Hillary Clinton on Monday delivered a much-publicized speech in which she was supposed to lay out her economic agenda. In reality, she just rehashed President Obama's. Her speech ultimately sounded like another Obama State of the Union address, only with much more robotic delivery.
As I've noted before, everything that Clinton does during the 2016 campaign should be viewed through the prism of her desperate need to hang onto the coalition of voters that elected Obama twice. On Monday, Clinton left no doubt that she intended to run for Obama's third term.
Obama hasn't had any significant legislative accomplishments (on the scale of the economic stimulus package, Obamacare, or Dodd-Frank financial regulatory legislation) since Republicans took over the House in 2010. He's been advocating ways to further expand the government role in the economy and advance liberalism, but his agenda hasn't stood a chance Congress. Clinton is signaling that if elected, she will pick up the fight right where he left off.
Clinton herself seemed conscious of the criticism that she was recycling old ideas. "We're not going to find all the answers we need today in the playbooks of the past," she said at the outset.
Later in the speech, she said, "Now many of these proposals are time-tested and more than a little battle-scarred. We need new ideas as well." Shortly thereafter, she expressed support for the "Buffett Rule" — the surtax on wealthy individuals Obama first proposed back in 2011 and has pushed ever since.
Below, I've compiled 17 different ways in which Clinton's speech rehashed Obama, with special focus on his State of the Union proposals.
1. Middle-Class economics
Clinton: "The defining economic challenge of our time is clear: We must raise incomes for hard-working Americans so they can afford a middle-class life. …If you work hard and do your part, you should be able to get ahead. And when you get ahead, America gets ahead. But over several decades, that bargain has eroded. Our job is to make it strong again."
Obama's 2012 State of the Union Speech: "the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement. The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive."
2. "Shadow of crisis"
Clinton: "Now today, today as the shadow of crisis recedes and longer-term challenges come into focus, I believe we have to build a 'growth and fairness' economy."
Obama's 2015 State of the Union: "The shadow of crisis has passed."
3. Overseas profits
Clinton: "I'll also push for broader business tax reform to spur investment in America, closing those loopholes that reward companies for sending jobs and profits overseas."
Obama in 2012 State of the Union: "It is time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America. Send me these tax reforms, and I will sign them right away."
4. Infrastructure
Clinton: "So let's establish an infrastructure bank that can channel more public and private funds, channel those funds to finance world-class airports, railways, roads, bridges and ports. And let's build those faster broadband networks."
Obama in 2012 State of the Union: "Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America's infrastructure. So much of America needs to be rebuilt. We've got crumbling roads and bridges; a power grid that wastes too much energy; an incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world."
Obama has also advocated for an infrastructure bank.
5. Immigration
Clinton: "And I know it's not always how we think about this, but another engine of strong growth should be comprehensive immigration reform."
Obama's 2013 State of the Union: "Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants. And right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, faith communities -- they all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform."
6. Renewable energy
Clinton: "And really there's no excuse not to make greater investments in cleaner, renewable energy right now."
Obama in 2009 address to a joint session of Congress: "Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation's supply of renewable energy in the next three years."
7. Science and medical research
Clinton: "And let's fund the scientific and medical research that spawns innovative companies and creates entire new industries."
Obama in 2009 joint session speech: "We have also made the largest investment in basic research funding in American history - an investment that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in medicine, science, and technology."
8. Paid leave and childcare
Clinton: "Fair pay and fair scheduling, paid family leave and earned sick days, childcare are essential to our competitiveness and growth."
Obama's 2015 State of the Union: "And that's why my plan will make quality childcare more available, and more affordable, for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in America… I'll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own. And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November, let's put it to a vote right here in Washington. Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave."
9. Equal pay
Clinton: "It's way past time to end the outrage of so many women still earning less than men on the job."
Obama in 2012: "That means women should earn equal pay for equal work."
10. Unions
Clinton: "Evidence shows that the decline of unions may be responsible for a third of the increase of inequality among men. So if we want to get serious about raising incomes, we have to get serious about supporting workers.
Obama in 2015 State of the Union: "We still need laws that strengthen rather than weaken unions, and give American workers a voice."
11. Looking beyond quarterly earnings
Clinton: "They say everything's focused on the next earnings report or the short-term share price. The result is too little attention on the sources of long-term growth: research and development, physical capital, and talent."
Obama in the 2015 State of the Union: "To give working families a fair shot, we'll still need more employers to see beyond next quarter's earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their company's long-term interest."
12. Inequality
Clinton: "The evidence is in: Inequality is a drag on our entire economy, so this is the problem we need to tackle.
Obama in 2013: "There are practical consequences to rising inequality and reduced mobility. For one thing, these trends are bad for our economy."
13. Corporate profits
Clinton: "Corporate profits are at near-record highs and Americans are working as hard as ever -- but paychecks have barely budged in real terms."
Obama's 2014 State of the Union: "Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better. But average wages have barely budged."
14. Minimum wage
Clinton: "If you work hard, you ought to be paid fairly. So we have to raise the minimum wage and implement President Obama's new rules on overtime."
Obama 2013 State of the Union: "Tonight, let's declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour."
15. Buffett Rule
Clinton: "Those at the top have to pay their fair share. That's why I support the Buffett Rule, which makes sure that millionaires don't pay lower rates than their secretaries.
Obama 2012 State of the Union: "Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary…Tax reform should follow the Buffett Rule. If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes."
16. College
Clinton: "And in the coming weeks and months, I'll lay out specific steps to improve our schools, make college truly affordable, and help Americans refinance their student debt.
Obama's 2013 State of the Union: "Through tax credits, grants and better loans, we've made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years."
17. Apprenticeships
Clinton: "To help more companies do that, I've proposed a new $1,500 apprenticeship tax credit for every worker they train and hire."
In 2014 Obama announced "$100 million to expand apprenticeships for American workers."