Yesterday, The Donald gave a major speech on economic issues to the Detroit Economic Club. You can read the transcript here. A few key tidbits, including my comments, follows.
She (Her Imperial Majesty Hillary I) supports the high taxes and radical regulation that forced jobs out of your community…and the crime policies that have made you less safe…and the immigration policies that have strained local budgets…and the trade deals like NAFTA, signed by her husband, that have shipped your jobs to Mexico and other countries… and she supports the education policies that deny your students choice, freedom and opportunity.
She is the candidate of the past. Ours is the campaign of the future.
This was a very astute bit of doggerel. Note that The Donald has staked out the position of himself as the future, Her Imperial Highness as the past; if he can make that picture stick, it will pick him up votes.
Tax simplification will be a major feature of the plan.
Our current tax code is so burdensome and complex that we waste 9 billion hours a year in tax code compliance.
My plan will reduce the current number of brackets from 7 to 3, and dramatically streamline the process. We will work with House Republicans on this plan, using the same brackets they have proposed: 12, 25 and 33 percent. For many American workers, their tax rate will be zero.
This has similarities to the famous 1981 Reagan tax reforms, which broadened and flattened the tax base by decreasing marginal rates and eliminating a host of deductions. This policy should appeal to a broad swath of libertarians, supply-siders and economic conservatives – although he may lose some deficit hawks if he cannot demonstrate how his cuts will be (at least) revenue-neutral.
Now let’s look at what the Obama-Clinton policies have done nationally.
Their policies produced 1.2% growth, the weakest so-called recovery since the Great Depression, and a doubling of the national debt.
Doubling – so far. Imagine four years under Her Imperial Majesty. This is the point The Donald needs to keep hammering – Her Highness as a third Obama term.
There are now 94.3 million Americans outside the labor force. 20 It was 80.5 million when President Obama took office, an increase of nearly 14 million people.
The Obama-Clinton agenda of tax, spend and regulate has created a silent nation of jobless Americans.
Home ownership is at its lowest rate in 51 years. 21
Nearly 12 million have been added to the food stamp rolls since President Obama took office. 22 Another nearly 7 million Americans were added to the ranks of those in poverty. 23 24
We have the lowest labor force participation rates in four decades.
Again, cogent points – if The Donald keeps hammering away at this message, he stands a good chance of reversing his recent slide in the polls.
In this speech, Trump went through a wide range of issues – energy, regulation, Her Imperial Majesty’s track record as the carpetbagger Senator from New York and as SecState. Read the whole thing.
At the moment The Donald isn’t doing so well. PJMedia’s Roger Simon has described a Hillary Clinton Presidency as “An American Tragedy,” and does not rule out the possibility of a civil war as a result – color me skeptical on that, but I admit Simon is not your typical wild-eyed conspiracy theorist. But a third Clinton Administration is precisely the scenario that will unfold unless The Donald gets his shit together, and fast.
Yesterday’s speech was a step in the right direction. Let’s hope he keeps it up. I’m no big fan of The Donald, but I’m inclined to agree with Mr. Simon – four years of Her Imperial Majesty in the Imperial Mansion would be an utter disaster.
