With just nine days before election day is here, voters have either voted early or made up their minds despite all the October surprises that keep hitting both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
In dueling campaign events Sunday, Hillary Clinton stepped up her attacks on Donald Trump’s alleged phantom philanthropy, while the Republican nominee continued to pound his Democratic rival over the FBI‘s new review of emails.
Clinton slammed Trump for creating what she called a “facade” of being a generous supporter of charities, saying: “With Donald, it’s always Donald Trump first and everyone else last.”
“He abuses his power, he games the system, and he doesn’t care who’s left holding the bag,” Clinton told supporters at a campaign event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In her remarks, Clinton did not address the news that FBI Director James Comey is conducting a review of emails that may be tied to her private server — something Trump seized on during an appearance in Nevada.
Clinton’s charity comments came on the heels of a Washington Post report published over the weekend, which concluded after a months-long investigation that “many of Trumps’ boasts about his philanthropy” could not be verified.
“Throughout his life in the spotlight, whether as a businessman, television star or presidential candidate, The Post found that Trump had sought credit for charity he had not given — or had claimed other people’s giving as his own,” the story said.
The Post’s report began with the story of Trump attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony in New York in the 1990s for a new nursery school for children with AIDS. Trump showed up at the event unannounced — even taking a spot in the VIP seating — despite having never donated to support the building of the school, according to the Post, surprising and agitating other donors who were in attendance.
For those of you that are still in the undecided camp, below are how both Clinton and Trump stand on the top issues that can affect your vote.
By now, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have taken a stab at all sorts of issues and an actual stand on many.
Election Day won’t settle what gets done over the next four years – only who gets to try. Nearly all their ideas require Congress to go along, a tall order.
Even so, they’ve presented voters with distinct choices and sketched out the opening act for an administration that will be engaging lawmakers across the policy landscape.
Below shows exactly where the Democratic and Republican candidates stand on issues that are important to voters:
ABORTION: Nominate Supreme Court justices who support abortion rights?
CLINTON: Yes
TRUMP: No
CHILD CARE
CLINTON: 12 weeks of government-paid family and medical leave. Double the child tax credit for families with children 4 and younger, to $2,000 per child.
TRUMP: 6 weeks of leave for new mothers, with the government paying wages equivalent to unemployment benefits. New income tax deduction for child care expenses, other tax benefits and a new rebate or tax credit for low-income families.
CLIMATE CHANGE
CLINTON: $60 billion to switch to cleaner energy. Maintain Obama administration commitment to cut emissions of heat-trapping gasses by up to 30 percent by 2025.
TRUMP: Calls attempts to remedy global warming “a very, very expensive form of tax.” Previously called global warming a hoax.
DEBT
CLINTON: Tax increases on the wealthy would help pay for programs, but the extra revenue would not go to bringing down the debt.
TRUMP: Promises massive tax cuts, without proposing curbs in expensive benefit programs; analysts forecast debt would rise more than under Clinton.
EDUCATION
CLINTON: Universal pre-kindergarten within 10 years, to be achieved by giving money to states.
TRUMP: $20 billion in the first year to help states expand school choice.
EDUCATION-COLLEGE
CLINTON: Government-paid tuition at in-state, public colleges for students from families making less than $85,000. Income threshold to rise to $125,000 by 2021.
TRUMP: Cap student loan payments at 12.5 percent of a borrower’s income, with loan forgiveness if they make payments for 15 years.
ENERGY
CLINTON: Generate enough renewable energy to power every home in U.S. within 10 years. Measured support for hydraulic fracturing.
TRUMP: “Unleash American energy” by stripping regulations to allow unfettered production of oil, coal, natural gas and other sources. Rescind Clean Power Plan, an Obama administration strategy to fight climate change.
FOREIGN POLICY
CLINTON: Sees international partnerships as essential for using U.S. influence and lessening chances of war.
TRUMP: “America First” policy means alliances and coalitions would not pass muster unless they produced a net benefit to the U.S.
GUNS
CLINTON: Renew ban on assault-type weapons, ensure background checks are completed before a gun sale goes forward, mandate such checks for gun-show sales and repeal law that shields gun manufacturers from liability.
TRUMP: Nominate Supreme Court justices who favor Second Amendment gun rights; says public safety is enhanced by gun ownership.
HEALTH CARE
CLINTON: Build on Obama health care law, with federal spending to help with rising out-of-pocket costs. Repeal a tax on generous coverage that was instituted to help pay for the law’s benefits.
TRUMP: Seek to repeal the law and replace it. Studies say his plan would make up to 20 million uninsured.
IMMIGRATION
CLINTON: Provide a path to citizenship, not just legal status, for many people in the country illegally. Expand programs that protect some groups of immigrants from deportation, including those who arrived as children and parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.
TRUMP: Deport people in the country illegally who have committed serious crimes, build a wall along Mexico border at Mexico’s expense. No longer proposing to deport all who are illegally in the U.S., but has not proposed steps to give them legal status.
INFRASTRUCTURE
CLINTON: Spend $250 billion over next five years on public infrastructure and direct an additional $25 billion to a new infrastructure bank to help finance local projects.
TRUMP: Has said he would double Clinton’s infrastructure spending, financing with bonds.
IRAN: Support the deal freezing Iran‘s nuclear development program in exchange for relief from international sanctions?
CLINTON: Yes
TRUMP: No
ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS
CLINTON: Mostly would stay the course from the Obama administration.
TRUMP: Vows relentless bombing; has expressed support for outlawed interrogation techniques.
JOBS
CLINTON: Spend more on roads, tunnels, and other infrastructure. Make government-paid tuition available to most students, enabling more Americans to qualify for higher-paying jobs.
TRUMP: Cut taxes and regulation to spur hiring. Vows manufacturing revival through restrictive practices on imports and improved business climate.
MINIMUM WAGE
CLINTON: At least $12 an hour, from the current $7.50.
TRUMP: $10.
REFUGEES
CLINTON: Expand Syrian refugee program to let in as many as 65,000 over an unspecified time. About 10,000 came in the first year of the program.
TRUMP: Halt the Syrian refugee program; “extreme” vetting of arrivals from places known for extremism.
SOCIAL SECURITY
CLINTON: Expand benefits for widows and family caregivers, require wealthy people to pay Social Security taxes on more of their income
TRUMP: No cuts to Social Security.
TAXES
CLINTON: Tax increases for the wealthy, such as minimum 30 percent tax on incomes over $1 million and higher taxes on big inheritances. Little if any change for other taxpayers.
TRUMP: Collapse the seven income tax brackets, which peak at 39.6 percent, into three, with a top rate of 33 percent. Slice corporate income tax and eliminate estate tax. Analysts say the wealthy would benefit disproportionately. Tax Policy Center says the middle fifth of taxpayers could save an average of $1,010.
TRADE
CLINTON: Opposes Trans-Pacific trade deal, after championing the agreement as secretary of state. Mixed record of support and opposition to free trade.
TRUMP: Impose hefty tariffs on countries judged to be trading unfairly, a step that would suppress their exports and increase costs of goods imported into U.S. Renegotiate or withdraw from North American Free Trade Agreement. Opposes Trans-Pacific trade deal.
WALL STREET REGULATION
CLINTON: More.
TRUMP: Less.