In a recent editorial in the Washington Post, Hillary Clinton was described as “a knowledgeable politician who has been vetted many times over. She understands and respects the U.S. Constitution. She knows policy. She can cite accomplishments in the public interest, such as pressing through an important children’s health insurance program. As a senator, she was respected by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. She completed four years as secretary of state to generally positive reviews. She began her campaign by rolling out a series of serious policy papers.”
As president, Hillary will have the opportunity to appoint possibly four Supreme Court Justices who will uphold Roe v. Wade, restore the full Voting Rights Act, overturn Citizens United, and allow for serious and humane immigration reform creating a path for citizenship, among other things. She will expand on the Affordable Care Act, commit to full funding of Planned Parenthood and women’s reproductive rights, protect Medicare and Social Security, greatly enhance veterans’ medical treatment, and fully fund efforts to deal with the Zika virus, Ebola, and other threats.
Economically, she will work to fill tax loopholes that allow businesses (and Donald Trump) to shield their income from taxes. She will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. She will develop a jobs program that will address America’s crumbling infrastructure of highways, bridges, rail transport, and airport security.
She will support a equal pay for women with a bill that will have the teeth to enforce. She will continue to lower deficit spending, as Obama has done, and lower interest rates on student loans. She will expand on Obama’s extraordinary economic record of 73 consecutive months of job growth, dropping unemployment to 4.7 percent, increasing consumer confidence, thus increasing the stock market by more than 11,000 points.
Environmentally, Hillary will continue efforts and research for alternative energy sources, reducing the need for foreign oil. She will lead, as Obama has done, international efforts to reduce pollution and address the reality of global warming. On the home front, she will work to eliminate voter suppression laws, ensure full civil rights for the LGBT community in every state, and reinstitute the assault weapons ban and tighten background checks on gun sales.
By contrast, Donald Trump has no set agenda for any of the above, not a problem for someone with no fixed beliefs. He would be the candidate with a museum of bigotry, including launching his campaign by calling Mexicans “rapists” and denigrating a federal judge litigating a case based on his ethnicity. He would propose banning Muslims, clearly unconstitutional. He would build a wall on our southern border, and deport 11 million immigrants, the latter in violation of our constitutional rights of due process and search and seizure.
He wants to jail women for having abortions, called Megyn Kelly, Carly Fiorina, Rosie O’Donnell and many others bimbos, pigs, ugly, dogs, slobs, and made crude remarks about menstrual cycles. He condones violence at his rallies, has motivated white supremacist groups, and appeals to the basest instincts of his supporters. He is a pathological liar, as has been demonstrated several times on a daily basis.
Hillary Clinton is supremely qualified, as is her running mate, Tim Kaine, to be president, and has been long in the political arena. They are both competent, knowledgeable, and have great integrity. Donald Trump, by contrast, is bigoted and ignorant. He’s a danger to the American way of life, and to our republic.
Richard Calkins is the immediate past president of the Talbot County Democratic Forum
Fletcher Hall says
There has been enough ch change with Obama as President.
Hillary Clinton will only be an extension of her husband’s and Obama’s terms.
While I am not a Trump devotee, I cannot see another Clinton in the White House.
While jobs are an important in any national election, national security and foreign are
most significant issues in the 2016 presidential election. Hillary Clinton should not
be made responsible for these matters, as her real record reflects. Not the fluff and inadequate
Pablum imitating from the Democratic debacle (Convention).
Stephan Sonn says
Fletcher
No doubt people you have had drinks with in your time killed the party of Lincoln.
Trump was premature, uninvited and galvanizing.
Stay tuned. People are alarmed as well they should be.
And there is more to it than just this election.
Joe Lill says
Fletcher….Are you serious? Trump already has the votes of Vladimir Putin and the leader of North Korea. Are you feeling secure yet? He may be the personification of the Manchurian Candidate.
Gren Whitman says
Her detractors can say what they will, but Ms. Clinton doesn’t denigrate Mexicans. Or Muslims. Or African-Americans. Or Native-Americans. Or ex-POWs. Or women. Or political protesters. Or the disabled. Or journalists doing their job. Or a federal judge doing his job. Or immigrants. Or refugees. Or LGBTQs. Or an associate justice. Or leaders of his party. Or Gold Star parents.
Gabriela Qualey says
I like your point but I would like to know your thoughts on Trump because I don’t really like either him or Hillary. I may need an answer to my question for an essay soon.