Hillary Clinton slams Donald Trump's economic plans in Michigan
WARREN, Mich. -- In a speech on the economy here on Thursday, Hillary Clinton had a message for middle class voters: don't believe Donald Trump's promises.
"There's a myth out there that he'll stick it to the rich and powerful because, somehow, he's really on the side of the little guy," Clinton said, speaking on the floor of Futuramic Tool & Engineering, a design and manufacturing company. "Don't believe it."
Clinton's address in Warren built on two back-to-back speeches she made on the economy back in June, when she laid out five economic goals for her presidency. Among her goals: passing "the biggest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II" while making college tuition- or debt-free, and reforming the tax code so that the wealthiest Americans pay more.
But, as Clinton and Trump march steadily toward Election Day, Clinton's more immediate mission on Thursday was to create contrast with her opponent. She argued that Trump's economic agenda, which he laid out in a speech on Monday in Detroit, benefits only the wealthy -- like himself -- and offers "no credible plans" to address the challenges that working families face today, like the burden of student loans or the cost or prescription drugs.
"Nothing for communities of color in our cities to overcome barriers of systemic racism," she went on. "Nothing to create new opportunities for young people. Just a more extreme version of the failed theory of trickle-down economics, with the addition of his own unique Trumpian ideas that even Republicans reject."
She asked voters to ask themselves, "which candidate can you actually count on?"
Clinton zeroed in on Trump's tax plan and his proposal to cut the corporate tax rate and the tax rate on business income to 15 percent. Trump argued that his plan will help small businesses.
"Let's call it the 'Trump Loophole,' Clinton said, "because it would allow him to pay less than half the current tax rate on income from many of his companies...He'd pay a lower rate than millions of middle class families."
She also said that Trump's plan to repeal the Estate Tax, also known as the 'death tax,' could result in a $4 billion "tax cut" for Trump's family.
"Just think about what we could do with those $4 billion," she said. "We could pay for more than 47,000 veterans to get a 4-year college degree. We could provide a year's worth of health care to nearly 3 million kids."
But Clinton qualified that the extent to which Trump's proposals would benefit him depends on how rich Trump really is. She called on him again to release his tax returns. Earlier Thursday, a source close to Clinton confirmed to CBS News that the Democratic nominee plans to release her tax return for 2015 "in the coming days."
Besides tax reform, Clinton also spoke at length about trade, assuring Americans that she would "stop any trade deal that kills jobs or holds down wages, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership."
"I oppose it now, I'll oppose it after the election, and I'll oppose it as President," Clinton said. She said it's not enough to "rant and rave" about trade deals that have hurt Americans, and that the United States can not "cut ourselves off from the world."
"His approach is based on fear, not strength," Clinton said. "If Team USA was as fearful as Trump, Michael Phelps and Simone Biles would be cowering in the locker room, afraid to come out to compete. Instead, they're winning gold medals."
She added: "America isn't afraid to compete."