad cites two contradictory tax plans — one that Trump has explicitly ruled out and another that he has yet to endorse — raising more questions about what policies the GOP presidential nominee supports. […] For the ad’s claim that ‘working families get tax relief,’ it refers viewers not to an analysis of Trump’s own tax proposals, but to a white paper by House GOP leaders about their own tax reform plan. […] Trump has not endorsed the House GOP plan outright, but his new proposal, announced earlier this month, has some similarities. […] Things get even more confusing as the commercial continues. The ad’s next two claims that Trump would make ‘wages go up’ and ‘small businesses thrive’ refer to his old tax plan from last year, which had drastically different rates, including a 0% bracket at the bottom and a top rate of 25%. The on-screen citation directs viewers to a Tax Foundation analysis of that now-defunct proposal from September 2015. Trump erased his old plan from his website shortly before he announced his new one in a speech to the Detroit Economic Club earlier this month.” [NBC News, 8/29/16]
V/O: Millions of New Jobs Created Millions of new jobs Details and Analysis of the 2016 House Republican Tax Reform Plan,” Tax Foundation, 7/5/16	TRUMP’S ECONOMIC POLICIES WOULD REDUCE EMPLOYMENT BY NEARLY 3.5 MILLION JOBS A Moody’s Analytics Report On Trump’s Economic Proposals On Taxes, Trade, Immigration And Spending Found That Trump’s Policies Could Sharply Reduce Economic Output And Reduce Employment By Nearly 3.5 Million Jobs During His First Term. “A new analysis concludes Donald Trump’s economic proposals, taken at face value, could produce a prolonged recession and heavy job losses that would fall hardest on low- and middle-income workers. The Moody’s Analytics report, which a person close to the Trump campaign strongly disputed, is the first that attempts to quantify the cumulative economic benefits and costs of Mr. Trump’s proposals on taxes, trade, immigration and spending. It determines that full adoption of those policies would sharply reduce economic output during his first term and reduce employment by 3.5 million jobs.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/20/15]
V/O: Wages go up SUPER: Wages go up “Details and Analysis of Donald Trump’s Tax Plan,” Tax Foundation, 9/29/15	TRUMP THINKS AMERICAN WAGES ARE ALREADY “TOO HIGH” Trump Opposed Raising The Minimum Wage Because: “Wages Too High, We’re Not Going To Be Able To Compete Against The World.” Trump said he wouldn’t raise the minimum wage, and the reason is that America ‘is a country that is being beaten on every front.’ The problem, he said: ‘Taxes too high, wages too high, we’re not going to be able to compete against the world. I hate to say it, but we have to leave it the way it is. People have to go out, they have to work really hard, and they have to get into that upper stratum.’” [The Week, 11/10/15; Republican Primary Debate, Milwaukee WI, 11/10/15] Trump: “We Have To Become Competitive With The World.  Our Taxes Are Too High, Our Wages Are Too High.  Everything Is Too High.” TRUMP: “But you know what? We have to become competitive with the world.  Our taxes are too high, our wages are too high.  Everything is too high.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 11/11/15; The Hill, 11/11/15] TRUMP: “HAVING A LOW MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT A BAD THING FOR THIS COUNTRY” Trump: “But I Think Having A Low Minimum Wage Is Not A Bad Thing For This Country.” TRUMP: “Now — I want to create jobs so that you don’t have to worry about the minimum wage.  They’re do a great job that they’re making much more than the minimum wage.  But I think having a low minimum wage is not a bad thing for this country, Mika.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 8/20/15; Washington Times; 8/20/15]
V/O: Small businesses thrive SUPER: Small businesses thrive “Details and Analysis of Donald Trump’s Tax Plan,” Tax Foundation, 9/29/15 V/O: The American dream achievable. Change that makes America great again. Donald Trump for President. SUPER: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!	TRUMP’S POLICIES WOULD DRIVE AMERICA INTO A RECESSION Moody’s Concluded That Trump’s Trade And Immigration Policies Would Sharply Boost The Prices Of Labor And Goods And Could Contribute To A Recession In 2018. “The report singles out trade and immigration policies as the most detrimental to the economy in the short run because they could sharply boost labor and goods prices at a time when there’s less slack in the labor market. ‘It is a massive supply shock to the economy that’s very pernicious, and the Fed doesn’t know how to respond to that,’ said Mr. Zandi. Moody’s concludes that those price pressures would force the central bank to raise interest rates at a faster-than-desired pace, contributing to a recession in 2018 that could produce a 25% drop in the S&P 500.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/20/15] HEADLINE: “Donald Trump’s Trade War Could Kill Millions Of U.S. Jobs” [Wonkblog, Washington Post, 3/25/16] HEADLINE: “How Donald Trump Could Cause A Recession” [CNN Money, 3/3/16] The Republican-Leaning U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Argued That Trump’s Proposed Tariffs Would Likely Cause A Recession. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is using a recent analysis commissioned by The Washington Post to argue that Donald Trump’s trade policy platform could cause a recession. The business group, which is a consistent backer of Republican politicians, said in a blog post Friday that a recession would set in during the first year under the Republican front-runner’s proposed tariffs because China and Mexico would likely impose retaliatory tariffs.” [Politico, 4/1/16]

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Hillary Clinton Statement on International Brotherhood of Teamsters Endorsement

Hillary Clinton has received the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. In a statement, the group said that they support Clinton because she “is the right candidate for the middle class and working men and women across the country. She will stand strong for the workers of America by fighting to reject job-killing trade deals, enforcing labor laws and working to provide retirement security for millions of people who have sacrificed so much for the chance to retire with dignity.” Clinton released a statement thanking the group for their support and vowed to fight for working families and labor unions. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below.

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Unions like the International Brotherhood of Teamsters built the American middle class, and they make our economy run today. Teamsters keep our planes in the air, they put food on our shelves, and they get packages to our doors. In fighting for better wages and safer conditions on the job, the Teamsters are fighting for all America’s workers. 

I have always been proud to stand with organized labor to create good jobs with good benefits and wages that make it possible to build a middle-class life. As President, I will stand with organized labor and I will always fight for workers’ rights to retire with dignity and security, and to receive the benefits they have earned after years of hard work.

The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. The Republican candidate for President is a man who has said wages are ‘too high’ in this country. Donald Trump personally signed a contract to hire a union-busting firm to try to stop his workers from organizing in his Las Vegas hotel. His running mate is a man who consistently supported efforts to undermine Social Security and who repealed Indiana’s 80-year-old prevailing wage law. Workers deserve better. And both of them support so-called ‘right to work’ laws that make it harder for workers to organize. I am proud to stand with organized labor against these laws, because ‘right to work’ is wrong for workers and wrong for America.

If elected, American workers will always have a seat at the table and a champion in the White House–because when unions are strong, America is strong.”

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News Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Hillary for America Releases Ad Lifting Working Families Up

Today, Hillary for America launched a new television ad entitled “For Those Who Depend on Us,” highlighting Clinton’s plan to lift Latino working families up and ensure they get ahead and stay ahead. While Donald Trump is painting Latinos as “criminals,” demeaning immigrants and doubling down on his dangerous deportation policies, Clinton is putting forward an agenda that will help Latino families build a better future.

Continuing her lifelong record of standing up for families and children, the ad provides a snapshot of Clinton’s agenda for a new economic future for the Latino community. From building an economy that works for everyone– not just those at the top–to providing relief for child care costs or fighting for equal pay for Latinas, the ad underscores how Clinton’s plan will benefit Latino families. Clinton’s vision for our country–one in which we are stronger together– stands in stark contrast with Trump’s divisive and reckless agenda for our country.  The ad is airing in Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

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Clinton Statement on Endorsement of the Working Families Party

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton receive the endorsement of the Working Families Party, a group that backed Senator Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primary. Clinton released a statement reaffirming her commitment to working families and building the middle class. A copy of her statement is below.

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the Working Families Party.

Working families are the engine behind our economy, the heart of our democracy, and the core of what makes America great.  But today, it’s too hard for working people to get ahead and stay ahead.

That’s why the Working Families Party is so important.  For almost two decades, they have fought to make our economy fairer and our country stronger. They’ve fought to raise the minimum wage in states and cities across the country; combat climate change and create new, good-paying jobs in clean energy and energy efficiency; and train and elect trailblazing progressive leaders.

As President, I’ll stand with working families like I have my entire career.  We’ll build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top, and finally make the minimum wage a living wage.  We’ll overturn Citizens United and protect every American’s right to vote, not every corporation’s right to buy elections. We’ll end the era of mass incarceration and replace the school-to-prison pipeline with a cradle-to-college and career pipeline.  We’ll make sure every American can afford a college education and tackle our country’s student debt crisis.  And we’ll finally enact policies that support how families actually live and work today—with paid family leave, affordable childcare, and equal pay for women.

Together, we’ll fight every day for working families—because we know when families are strong, America is strong.”

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News Source: The Washington Post

Clinton Endorsed by the Progressive Action PAC

Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of the Progressive Action PAC on Monday. In a release the group praised Clinton saying that she “shares our ideals and has worked to improve the lives of Americans her entire adult life – as an activist, a litigator, a First Lady, a Senator, and then a Secretary of State.” Clinton released a statement in which she praises the group’s work as “a champion for working people” and looks forward to working with them if she is elected. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ Progressive Action PAC.

For 25 years, the CPC has been a champion for working people and on behalf of Americans who have been left out and left behind. And CPC members know, as I do, that we are stronger together.

We are stronger when we have each others’ backs. That’s why we will fight to secure universal health care, raise the minimum wage, and protect Americans’ fundamental right to vote–not corporations’ right to buy elections. It’s why we will face up to the reality of systemic racism, and fix it together. And it’s why we will say ‘no’ to trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership that would hurt American workers, and fully enforce our trade laws to protect American jobs.

We are stronger when all our people can retire with dignity and security after years of hard work. That is why we will stand up to Republican efforts to undermine or privatize the bedrock promise of Social Security—and we’ll fight to expand it.

And we are stronger when we make our economy work for everyone—not just those at the top. That’s why we will fight to make college debt-free and make the kinds of investments that will create good-paying jobs, with a bold plan to build 21st century infrastructure, revitalize American manufacturing, and combat climate change and make America a clean energy superpower.

Progressives know that in America, we don’t tear each other down–we lift each other up. We believe in building bridges, not walls. And we know that America is already great—because for 240 years, ours has been the story of hard-fought, hard-won progress.”

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News Source: Progressive Action PAC, The Hill