New Hampshire Primary 2016: The Economy

From New Hampshire, a deep dive, from Trump to Sanders, on how the candidates would approach the U.S. economy.

Coming to you today from snowy Manchester, New Hampshire and the first in the nation primary vote. Sanders and Cruz. Clinton and Trump. Kasich and Rubio and Christie and more. For months they have been criss-crossing this state laying out their themes, their vision and – when pressed – their economic plans. The span of what’s on offer for the economy here is wide, from Sanders’ socialism to Trump’s towering promises. This hour On Point, from the thick of New Hampshire’s primary voting, the candidates and the American economy.
-- Tom Ashbrook

Heather Haddon, political reporter covering the 2016 presidential campaign for The Wall Street Journal. (@heatherhaddon)

Ross Gittell, chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst. (@JackBeattyNPR)

Fred Thys, political reporter at WBUR. (@fredthys)

Margaret Talev, White House correspondent for Bloomberg News. (@margarettalev)

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Vows to Take On ‘Powerful’ Drug Companies, Drive Down Prices — "In this campaign season, Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have assailed pharmaceutical companies for high drug prices. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has accused drug companies of 'pure profiteering' that threatened to 'bankrupt our system.' ] His campaign later tried to soften the remark, saying they were directed at specific companies that had gauged consumers."

Bloomberg Politics: Sanders's Wall Street Attacks Strike Home in New Hampshire Town — "Five-dollar bills in the cash register at Tri-City Bicycles in Rochester, New Hampshire, send customers a message stamped in red ink: 'Not 2 B used 2 bribe politicians.' Owner Mark Traeger’s frustration with what he calls a rigged economy has become a central theme in the Democratic presidential primary. Tri-City can’t park profits overseas to dodge taxes. It can’t pony up the big campaign contributions or the rich speaking fees over which insurgent candidate Bernie Sanders has been attacking Hillary Clinton."

Five Thirty Eight: Americans Are Still Really Worried About The Economy — "How can Americans be feeling optimistic and pessimistic about the economy at the same time? One common explanation is that the optimists and the pessimists are two different groups of people. Maybe Trump and other out-of-the-mainstream candidates are drawing their support from those left behind by the economic recovery."