Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton told a crowd at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland Tuesday night 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.
Sen. 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 Cuyahoga Community College 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 said.
Clinton called for corporate patriotism and took a page from Sen. Sherrod Brown, who wants companies that leave America to pay all their taxes first.
Clinton singled out the Eaton Corp., once Cleveland’s largest employer, but now headquartered in Ireland.
“I want companies to know if they walk out on America they’re going to pay a price," Clinton said. "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.
