AFP, Washington :
On taxes, public spending and protectionism the two candidates for the White House are diametrically opposed:
Hillary Clinton represents continuity while Donald Trump seduces or frightens with his radical proposals.
But while many economists are alarmed by the threat Trump poses to American prosperity, there is no shortage of small business owners and investors who believe the Republican candidate’s plans would benefit the economy.
With polls showing the candidates are neck-and-neck just days before Tuesday’s election, the race could be summed up as “Wall Street is pro-Clinton, Main Street is pro-Trump,” said Steve Odland, of the Committee for Economic Development, a non-partisan, business-led economic policy group.
But even Wall Street is somewhat ambivalent. A survey conducted by the CNBC network last week with 50 economists and Wall Street participants showed 82 percent think Clinton will win, but 46 percent feel Trump would be better for the economy, compared to 39 percent favoring Clinton.
Another survey conducted in October by the Pepperdine/Graziadio Business School in Los Angeles with 1,353 small businesses across the country, shows a majority of employers prefer Trump due to his positions on health insurance (55 percent to 45 percent for Clinton), as well as on taxes (66 percent to 34 percent) and trade (55 percent to 45 percent).
On taxes, public spending and protectionism the two candidates for the White House are diametrically opposed:
Hillary Clinton represents continuity while Donald Trump seduces or frightens with his radical proposals.
But while many economists are alarmed by the threat Trump poses to American prosperity, there is no shortage of small business owners and investors who believe the Republican candidate’s plans would benefit the economy.
With polls showing the candidates are neck-and-neck just days before Tuesday’s election, the race could be summed up as “Wall Street is pro-Clinton, Main Street is pro-Trump,” said Steve Odland, of the Committee for Economic Development, a non-partisan, business-led economic policy group.
But even Wall Street is somewhat ambivalent. A survey conducted by the CNBC network last week with 50 economists and Wall Street participants showed 82 percent think Clinton will win, but 46 percent feel Trump would be better for the economy, compared to 39 percent favoring Clinton.
Another survey conducted in October by the Pepperdine/Graziadio Business School in Los Angeles with 1,353 small businesses across the country, shows a majority of employers prefer Trump due to his positions on health insurance (55 percent to 45 percent for Clinton), as well as on taxes (66 percent to 34 percent) and trade (55 percent to 45 percent).
