US has to build inclusive economy: Clinton

Top Democratic US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton today called for building a "growth and fairness" economy that is inclusive as she unveiled the economic policies of her 2016 election campaign.
The 67-year-old former Secretary of State, who announced her second presidential bid in May, would be the first woman president of the US if elected in November next year.
"I believe we have to build a growth and fairness economy. You can't have one without the other," Clinton said.
"We can't create enough jobs and new businesses without more growth, and we can't build strong families and support our consumer economy without more fairness. We need both," Clinton argued.

"While America is standing again, we are not yet running the way we should. Corporate profits are at near record highs and Americans are working as hard as ever. But paychecks had hardly budged in real terms. Families today are stretched in so many directions, and so are their budgets. Out of pocket costs of health care, child care, hearing for ageing parents, are rising a lot faster than wages," she said.
Clinton said advances in technology and expanding global trade have created new areas of commercial activity and opened new markets for US exports.

"Too often they are polarising our economy, benefiting high skilled workers, but displacing and downgrading blue-collar jobs and other mid-level jobs that used to provide solid incomes for millions of Americans," she said.

Proposing an agenda to raise incomes for Americans, for strong, fair growth and long-term growth, Clinton said she wants to see the US economy work for the struggling, the striving and the successful.
"We're not going to find all the answers we need today in the playbooks of the past, we can't go back to the old policies that failed us before, nor can we just replay the successes," she said.
"I will push for broader business tax reform to spur investment in America, closing those loopholes that reward companies for sending jobs and profits overseas," Clinton said adding that comprehensive immigration reform should be another engine of strong growth.

Observing that inequality is a drag on the entire economy, Clinton said she would crack down on those who exploit employees by misclassifying them as contractors or even steal their wages.
Clinton pledged to make prescription drugs more affordable and also supported the Buffet rule.
"Hard-working families need and deserve tax relief and simplification. Those at the top have to pay their fair share. That's why I support the Buffet Rule, which makes sure millionaires do not pay lower rates than their secretaries. I have called for closing the carried interest loophole, that lets wealthy financiers pay an artificially low rate," she said.