Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton told a crowd in Cleveland last night (TUES) that she will be tough on American companies that move outside the United States. It’s a touchy subject for Clinton, who is trying to win votes in a state that has lost manufacturing jobs in the past decade. Ideastream’s Mark Urycki reports . .
Senator Bernie Sanders has argued that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has been too soft on trade deals that have allowed states like Michigan and Ohio to lose manufacturing jobs. Last night she reminded the audience of mostly young people at TRI-C that she supported the auto-bailout that saved jobs in Ohio
“And as president I’ll always stand by our auto workers and automakers but I’ll also invest in manufacturing and small business and clean energy.”
Clinton called for corporate patriotism and took a page from Senator Sherrod Brown who wants companies that leave America to pay all their taxes first. Clinton singled out the Eaton Corporation, once Cleveland’s largest employer, but now headquartered in Ireland.
“Look at the Eaton Corp here in Ohio. They get millions of dollars in tax credits and government contracts to make electrical equipment. But that hasn’t stopped them from using accounting tricks for moving their corporate headquarters overseas and avoid paying their fair share of taxes here at home.
“I want companies to know if they walk out on America they’re going to pay a price. And if they ship jobs overseas we’re going to make them give back the tax breaks they received here at home.”
Clinton called for investing in jobs that can’t be outsourced – namely rebuilding America’s infrastructure- and noted the problems Flint, Michigan had with lead-tainted water and the problem’s Cleveland has with lead-based paint.