FACTBOX: Democratic presidential candidates on economy
(Reuters) - The following are highlights from recent comments on economic policy from the U.S. Democratic presidential candidates.
NEW YORK SEN. HILLARY CLINTON
Clinton unveiled a plan she said would save $55 billion by taking on corporate interests such as drug companies, oil firms and Wall Street. The plan included a proposal to overhaul credit-card regulations to shield consumers from high fees and sudden rate hikes.
Clinton has proposed a retirement savings plan for lower- and middle-class families that would include tax credits as incentives for savings.
Her health-care plan would require all Americans to get health insurance. Under a public-private partnership, they would keep existing coverage or choose from private insurance options available to members of Congress. Individuals could also choose a public plan similar to Medicare.
On China, Clinton has said tougher import standards are necessary to keep consumers safe. "We also have to deal with their currency manipulation," she said.
ILLINOIS SEN. BARACK OBAMA
Obama offered a plan he said would create 5 million new jobs in the green energy sector and establish an infrastructure bank to spend $60 billion over a decade to repair deteriorating roads, bridges and waterways. He said he would pay for the plan by ending the Iraq war and raising taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans.
Obama has called for a refundable tax credit worth $4,000 for college tuition every year, and wants to automatically enroll workers in retirement plans to boost savings.
He has proposed a national public insurance program to allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees.
He said if trade partners are manipulating their currency, "we take them to the mat on this issue. It means that we are also not running up deficits and asking China to bail us out and finance it, because it's pretty hard to have a tough negotiation when the Chinese are our bankers."
(Compiled by JoAnne Allen; Editing by Xavier Briand)
