Donald Trump unveiled another plank to his populist economic program Thursday, promising to abolish tax on overtime pay.
It comes after his promises to end tax on tips and on Social Security benefits for seniors, ideas that are wildly popular but uncosted and likely to increase the national debt without tax increases elsewhere.
He made his pledge during a raucous rally in Tucson, Arizona, where he said it was time for working men and women to ‘catch a break’.
‘I’m also announcing that as part of our additional tax cuts, we will end all taxes on overtime,’ he said.
‘You know what that means? I think that gives people more of an incentive to work. It gives the companies a lot … it’s a lot easier to get the people.’
Donald Trump delivered a speech for an hour and 14 minutes in Tucson, Arizona, on Thursday where he announced a plan to remove tax from overtime, and then sent the crowd wild by dancing to YMCA by the Village People
The promise sent the crowd wild, in a state that has seen some of the highest inflation in the entire country during the past four years.
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Both Trump and Kamala Harris have been pursuing unorthodox ideas to ease the cost of living crisis.
The Democratic nominee has suggested a form of central price control, to stop companies profiteering, and has copied Trump’s promise to protect income from tips.
On Thursday afternoon, Trump said his new policy would apply to earnings after 40 hours a week.
‘So no tax on social securities for our great seniors, and this last one is no tax … you work your ass off, no tax on overtime, and that’s so good for the employees,’ he said.
Both candidates headed to battleground states as they looked to kick on from Tuesday’s debate.
Harris was in North Carolina, with rallies in Charlotte and Greensboro, for a chance to further buoy her supporters after a strong performance when she knocked Trump off his stride and put him on the defensive in their first head-to head-meeting.
Her team has been poring over the 90-minute debate for clips to turn into TV ads.
Meanwhile, Trump was looking to stabilize his campaign, which has been in flux ever since Harris unexpectedly entered the race in July.
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The event was billed as speech to address the crippling prices faced by people in Arizona
After marking the anniversary of 9/11 on Wednesday, Donald Trump was back out on the campaign trail on Thursday, with a rally in Tucson, Arizona, a must-win state
He also was trying to bounce back from Tuesday’s debate. A string of snap polls suggested that viewers thought his opponent had performed best on the night.
Trump took issue with criticism that he had come across as angry.
‘People said that I was angry at the debate, angry,’ he told the raucous crowd at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall.
‘I was angry, and yes, I am angry because she allowed 21 million illegal aliens invading our communities. Many of them are criminals.’
Trump was clearly rattled by Harris’ attacks Tuesday, and baited into repeating a rightwing online rumor that illegal immigrants had been stealing and eating pets.
On Thursday, he was back on the campaign trail trying to get his election run back on track in a crucial battleground state.
He did that in typical Trump style, by making no apologies for appearing angry and by repeating the claim about migrants and cats and dogs.
He said 911 calls in Springfield, Ohio, revealed migrants walking off with geese.
‘The migrants are walking off with the town’s geese. They’ve taken the geese,’ he said. ‘You know where the geese are in the park, in the lake, and even walking off with their pets
‘My dog’s been taken.’