Washington, D.C. — Today, President Donald Trump will visit Fayetteville, North Carolina—a state where he promised working families that he would raise wages, improve health care, and be the “greatest jobs President that God ever created.” In reality, his administration has failed to deliver on these promises—siding with corporations and insurance companies to end protections for people with preexisting conditions and signing into law a tax bill that largely benefited wealthy earners and rewarded companies for moving jobs overseas.
Learn more about the Trump administration’s top broken promises to North Carolina families: TrumpsBrokenPromises.org/north-carolina/
Profits and wages
Promise: “I will [be] the greatest jobs President that God ever created. … [O]ur poorer citizens will get new jobs and higher pay and new hope for their life.” – Donald Trump, October 5, 2016
Reality:
- The president threatened to veto the U.S. House of Representative’s effort to increase the federal minimum wage for the first time in 10 years.
- Currently, a student working full time at a minimum-wage job would have to devote their entire salary for two years to pay for a four-year degree at East Carolina University; in-state tuition for four years costs more than $28,000, not counting books and room and board.
- The Trump administration’s economic policies are delivering huge giveaways to the wealthy at the expense of North Carolina families.
- Experts predict that close to 13,000 North Carolina jobs will be lost as a result of the Trump administration’s erratic steel and aluminum trade policies.
Health care
Promise: “[W]e can repeal and replace Obamacare, and save health care for every family in North Carolina.” – Donald Trump in Raleigh, North Carolina, November 7, 2016
Reality: The Trump administration is trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through the courts with no replacement:
- 3.9 million North Carolinians with preexisting conditions will lose protections under ACA repeal.
- 503,000 North Carolinians will lose their health coverage under ACA repeal.
- $4,550: The annual premium increase for the average North Carolina family.
- The Trump administration launched an all-out attack on health care by trying to repeal and sabotage the ACA.
Manufacturing jobs
Promise: “We are going to start making things in North Carolina again.” – Donald Trump in Fletcher, North Carolina, October 21, 2016
Reality: Trump’s trade war by tweet is threatening North Carolina factories:
- Experts predict close to 180,000 American jobs will be lost, including close to 13,000 jobs in North Carolina and many in the manufacturing sector, as a result of the Trump administration’s erratic steel and aluminum trade policies.
- Three North Carolina manufacturing hubs—Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte—are in the top 50 hardest-hit communities from the Trump administration’s erratic trade policies.
- More than 400 workers were laid off at two manufacturing plants in the Charlotte region: one that makes fire extinguishers and another that makes flash drives.
- The Trump administration’s tax law gave big corporations hundreds of billions in tax breaks, but it has had virtually no effect on hiring or investment in factories in North Carolina or across the country.
Student debt
Promise: “First, we will lower the cost of college and solve the student loan crisis. It’s a crisis.” – Donald Trump, October 13, 2016
Reality: Despite the president’s promise to solve the student loan crisis, North Carolina student debt is skyrocketing under Trump. His administration’s inaction on the student loan debt crisis hurts North Carolina families:
- 597,300 North Carolinians owe more than $20,000 in student loans.
- 49.9 percent of borrowers in North Carolina owe more than $20,000.
- 44.4 percent of borrowers in North Carolina are older than age 35.
Despite the Trump administration’s promises to fix it, they have made things harder, and actually tried to cap the amount of loans borrowers can take out, as well as shrink the number of repayment plans available to students.
Taxes
Promise: “[W]e will massively cut taxes for the middle class.” – Donald Trump in Wilmington, North Carolina, November 5, 2016
Reality: 83 percent of the benefits from the Trump administration’s $2 trillion tax cut go to corporations and the top 1 percent. Many North Carolina families are getting stuck with the bill.
- 361,520 North Carolina families paid more in taxes last year due to the 2017 tax bill.
- $44,760 is the average tax cut for the wealthiest 1 percent.
- $573 is the average tax cut for the bottom 80 percent.
- Most of the $2 trillion tax cut goes to corporations and the rich. Many North Carolina families are getting stuck with the bill.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Freedom Alexander Murphy at [email protected] or 202-796-9712.