analysis of hillary's speech: i really wanted to hear substance but heard mostly fluff

[restorefreedom]

OK so this is my analysis of Hillary's economic speech today. If I missed anything specific that anyone wants to point out please share. I have to say that I heard a lot of fluff and very very little substance.

ok besides the obvious applause lines and all the fluff, I was able to distill the following:

the "here is what we know" statements:

1. trickle down economics doesn't work

2. her husband's presidency was great for the economy

3. people are overworked and not making enough money to live well

4. Too many of our major financial institutions are still too complex and too risky (no explicit support of glass steagall however).

5. something has to be done to improve the lives of "hardworking Americans."


the "wish list", most of these fall under the "no kidding, who doesn't want that?" category

job growth

higher wages and better benefits

comprehensive immigration reform

faster broadband networks

more investment in clean renewable energy

break down barriers to women in the workforce

paid leave for women and families and affordable childcare

raise the minimum wage

pathways to lifelong learning

universal access to high-quality pre-K within 10 years

leadership from the financial industry and private sector

more jobs for people in minority communities who have been hit hard with high unemployment

jobs in energy

investment in medical and scientific research

tougher fines for white collar crime

a trust fund for public use comprised of money recovered by the government from financial criminals

an infrastructure bank to "channel public and private money" to improve railroads, airports, etc. ....is she talking about more private investment?



what she plans to do (mostly vague applause lines but i tried to squeeze out some substance)

empower entrepreneurs with less red tape, easier access to capital, tax relief and simplification (sounds like more goodies for the rich)

push for broader business tax reform to spur investment in America, closing those loopholes that reward companies for sending jobs and profits overseas (see above; more goodies for the wealthy business owners)

stand up for worker bargaining power (how was not specified)

defend and enhance social security (how was not specified)

reform tax code (how?)

"supporting" the buffet rule

"calling for" closing the carried interest loophole (unfortunately for both her and Bernie Sanders this is a congressional matter)

crack down on bosses who exploit employees by mis- classifying them as contractors or even steal their wages and process individuals as well as firms when they commit fraud or other criminal wrongdoing (so she's going to prosecute crime-good to know)

encourage companies to share profits with their employees… Said that more details would be coming in a speech later this week

"build partnerships to get things done"

invest in our students and our teachers… Says more information will be coming

We will ensure that no firm is too complex to manage or oversee (again, not specifically addressing the banking issues)

proposing a $1,500 tax credit for every worker companies train and hire (oh, goody...more business friendly treats)

proposing a new plan to reform capital gains taxes to reward longer-term investments that create jobs, more than just quick trades (even more goodies?)

will offer plans to rein in excessive risks on Wall Street (how)

"So we do need to set a high bar for trade agreements. We should support them if they create jobs, raise wages and advance our national security. And we should be prepared to walk away if they don’t." so since it is terribly obvious to nearly everyone that the TPP is going to devastate jobs here, does that mean she's going to be against it?

"i want to call for a great outpouring of support from our faith community, our business community, our academic institutions, from philanthropy and civic groups and concerned citizens, to really help parents, particularly parents who are facing a lot of obstacles, to really help prepare their own children in that 0 to 4 age group." (am my hearing the faint jingle of more private investment in public activities?)

Calling for reviving the new markets tax credit and empowerment zones to create greater incentives to invest in poor and remote areas (so still goodies for businesses, but these will be for businesses that invest in poor and more depressed areas.)

and finally, she is for "clear eyed capitalism," whatever the hell that is.

I was really hoping for some specific answers to some very specific questions. And I got none. No let me correct that I did get one answer. It looks like she still going to support businesses with her economic policies and even though she's not calling it trickle down, that sure is what it looks like.

[virtualobserver]

1. I haven't heard the speech but I looked at a jpg image of the details

I saw a lot of slogans, with an occasional bit of substance

It sounds like the speech was quite similar.

[JaneyVee]

2. Pretty extensive to do list.

Now we need to get Republicans out of congress.

[ibegurpard]

3. she'll work across the aisle

Or something...

[HooptieWagon]

4. "Trickle Down" is so DLC...

This is the 21st Century Third Way..."empowerment" is the new buzzword. You don't have to actually DO anything, just say "empowerment" and people will suddenly feel empowered. It's like Faith Healing, but you don't have to actually touch those disgusting proles.

[restorefreedom]

5. well she must have empowered a lot of people.

mission accomplished.

ooops that was someone else...

[winter is coming]

14. Shiny new wrapper. Same reeking contents.

I'm waiting for us to circle back to "horse and sparrow".

[PatrickforO]

6. Clear eyed capitalism seems to be more of the same.

Unfortunately, we as a species can no longer afford that.

[artislife]

16. Exactly

This planet is on a course to detox a lot of living things so it can start the process all over again....in the far future.

It probably is too late for our species and the multitudes we are taking with it but we gotta try something.

If not for us, then at least for kittens....(weak attempt at humor.)


It is unnerving to see how far we have trashed such a beautiful place in such a short time.

The fight is about fracking, about Monsanto killing bees, about oil spills, about warming ocean waters, about Fukishima waters


It just makes me so sad when other countries do the right thing but because we don't, China doesn't and other nations don't , it won't matter.

Is 6 am too early for a shot?

[bobbobbins01]

7. Here is what I took away from it...

Trickle down doesn't work...so I'm going to give incentives to businesses and hope they give some to the little guy! Its a terrible policy and she refuses to hold any feet to the fire. She's giving handouts to businesses, which the taxpayer ultimately ends up footing the bill for, which makes her policy completely regressive. I have no idea why she isn't being called out on it more.

[Scootaloo]

8. Haven't seen it myself, and will withhold judgement until I do.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. You stayed awake through her stories?

[restorefreedom]

13. i got too angry

to watch. so I downloaded a text version of the speech, chopped out the stuff that was fluff which is basically 80 to 90% of it, and then read the rest of it and analyzed it.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

17. Imagine doing that for four/eight years.

[restorefreedom]

19. i will have to goodwill my tv

my blood pressure won't be able to take it

[Populist_Prole]

10. How to sound populist-ey without incurring Wall St's ire

Very carefully worded. Might work in the abstract. Isn't going to work as policy any more than the same strategy worked before; semantics notwithstanding.

We might have been born yesterday, but we weren't born last night.

[JDPriestly]

11. Wonderful to do list but doesn't want to do it, wants others to do it while she stands backon'

and claps.

Some of the things on the list would best be done by government It's highly inefficient to wait on private interests and businesses to do them without a lot of government nudging and poking and just simply stepping in and getting them done.

She wants to please everyone. Won't work.

[madokie]

12. Pretty much standard fair from Hillary

lot of talk, some bluster, no substance.
Hillary Clinton is not one of us, she belongs to the rich class and if she ever was one of us she forgot all that long ago. All I ever get from Hillary is she wants so bad to be the first woman President that she'll say and do anything/whatever, it takes to get there. I just don't trust a word she says anymore.
I'll vote for her if she is our nominee but I truly hope and don't think she'll ever get there. If she does the CONs will come out in droves to vote against her, I mean like we've never seen them come out before. They hate her more than they hate President Obama if that is even possible.

[99Forever]

15. Same old song and dance.

Talk talk, do nothing real for We the People.

Neoliberal feel good gobbledeegook.

[Snotcicles]

18. I was listening without watching, try it sometime. Her cadence was off the tempo was choppy

it was as if she was listening than repeating.